Skunked Probing Today

[slugplate]

I went to one of my locations today to probe out some bottles, no keepers. But that's the way it is sometimes. Found some broken blobs, a broken Paines Celery Compound, and uncovered the "Iron Stone Valhalla" (LOL) tons of it. I took some quick photos. #1- All of the broken stuff. #2 - Celery Compound in the ground. #3 - Celery Compound in pieces. #4 - A privy. unfortunately it's part of loose blacktop road, although not traveled, I'd feel uncomfortable digging it. A mid-1800s homestead used to be about 75' from this spot. It's location is just above the photo.

 

[RoyalRuby]

I picked up a Paine's over the last weekend that had been found and never completely cleaned up for a buck, I gave it a good bath and it cleaned up pretty good, has a couple chips on the blob, but still presentable until a better one comes along, I know these are common, but I didn't have one so I grabbed it.....

 

[slugplate]

They really do clean up well, don't they? I already have two, in mint condition, from the same location as well. However, my dig spot is very odd. I'll come across a TOC bottle and 10 feet away I'll probe out a 70's Michelob... same depth as the older stuff, SMH.

 

[RoyalRuby]

The small tique shop I got this one at has a (the) vender that must dig locally but I don't know who or where, there's always a bunch of dirty bottles in his booths, most are common or just ones I don't really collect, hoping to bump into him one of these days when he at one of his booths to be able to talk with him (or her?...lol).

 

[slugplate]

The small tique shop I got this one at has a (the) vender that must dig locally but I don't know who or where, there's always a bunch of dirty bottles in his booths, most are common or just ones I don't really collect, hoping to bump into him one of these days when he at one of his booths to be able to talk with him (or her?...lol).

That's a great idea to talk to the proprietor. Even if they don't have what you want, they're usually very helpful with offering other tips or names of people who are looking to sell. I do check antique stores time to time, but they've frequently been overpriced and I feel uncomfortable offering a legitimate price that can be taken as an insult. So more often than not, I pass.

 

[RoyalRuby]

That's a great idea to talk to the proprietor. Even if they don't have what you want, they're usually very helpful with offering other tips or names of people who are looking to sell. I do check antique stores time to time, but they've frequently been overpriced and I feel uncomfortable offering a legitimate price that can be taken as an insult. So more often than not, I pass.

Yeah, I hope to talk with whoever it is sometime.......as for buying from antique shops, for me anyway, if I see a bottle (or whatever for that matter) that I really like, I do my best to restrain for an impulse buy, take some pictures of the item and do some research when I get back, if I find it's a good or fair price, I grab it next time I go if it's still there, there's none of these that I really need...lol, but I do like a nice display of bottles and other antiques, I admit that I'm rather new at the bottle collecting, but picking up on it......

 

[slugplate]

Yeah, I hope to talk with whoever it is sometime.......as for buying from antique shops, for me anyway, if I see a bottle (or whatever for that matter) that I really like, I do my best to restrain for an impulse buy, take some pictures of the item and do some research when I get back, if I find it's a good or fair price, I grab it next time I go if it's still there, there's none of these that I really need...lol, but I do like a nice display of bottles and other antiques, I admit that I'm rather new at the bottle collecting, but picking up on it......

It's a great idea to research before you buy. I'm so gun shy about buying demijohns, flasks and etched seltzer bottles. I'm not knowledgable enough to tell the difference between a legit piece or a repro. Honestly, I much prefer digging them so I know they're legit. Not that I haven't purchased a couple bottles here or there, but they are bottles that fit into my comfort zone. Blobs and hutches mainly. However, I did purchase a 4 Gallon Robinson Ransbottom advertising jug for $65. It was full-blown retail, maybe a tad higher, but I had absolutely no stoneware in my collection.

 

[nhpharm]

Those Paine's are always neat...they are one of the first bottles I remember digging as a kid (6 or 7 years old) in New Hampshire and I still dig them today all the way down here in Texas!

 

[RoyalRuby]

It's a great idea to research before you buy. I'm so gun shy about buying demijohns, flasks and etched seltzer bottles. I'm not knowledgable enough to tell the difference between a legit piece or a repro. Honestly, I much prefer digging them so I know they're legit. Not that I haven't purchased a couple bottles here or there, but they are bottles that fit into my comfort zone. Blobs and hutches mainly. However, I did purchase a 4 Gallon Robinson Ransbottom advertising jug for $65. It was full-blown retail, maybe a tad higher, but I had absolutely no stoneware in my collection.

I was eyeing some stoneware as well, one looks to be far older than the others around it and priced a little higher, but like you, I'm not sure how legit or old the piece really is so I passed, until I learn more about this fun hobby of bottles and such, I'll hold off on such purchases until I know what I'm buying, also, I'm not getting any younger, and comparing what it would cost me to go out and dig for bottles verses wandering through antique stores comes into play, even though bottles are dug and we know what we have, how much did they really cost after driving time and gas, the tools needed and of-coarse hoping we don't get hurt which is much more costly.

 

[slugplate]

Cobalt blue, hand painted objects on a jug can be worth a fortune. Norton pieces can go into the thousands.