Why do Mass. Milk Bottles sell so poorly?

[zanes_antiques]

I have two early Mass. milks on ebay, one I know to be rare. Not one of the Milks I viewed on ebay had a decent bid, including mine. Doesn't anyone in Mass. collect Milks?

 

[smithman29]

I dont know specifically about Mass. milk bottles on ebay but the general trend over the last year or so is that if the bottle isnt recognized as a super rare or desirable acquisition, its lucky if it even exceeds its initial starting bid. This is especially true if the bottle doesnt come from an area where milk bottles are avidly collected.
Not that long ago almost every decent milk bottle offering on ebay evoked considerable activity and bidding. The current economic climate, along with an aged, ever-dwindling pool of enthusiasts, has substantially reversed that trend.
The future seemingly does not bode well for this aspect of bottle collecting, however time will tell.

 

[Jim]

It's happening even in areas where milk bottles are popular. In the past year, prices for milk bottles in my area have fallen significantly. The money and the interest just aren't there like they were a few years ago. A lot of people still like milk bottles, but the days of $200-400 bottles are pretty much over, with the only exceptions being very rare bottles with a hard-core collector who wants one.

Personally, I like it. I will be happy to buy every milk bottle I can for my collection at a good price. I just bought one recently for 38 bucks that would have been $150-200 not long ago, and another for $35 that would have been $300 at one time. It sucks for the sellers, but their only choices are to sell cheap or hold on to the bottles. If you have milks that you know are good, scarce bottles, I would just stash them away for now. It would be hard for the market to go much lower than it is now, but it could recover in a few years. ~Jim

 

[zanes_antiques]

I just saw a milk bottle I paid $20 for sell on ebay for $200 plus a month or so ago. You look for yourself at milks from Ohio on ebay and milks from Mass.. You can't deny an unexplainable large difference in interest and prices.

 

[zanes_antiques]

Well, I guess Maine doesn't have the same problem as Mass.. My Bar Harbor Milk is close to breaking $300. Ohio Valley milks are holding steady too. I think the good stuff is still bringing good prices. Hopefully somebody will get their head out of their butt and bid on my Mass. Bottles.

 

[Jim]

I can only speak for my area, Zane. Even with the bad market here, a tough bottle will still bring a good price from a collector who wants it, if you can find him. I know there are still a few around here that I would be willing to pay a good price for.

Some of the milk bottle collectors I know are older guys who don't do eBay. They buy locally at auctions and from other collectors. It could very well be that the right guys simply haven't found out about your Massachusetts bottles. That, or the regional interest just isn't there. I don't doubt that there are more milk bottle collectors in states like PA and OH than there are in the New England area. Less collectors equals less competitive bidding.

Still, if you have a milk that you know or have reason to believe is scarce or desirable, and the bottle does not perform well when you offer it, hang onto it. Try again in a month or two, and again later if you have to. I would rather keep it than give it away for 10 bucks, only to see one the next year go for $200. ~Jim

 

[zanes_antiques]

Thanks Jim, I guess I got a little upset when I looked through 50 or so different milks from there and only two or three had opening bids. I won't give anything away but I want the accumulation of excess bottles gone. I am selling several hundred and this was this first batch of 6. Oh well.

 

[Digswithstick]

Hey Zane ,could you post link to your auction ,some one here might be interested .Like Jim said a lot of the milk bottle collectors are older in my area ,some do not even have computers,they buy from antique dealers,flea markets,friends,live auctions and newspaper ads .