Milk bottle Appraisal

[Sode0093]

Does anyone know of someone in the WI or MN area that does milk bottle appraisal? I have a collection of 100+ WI dairy milk bottles that I am looking to sell. It has over-run my house. I would also like to know where the best place to sell them would be, ebay? Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!!

 

[David Fertig]

First thing I would do is check FeeBay's completed auctions and see if any sold and for what amount. It's a gamble with milks on there. I have bought some really good ones for cheap and seen some go for top $$$. There are a number of milk collectors around my parts that do not use the computer to buy/sell, but will pay high at public auction.

If your bottles are all local, you might want to consider using a local auctioneer. The best milk bottle auctions I have been to had about 300+/- bottles and go-withs. Typed, numbered list available on line or by mail a couple weeks prior to the auction. Auctioneer sells one bottle at a time starting with number 1. But this would only be if they are all semi-local, say within an hour or so.

If your collection is from a larger area, I would either:

1) take "local" groupings to an auction house in that area that has experience with bottles. Or,

2) list them on FeeBay.

If using an auctioneer, ask how they intend to sell them. One at a time is good for higher value bottles. Or you could settle for lots and the offering of a choice at least a time or two for each lot. Keep the lots small, maybe 6-8 bottles, and offer choice a time or two. If the auctioneer is not willing to do this, check with another auctioneer. Not all of them are interested in or understand bottles, or even care about bottles.

Good luck.