Please Help! Question about tumbled bottle.

[Wheelah23]

I've never seen a well tumbled bottle. That doesn't mean they don't exist, but I've only seen overtumbled ones. In fact, this week I bought a bottle on eBay, only to find out upon closer inspection that it's tumbled. Luckily the seller has been cooperative. They got it from someone else, so that person must've tumbled it. I've returned it now.

Then again, by my logic, if a bottle has been tumbled well, I shouldn't be able to tell... Until I see proof a bottle can be tumbled without ruining it, I won't believe it's possible.

 

[AntiqueMeds]

soap and water is good enough for some folks. more power to them.

 

[diggerdirect]

... Until I see proof a bottle can be tumbled without ruining it, I won't believe it's possible.

It would all depend on ones definition of 'ruined'. []

If increased displayability, desireability and ultimately value across a broader range of collectors is considered ruined then...

Until a 'secret method' (of which I noticed that thread has been took down?) or other non destructive technique is available as general knowledge I dont see the practice being halted, whether right or wrong.

Dont get me wrong, I certainly wouldnt try and defend an over tumbled bottle, its a shame. Even tho we each consider ourselves the 'owners' of these glass treasures, and rightly so, we are, at best just temporary custodians in the scheme of things.

Al

 

[Wheelah23]

ORIGINAL: diggerdirect

Even tho we each consider ourselves the 'owners' of these glass treasures, and rightly so, we are, at best just temporary custodians in the scheme of things.

Exactly my reasoning. Why do something irreversible and ultimately destructive to the glass, rather than just leave it alone for now? If a nondestructive cleaning method were to come to light, years from now, there'd be no hope for all the tumbled bottles. But any bottles that remain sick, could be fixed up in a relative jiffy. I won't argue that tumbling increases displayability and value. But I collect bottles for their history, which I think is altered by tumbling.