Identification of "worthless" bottles

[crkgrl]

Hi all,
Hope the bottle digging is going well. I am still on the island and have had some success. Most notably the AB soda bottle I pictured earlier.

This island was not really settled until the 1950's. Also being mostly coral rock, there are not places to dig. I have found a number of "worthless"bottles in the mangroves, water, etc. I haved searched the internet and looked on different sites for identification as to what types of bottles I am finding. Some are pretty obvious, like a mustard container from the 60's, but others are a little more difficult to figure. Is there any site, anyone is aware of, that might go into more detail about less precious bottles as far as what they once held or their use?

If there are makers marks that I can indentify, that often helps, but sometimes that is not the answer either.

 

[capsoda]

Hey Elisabeth, Product bottles and jars can be tuff to ID as they were used by so many different companys for different things. Don't know of any books or web sites that cover them, new or old. There are people on this forum that can ID some back to WW2 or have knowledg of some of the older ones. I ask my parents and some of the old timers in my area about some of the older ones. You would be amazed at what they can tell you.


What island are you on?

 

[crkgrl]

Thanks, Warren.
That is a great idea to ask old timers.

I'm in the Florida Keys. Weather and hunting great, but headed back soon.

 

[capsoda]

Hey Elisabeth, Those little unsettled islands were used as way stops by seamen of all trades. You know military and pirates. Do some metal detecting if you can. Lots of chances to find coins and other neat things on the beaches. Look for little shiney round stones in blues, greens and black. They were used by the Dutch and Indians for money and they wash up quite often with out notice. most people don't even know what they are.

Good Hunting.

 

[bearswede]

Trade beads...

 

[crkgrl]

Wow, new thing to look for! Thanks, Warren.

That is one of the cool things we have going for us. We are looking for things that are so hard to detect most just step over them.

I think I found a little wood totem of some kind on the Indian site. Will check that out too. A good digging weekend to all.

Beth