Roger
Well-Known Member
From The Republican
Jury deliberates in bottle trial
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
By BETSY CALVERT
GREENFIELD - Two collectors of antique bottles fought each other in Franklin Superior Court yesterday in a trial that could be called "Antiques Road Show Gone Bad."
The jury began deliberations yesterday after hearing closing statements from both sides.
In the center of the court fight are four, small amber-olive colored bottles, supposedly made in the 1800s to hold ink and medicines.
Clark Roberge of Henniker, N.H., and at least one expert said the bottles are fake, and Donald Osbourne of Orange made them. Osbourne said they are rare antiques worth at least $11,000.
Osbourne originally tried to sue Roberge for breach of contract for failing to pay $4,100, malicious prosecution and defamation for posting the five bottles on the Roberges' "Bottle Hall of Shame" Web site.
Roberge countersued for breach of contract, misrepresentation and unfair business practices. Judge C. Brian McDonald dismissed the charge of defamation and malicious prosecution.
According to testimony, Roberge approached Osbourne in 2002 at a bottle show saying he wanted to buy some valuable bottles to sell later. Both men claimed to be serious hobbyists who traded for money and personal interest. Roberge testified that Osbourne told him he was about to acquire some valuable utility bottles from a private collection in Connecticut.
In Osbourne's testimony Monday, he said he did not know where he got the bottles nor how much he paid for them.
Experts ultimately told Roberge the bottles probably were made recently from melted-down antique glass shards reshaped from molds.
A police search of Osbourne's house, following a complaint by Roberge, revealed a workshop with an oven for making metal tools, olive-brown antique glass shards and glass blowing equipment, Roberge's lawyer, Edward Berlin said in his closing statement. Osbourne testified that he did not use the oven to melt glass.
McDonald nonetheless granted Roberge's motion to dismiss that charge.
Bottle expert and auctioneer Norman C. Heckler of Woodstock, Conn., testified the bottles appear to be fakes for a variety of reasons, including that their mouths are too crudely made to hold a cork.
Jury deliberates in bottle trial
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
By BETSY CALVERT
GREENFIELD - Two collectors of antique bottles fought each other in Franklin Superior Court yesterday in a trial that could be called "Antiques Road Show Gone Bad."
The jury began deliberations yesterday after hearing closing statements from both sides.
In the center of the court fight are four, small amber-olive colored bottles, supposedly made in the 1800s to hold ink and medicines.
Clark Roberge of Henniker, N.H., and at least one expert said the bottles are fake, and Donald Osbourne of Orange made them. Osbourne said they are rare antiques worth at least $11,000.
Osbourne originally tried to sue Roberge for breach of contract for failing to pay $4,100, malicious prosecution and defamation for posting the five bottles on the Roberges' "Bottle Hall of Shame" Web site.
Roberge countersued for breach of contract, misrepresentation and unfair business practices. Judge C. Brian McDonald dismissed the charge of defamation and malicious prosecution.
According to testimony, Roberge approached Osbourne in 2002 at a bottle show saying he wanted to buy some valuable bottles to sell later. Both men claimed to be serious hobbyists who traded for money and personal interest. Roberge testified that Osbourne told him he was about to acquire some valuable utility bottles from a private collection in Connecticut.
In Osbourne's testimony Monday, he said he did not know where he got the bottles nor how much he paid for them.
Experts ultimately told Roberge the bottles probably were made recently from melted-down antique glass shards reshaped from molds.
A police search of Osbourne's house, following a complaint by Roberge, revealed a workshop with an oven for making metal tools, olive-brown antique glass shards and glass blowing equipment, Roberge's lawyer, Edward Berlin said in his closing statement. Osbourne testified that he did not use the oven to melt glass.
McDonald nonetheless granted Roberge's motion to dismiss that charge.
Bottle expert and auctioneer Norman C. Heckler of Woodstock, Conn., testified the bottles appear to be fakes for a variety of reasons, including that their mouths are too crudely made to hold a cork.
