merchant lockport bottle

[mal]

hello all

This is the bottle my son found while dismantling an old chimney. Being a 13 year old, he is more interested in its worth than its intrinsic historical value. He wants me to put it in Ebay--so I was hoping for some reserve bid guidelines. Here's a couple of pics from my scanner. It has only been surface cleaned with soap and water, and has no chips, crazing, roughness etc. I guess its not a pontil example. Help? thanks--mal

 

[mal]

heres the other pic--mal

This post moved here and appended to thread - Admin

 

[Bluegrass]

Hi.... looks pontiled to me ...with a hinge mold. Is that a pontil mark on the base, or a trick of the eye? If it's pontiled and aqua it should get around $75-100 on ebay. If it's Lockport green or emerald it would fetch $175-250 (give or take a buck either side). I'm guessing from the photo that it's aqua and pontiled. It's a nice find either way.

John

 

[mal]

thanks John--i wasn't sure if it was a pontil scar or not because it is not very prominent. Its edges are slightly raised, though.

 

[Bluegrass]

Hi Mal.... yup, I was pretty sure from the pic. There are smooth based ones as well, but you have a nice early one there. Perhaps I should take up dismantling chimneys??!!

All the best, John.

 

[mal]

What do you suppose the approximate date is? The house from which it came dates to 1828, but i think the chimneys were a later addition.....mal

 

[Pontiled]

Yours is a bluish aqua specimen and it's listed in my book, The Collector's Guide to Civil War Bottles and Jars -- With Prices (Third Edition) at $115 - $135.

It's been found in the early camps (1861- 1862?), but usually is found in late 1850's sites. Either way, it's a real nice find!

 

[mal]

Thanks everyone, for the info. Now I really want to dig the site--except it's minus 35 tonight! Guess it waits til spring.

 

[Bluegrass]

Yup... 1850-60 somewhere in there. Looked it up in another book: if it's 4&1/7" tall, it's listed at 100.00. If it's 5&3/8" tall, it's 165.00-185.00. Why that 1/2 inch makes so much difference beats me!! Another book lists it at $60-75. A good way to check prices is to look at completed items on ebay.
I heard about those wicked wind-chills up there!! You'll need more than a pick-axe to get through that ground!

John.

 

[mal]

No kidding--I'd need dynamite. Which would probably be bad for bottles.....