World's Finest Display of Australian & New Zealand Antique Bitters Bottles

[UncleBruce]

Only a month to go & two weeks until cut-off for trading tables & display entries for the 51st Australian National Bottles & Collectables Exhibition & Fair. There are already more than 180 trading tables and more than 80 competitive displays entered. You can still make this great Aussie National which will be held on Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 November in the beautiful Latrobe Valley, just 100 miles east of Melbourne, Victoria's capital city. It is an easy trip by rail or freeway. You'll miss a wonderful event, friendly collectors, fantastic bottles and a unique experience, if you stay home in your winter. Make it the trip of a lifetime! All of the collectors from Australia-wide, New Zealand & Britain are champing at the bit to get back to the top bottle event in Australia after three years of Covid cancellations. The venue is the recently vastly expanded Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium, Catterick Crescent, Traralgon, Victoria. Contact Wayne Harris, President & Fair Coordinator, Gippsland Antique Bottles & Collectables Club Inc. Email: waynhbotl@yahoo.com for any information you require. It's now up to you - the welcome mat is out for you! Oh, yes - the attached logo incorporates a rooster and lyrebird. Both of these birds feature on antique bottles from local Gippsland towns.

Is this show generally the same time every year? If I knew far enough in advance, I would love to plan a visit.

 

[willong]

Most have American or British names, but they were made in Australia for Australian companies. This was done because America, in the 1870-90 period had a reputation here for the best Bitters and there was a prejudice against colonial (i.e. Australian) products. Luckily for us, Americans have never swooped on our rare Bitters bottles or they would all be over with you folk in the land of their names, if not origin. Enjoy!

Thanks for getting around to it! I did enjoy!

Interesting juxtaposition on that one bottle with "St. LOUIS HOP BITTERS" embossed on field of Australian flag!

 

[ozbottles]

G'day Willong. The National is rotated around the various Australian States. The club that stages the National sets the date for that particular year. Next year the Aussie National will be held at Caloundra, Queensland on 29 & 30 April, so plenty of time for you to get to that one, Willong. Make sure that you see lots of Australia while you are here. It is a huge and fascinating country with amazing diversity.