What would you like to see in a bottle book?

[RICKJJ59W]

ORIGINAL: GuntherHess

Thanks, I appreciate the feedback.
A lot to think about.
A book would give me a good excuse to get a table at some bottle shows.
Anchored to a table, I wouldnt be able to easily elude other forum members[]

Hahahaa yeah you would just wear that camo getup , Gunther? where?

 

[RIBottleguy]

Well by 2112 we'll probably all be dead anyway []. Let's see, I would include common bottles and less common bottles with a few rare ($500+) bottles thrown in. I think it will really help educate non-collectors that you see on ebay trying to sell Bromos for $20 and the like. That said, values (a price range) would be great, and pictures are preferable. I would say have B & W pictures throughout the book and a leaf in the middle (like Kovels) of color photos of really rare medicines. A rarity rating would be great too. As long as it comes out, I don't care about the binding type, but the cheaper the better.
Also, I'll volunteer for contributing pictures of RI medicines. I have a nice archive at my disposal.

 

[JOETHECROW]

Gunth,...great idea.
I love antique medicine bottles, and I love great pictures of antique bottles, stemming from my early years of poring over library books, soaking up all that I could. It would be a great culmination of all of your research, hard work and medicine knowledge. I pretty much echo Tigue's thoughts for a format. I too would buy a copy, to have and keep, and refer to, and just enjoy and read. I'm an old school book person. I hope you decide to do it.

 

[BillinMo]

Excellent idea. I'd definitely be interested in buying.

I'm not really a med collector, but I am the nerdy archivist type so I like having books and references on all sorts of subjects.

So to answer your questions, Matt:

1) Size doesn't matter (how's that for a cheap joke setup...). Seriously, though, 8.5 x 11 or smaller is fine, larger would be cumbersome. I don't have a preference.

2) Photos would be great. Drawings would be fine as long as quality is considered. I've seen too many bottle and insulator books with crude, ugly drawings that a ten-year-old would scoff at.

3) I'd prefer price ranges and some indication of relative rarity would be nice. I can understand having the price list as a separate entity so the book doesn't become obsolete too quickly.

4) Sturdy binding is essential. Method doesn't matter, as long as the book holds up to being carried to shows and used again and again.

5) I like comprehensiveness, so I'd like to see everything listed, even the commons (perhaps limited to American or North American items). Depending on how the book's organized, I'd also like to see a cross-reference index by med category, name, city, etc. as the Fike book has.

6) I'd probably like having the book, but a lower-cost CD rom would be a great idea.

 

[surfaceone]

Hey Matt,

This is exciting news. I think having a real bound book is a signal lifetime achievement. Knowing you a bit, I'd think it would be comprehensive to the maximum. Sturdily bound, please. Double ugh on those plastic spiral ones!

A CD would be a double bonus, and so 21st Century.

Please put me down for one.

 

[GuntherHess]

I am not a fan of the plastic comb bindings. That is the biggest problem I have with ODells pontil guide. Used it a couple times and the pages all fell out (otherwise its a great work).
I have an ancient beat up copy of Baldwins Patent and Proprietary Medicines, hard bound, read a thousand times and the binding is still perfect.

 

[cyberdigger]

How about full page pix of bikini models holding valuable bottles?

 

[Wheelah23]

ORIGINAL: cyberdigger

How about full page pix of bikini models holding valuable bottles?

I think we'd ALL like to see this in a bottle book! I second this notion! This man is on to a great idea! [8D]

 

[Steve/sewell]

Matt,
If my Mckearins or other larger bottle and glass sources were on Disc I would never bother opening the books ever again.Searchable media is where the game is played in our impatient world.Plus you cant update printed books without printing a supplement. You would spend a fortune to put together a proffesional book.Our hobby just doesnt attract a large percentage of the antique collecting community. A book on CD is perfect and sell it with 2,3,4 year or lifetime updates depending on what the person buys.Heck you dont even need a CD just offer the book as a download in PDF or Word whatever format.Your overhead cost would be dramaticaly reduced.I think it would sell very well and I would buy it right away. Good luck with whatever endevor and I would buy the book also.

 

[appliedlips]

Call me old fashioned but I still prefer to read on paper. I have several references downloaded on my phone and use them occasionally. I have been having a friend who is a printer, print out your book for a couple years now, refer to it alot.