What would you like to see in a bottle book?

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saratogadriver

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Gunther, talk to Ed and Lucy Faulkner. They have been doing the only new ink book out there for the last decade for a while. It's ring bindered and self published (they did it through some local publisher and have copies made when they sell them). It's not perfect, but it is a heck of a lot more in depth than Covill when it comes to details about the various manufacturers.

Things they did right. Color, as many inks as they could get access to, pictures of all. Excellent detail with papers for various manufacturers when they could get them, and as much research as possible.

Things I think could use improvement. I'd like to see the bottles ordered solely by manufacturer name. I'd like to see ALL the bottles from one manufacturer under that manufacturer's name (they did SOME bottles by type umbrella etc and some under manufacturer). I think they should have tried to get permission to use Covill pics for bottles they couldn't get access to (don't know if that was possible but it would be a more complete listing of every ink that exists). They emphasize that it was not their intent to document EVERY ink. I think you have been trying to diligently document every medicine.

I'm not big on the price guide. It's out of date before you publish it, and, as debate on here indicates, value is very subjective on the best of dates.

Good luck to you. We could sure use a GOOD medicine bottle guide.

Jim G
 

cyberdigger

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ORIGINAL: GuntherHess

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

Are you offering to model???

I'll do it.. but then you need to include a pack of barf bags with each book..
 

VTdigger

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I'd like to see some personal digging stories/experiances from regular diggers worldwide past and present, ones of good finds, danger, good friends/family, Discovering history,, humor Etc. something like "Digging stories for the soul."
 

peejrey

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Hey Surf.....If that's heaven's library, than I can't wait!![:)]
Seeing as my Dad works in IT at the UMPH, he has lots of computer resources....
He writes a lot of short stories in his spare time...some are really good..I thought about myself writing a beginning collectors guide to bottle collecting, From the begging collectors standpoint..
When ever I first started out, about 4-5 years ago, It was hard choosing a book that looked like it would help. I bought Michael Polak's 4th or 6th edition bottle book. It was the one with the $600 Warners. I needed something not with all the big flash stuff..(I only found about 4 bottles in it[>:])
I found this book at a used book store that was like a 2nd edition..It had them all, and the rest was history...[;)]
I thought about doing a B&W book...just a little more updated..

Matt, You got a good thing going their, and I'll surly buy one when it comes out....Put all you 1000 medicines, and trade cards, and stuff in there, and make it look nice..
Good luck to you!
_Preston
 

GuntherHess

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talk to Ed and Lucy Faulkner. They have been doing the only new ink book out there for the last decade for a while. It's ring bindered and self published (they did it through some local publisher and have copies made when they sell them). It's not perfect, but it is a heck of a lot more in depth than Covill when it comes to details about the various manufacturers.

Things they did right. Color, as many inks as they could get access to, pictures of all. Excellent detail with papers for various manufacturers when they could get them, and as much research as possible.

Things I think could use improvement. I'd like to see the bottles ordered solely by manufacturer name. I'd like to see ALL the bottles from one manufacturer under that manufacturer's name (they did SOME bottles by type umbrella etc and some under manufacturer). I think they should have tried to get permission to use Covill pics for bottles they couldn't get access to (don't know if that was possible but it would be a more complete listing of every ink that exists). They emphasize that it was not their intent to document EVERY ink. I think you have been trying to diligently document every medicine.

I'm not big on the price guide. It's out of date before you publish it, and, as debate on here indicates, value is very subjective on the best of dates.

I have talked to the Faulkners a bit about their book. I think I even provided them with a bit of input on the American Standard Frederick Inks. Many people are currently using "publish on demand" services where they print books as they are sold. This method makes the upfront cost and risk to the author lower but I think it ends up in a higher book cost. I would rather take the risk and buy 300 books (or however many) up front and be able to sell them at a lower price. I think cost is a big factor since many collectors I know dont have a huge amount of money to spend on books. I'm going more for a working man's book than a glossy coffee table book[;)] I'm still leaning towards the fruit jar RED BOOK format but with more research info. I'd love to talk to the Red Book author but his email address doesnt seem to appear on the Red Book website.
Cross referencing is where CDROM versions really shine. Everything is inherently cross referenced since you have a search feature. Paper books are always going to be more cumbersome to find items in.
I am still undecided on how to express values. I have seen many people just state a rarity level (for example 8 out of 10). This can be misleading though since as we all know rarity is not always directly proportional to value. The only thing I'm sure of is it needs some type of value indication as ~90% of collectors I have talked to consider that a major selling point.
 

westernbittersnut

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I recently wrote a book and had it published last December. I wrote on a subject that had not been researched very well and had only been briefly touched upon in two bottle books, one written in 1969 with about 2 pages out of 95 pages dealing with the subject matter and an updated version of the same subject written in 1999 with about 2 pages out of 132 devoted to the subject. For awhile I thought maybe there isn't any material available to be able to write a comprehensive story on the subject.
I spent three and a half years researching and exhausting all areas that would would possibly have information on the subject matter and compiled this information into a chronological story line backed with factual information from sources that were present and writing about this at the time of their operations. All this nineteenth century information which was in black and white I had printed in color because it gave it a more appealing look. I had a quality made book with 100 lb paper with a sewn binding and hardcase cover with pressed title and gold foil imprinted into it. I knew this book would be of interest to western glass collectors and wanted it to be of very good quality as it would be read over and over again because of all the detail included in the content. The book is titled EARLY GLASSWORKS OF CALIFORNIA and is 265 pages.
It details all the glassworks that were in operation blowing bottles, insulators, target balls, canning jars etc., during the 19th century from the begining in 1859 through the demise of the largest in 1899. I originally had 125 copies printed and presold for $100 each, since then they have been selling $215 and the last four copies have been sold at $325 each, to collectors of California history and to institutions who have never seen anything written on this subject before. I can have more copies printed but my cost is higher due to the low volume of books being ordered. Currently I just ordered 10 more copies and they can be purchased from me for $225 each.
 

GuntherHess

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EARLY GLASSWORKS OF CALIFORNIA

Sounds like a great book.

$100 is way too high a sell price for this particular medicine guide. That would price half my intended audience out of the market.

I have been working on a LONG term book project about early medicines made in the first 30 years of the 19th century. Its a tough subject to research and I think its info that currently isnt very available to collectors. I may go the fancier full metal jacket approach on that one.


Thanks for all the good feedback.
 

baltbottles

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I have been working on a LONG term book project about early medicines made in the first 30 years of the 19th century. Its a tough subject to research and I think its info that currently isnt very available to collectors. I may go the fancier full metal jacket approach on that one.

I'd be very interested in this book if you ever publish it.

As for a medicine guide. I like the PDF file you currently release with average ebay and auction selling prices. I just keep a copy on my phone so its always with me.

Chris
 

geezer39

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An alphabetical index of companies would be great for us newbies who don't know one type of bottle from another. I have a copy of Illustrated Price Guide of Antique Bottles by Sellari I use all the time because it has an index. Trouble is, it was published in 1975 so price ranges in book are way out of date.
 

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