# Like a kid in the candy store!!!



## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

First time I have had a chance in a while to post but just wanted to post about the unbelievable luck I had a couple of weeks ago! I had viewed a post on a local estate sale site about an estate of a lady whose aunt had lived in one of their ancestors' homes that was built around 1835. That is like ancient history in Texas as compared to other places in the US. 

  Anyways she also owned a well known antique shop back in the 60's to early or mid 1980's. I noticed in one of the pictures that it looked like a pint or half pint historical flask with what looked like an eagle. A lot of the estate sales and garage sales have trends now of starting on Fridays and since i have a 9-5 regular job I hate that because in the past I have missed out on some really good stuff by going early Sat mornings because the Friday before everyone else grabbed up most of the good stuff.
   Well this time I guess it was my turn as I asked my boss if it were ok to take off on Friday and she told me you never take off and you deserve it. So I got there about 20 min. before they opened the doors and there was only about 15 -20 people ahead of me. I thought at least I have a fighting chance. 

  As soon walk into the carport I look towards the back of which was mostly books on bookshelves and furniture, mostly very nice antique pieces. I see a set of cobalt blue cathedral inks, I am thinking I need to make sure I get a good look at these as I know there are repros out there, well I nearly flipped when upon getting a closer look I see they are the real deal but they are priced incredibly low...$30.00 for the whole set. Only drawback is I still need the clover deskset inkwell to have a complete set but I was like the kid in the perverbial candy store as I grabbed those up so quick. Not sure why they were priced that low except no one with this estate sale did their homework and/or just wanted to get rid of this stuff badly. I was still in disbelief but noticed there isn't alot of stuff here and in the pictures there was several shelves. I quickly found out that the rest of the stuff was in an attached little cabin like building attached to the back of the carport but you had to walk out a side door and down a little path which is where everyone else had headed to. It was so packed with stuff that I was one person back from getting in and from my vantage point I could not see what I had really come for....that flask! When I was finally able to get in I saw some nice pickle and utility bottles but when I rounded the corner of this table in the center I saw the shelf on the other side of the room where the flask had been in the picture and I saw the bottles that were around the flask but no flask!?!

  I was starting to get bummed and did a quick glance to see who might have it in their hands but no one did and as I was finally able to work my way through the crowd I see it on the same shelf but other end!! I tried to get there as quick as I could almost running into but managing luckily not to knock over this little old lady! And as soon as I get it in my hands on it I know this is no repro!!! and then I see the price on it and I am thinking omg how in the world can this be real and not a repro or fake. It is a GII-73 Eagle-Cornicopia with the "X" on the Cornicopia side, open pontiled with just some high point wear and base wear and for the price of $15.00!!!! Not at all what I was prepared to have to pay for it. This is my first historical intact flask and I am thrilled to have it. I am only mentioning the actual prices of these because I do not ever plan on selling them. I know that even in today's market I could put this on an auction or fleabay and sell it easily from 10 to 20 times or more what I paid for it. 

  On the same shelve I see something I have never seen before which has a seal on it and then I spot 2 almost identical bottles also with seals on them, one with a handle the other not but they are a matching set. All three are free blown and pontiled but the colors are slightly different from what I would expect bottles from that time period and extremely clean.The seal on the one ale bottle has a name of John Greehow and an abbreviation for Williamsburg, Va  and a date which at first looked like 1776 but I found out later was 1770 and priced less than the flask as the other 2 were as well. And I am thinking even if these are repros they are still pretty cool looking and definately well crafted higher end repros and priced right. When I looked into the ale flask bottle I found out they were done as part of a contract back in the mid-1960s by a company called Blenko and based on fragments found in a well during an archie dig there and commissioned by the Department of Parks? I believe and sold in a version of the original shop of John Greenhow who was a merchant in colonial Williamsburg. The other two have a J with 2 stars below it and are a light green or apple green. 

  All in all I paid around $65.00 with tax for the whole lot! A banner day to say the least and I probably will never see another like it but I would of course definately welcome it!! I have attached some pics. All of these bottles are as near mint or mint as you get and other than the light wear on the flask and a little light cleaning nothing else needs to be done to them!!! Needless to say I had a grin on my face for at least 3 days afterward. Only thing better would have been to dig them but in Texas that really would have been a near miracle!!! HH all!! Ace


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

Adding a few more pics. Thanks, Ace


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## Penn Digger (Nov 20, 2011)

Congrats!!!  Good for you.  I think many of us hope to happen upon a sale like that at least once in our lifetime.  Too bad we have to go to hundreds hoping the same will happen.  Nice!

 PD


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## Penn Digger (Nov 20, 2011)

Let's see the other side of that flask!

 PD


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

More pics!


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

and more......


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## Penn Digger (Nov 20, 2011)

You're making my neck hurt, but thanks.  Take the price tags off pleeeasse, you're killing us!

 PD


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

another of the repro John Greehow


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

the twins! Pretty, even if they are repros!


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## Jim (Nov 20, 2011)

Good score, Ace. It's a rare treat to find killer buys like that, and this just shows that there are still a few out there to be had. Congratulations!  ~Jim


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

Sorry about the necks ..should have thought to manipulate these pics when _resized them_


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

one last of the eagle flask! Thanks for looking! HH Ace


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 20, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words PD and Jim. Like I said probably never have another day like that one again!! But one can always dream. I will definately be going to any of this estate sales company's sales if they have bottles or other stuff  I like and hope I can at least get a few more good buys!! Sorry about the tags being on but I did not remove them until after I took the initial pics that night. I need to take some better pics now as those are not that great and were just kinda done on a whim because I was so excited, didn't really plan on being able to find something like that!! Yep just goes to show you deals are still out there and to keep your eyes open. If I had not looked at that ad for this particuler estate sale and see that flask I probably never would have thought to make a point and go to that one!! Very lucky for me I did!! Thanks again!! HH Ace


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## JOETHECROW (Nov 20, 2011)

Glad you had your luck running today....That is the kind of sale I always hear about after....[]


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## Dansalata (Nov 21, 2011)

wow...stuff dreams are made of..congrats!!!


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## ktbi (Nov 21, 2011)

Very Nice!!


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 21, 2011)

Thanks Joe, Dan and Ron! Much appreciated! Hey Ron you find out any more info on that Davis Kidney bitters bottle? I looked some more but still nothing new. HH Ace


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## jays emporium (Nov 22, 2011)

Hey Ace, where are you located in Texas?  I'm in Victoria and don't see many Texas collectors on here.
 Nice finds at the estate sale.  I go to sales every week and find good bottles occasionally, but by good I mean embossed crown top sodas or something like that, never a historical flask around here.  I keep dreaming though of finding some original figural bitters that the seller thinks are Wheatons.  Could happen as dumb as some of these professional estate sale people are about bottles.
 Jay


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## AntiqueMeds (Nov 22, 2011)

great deal on the cathedral inks.
 The shaft & globes are Jamestown repros but you still got a good deal on them.


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 22, 2011)

Jay, thanks! Yes I was exceptionally lucky but I find most of what I find by going on to Craigs list and by going on to a site call Estate sales . net. I hope I am not breaking any rules of the forum by bringng up any other sites but since these are not other forums I am guessing its ok. These have been my mainstays and I have added several decent bottles from a few bitters to a black glass ale bottle because of garage or estate sales I have found through them. I also scored a diamond and lattice poison in mint condition withthe stopper and 2 John Wyeth meds with dose caps for a very good price from a guy whose father was a Pharmacist and collected and left all his collection to his sons when he passed on. 

 I live in a "small" town just north of Austin called Cedar Park. Its not really not that small but it used to be! The areas around Austin have exploded in the last 10 years and really are just an extension of Austin. The rest of what I find has been at garage sales locally, speaking of which I went by one of our neighbors garage sales this past weekend. He is an oldtimer that originally lived in the Michigan and Wisconsin areas and had some cool hutch bottles and others from a lake there where they drained it to repair a dam and he and several people there went out and dug up lots of stuff.  I surprisingly don't have any hutches in my collection but I will soon as they will be out of town this week for the holidays and since a I did not have any real cash on me he said he would save them for me and we could make a deal on the dozen or so he has when they get back. They were pretty clean, nothing exceptional or rare but they are ones I don't have and some are mug based which I think is very cool!! Anyways if I ever get north and have some time love to see your collection and talk old glass and same if you are down in these parts you are welcome to stop by!!! 

 I have only been collecting seriously in the last 7 or 8 years and I am not as "experienced" as alot of others on this forum especially when it comes to digging as I have done very little, but I love to talk to others who have alot more experience and knowledge. I love history and I love old bottles and I love the 1800's and and just about anything that came from that time period! Anyway sorry fo the book! HH Ace


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 22, 2011)

Matt thanks, yes it was an awesome deal. the fact that they were mint and there together at all was surprising.

 As you can imagine I about broke my neck after grabbing those as quickly as possible and trying to see what else they had there!!! I was starting to think maybe I was still asleep and dreaming it especially after I found the GII-73 and saw the price on it! By the way you have a very cool and well put together website!! I have not looked through it completely but I was on there a while back as I actually stumbled upon and it and then saw the link from one of your posts the other night and "rediscovered" it again and it is now saved as one of my favorites. HH Ace


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## JOETHECROW (Nov 22, 2011)

> I live in a "small" town just north of Austin called Cedar Park.


 
 Ace,...as I said earlier...Great finds,... but also after reading this update,...I just wondered if Cedar Park is anywhere near Round Rock? I have family there.


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 22, 2011)

Joe thanks again and yes Round Rock is vey close only about 10 to 15 mins away depending on where you are in Cedar Park as the "crow" flies. Sorry couldn't resist!! If your ever down this way give me a holler or a shout as folks in your area might say! HH Ace


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## JOETHECROW (Nov 22, 2011)

> as the "crow" flies.


 
 will do Ace. []


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## jays emporium (Nov 22, 2011)

Ace,
 I'll be in Austin this weekend at Citywide Garage Sale show at Palmer events center Sat and Sun.  I'll be set up with bottles and other collectibles.  Come by if you get a chance and introduce yourself.  I have lots of old bottles for sale or trade.  I'm carrying a bunch of Texas crown top and Hutch sodas to shows right now as well as other bottles.
 Jay


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 23, 2011)

Jay, 

 Probably won't be able to make it on Saturday as I have stuff going on and relatives visiting but if I get the chance to break away Sunday I might just come down as I have not been to the Citywide one since earlier this year and I try to catch it a few times a year. If I am there I will drop by and at least say hi and check out your booth. HH Ace


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## Ace10Tex (Nov 27, 2011)

Jay,
 Sorry I didn't get to make it down to the City-Wide. Ended up waiting on the little one's Grandparents and by the time they showed up and we decided to get out of the house it was after 2 pm and we had to be back up this way by 5 pm so I blew off heading down there. Not sure when you will be there with a booth again but hopefully I can make it then. Hope you had a good turn out this weekend. Take care!! HH Ace


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## jays emporium (Dec 1, 2011)

The next Austin Citywide show is Jan 28-29 and I do plan to set up then.  I probably won't bring the Texas sodas again but will bring lots of other bottles.  Are there any categories you collect?  I only sold 17 bottles at the Nov show but sports cards and beer advertising sold real well making a good show.  Hope you can make it in Jan.
 Jay


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## glass man (Dec 2, 2011)

When you saw these bottles...did your eyes bout pop outa your head?My wife has always given myself away when I see something good cause of the look that comes over my face!

 MAN GLAD FOR YOU!!!!JAMIE


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## Gromit0299 (Dec 5, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  Penn Digger
> 
> Congrats!!!Â  Good for you.Â  I think many of us hope to happen upon a sale like that at least once in our lifetime.Â  Too bad we have to go to hundreds hoping the same will happen.Â  Nice!
> 
> PD


 
 That's because living in the northeast (and us, especially being near Philadelphia, I think it's only slightly better where you are up north), getting lucky like that would be about as lucky as winning the lottery.  

 And you know, good for you, Ace.  Their lack of research on their part, is totally your gain.  I'm surprised, as an Estate broker, they didn't know better, but I feel slightly vindicated through your win.  []


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## Ace10Tex (Dec 5, 2011)

Jay, 
 I will try and make the next one in January. I mostly like cures, meds, sodas and bitters. But in the past I have collected anything that caught my eye. I have a varied albeit not a large collection.  From inks, a few poisons, food, meds, cures, some bitters, sodas, beers and I have been collecting some acl and embossed newer sodas. I think I will have to start to scale down and maybe just pick a couple of catagories or niche areas to collect. I would like to collect more colored blob sodas and historical flasks but those are hard to come by unless you go to online auctions or ebay etc. As you know those are not very prevalent in this area. Other than that, Texas meds and cures , older crude pontiled meds and maybe some Texas Pharmacy bottles and Texas sodas of all kinds are areas I would like to concentrate on. That and I will always have a soft spot for bitters!! There is just so many cool variaties!! 
 As you can tell gonna be hard for me to keep them narrowed down but my wife I'm sure will keep me in check!!!


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## Ace10Tex (Dec 5, 2011)

Jamie thanks for the comments! Yes my eyes about popped out when I saw those inks and I nearly broke my neck and took out an elderly lady trying to get to that flask!! I don't think she appreciated my enthusiaism as much some on here might!! Yep my wife pretty knows when I see some old or antique bottles I am gonna stop and look. She is like oh here we go again!!! But she likes some of them and appreciates the fact I have a positive hobby or obsession depending on what day you ask her!! Take care!! HH Ace


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## Ace10Tex (Dec 5, 2011)

Gromit thanks for the kind words. Yes you would think that it would benefit these Estate brokers to know thier stuff at least enough to keep it in the ball park. I expect that when I go to some of the Antique dealers that their prices are usually way off and typically the other direction as in waaaay too high!! I went to another Estate sale this weekend and even though they had reduced all the stuff as it was the afternoon of the last day of this sale most of the stuff was still priced over what alot of the things are currently going for in the market. 

 You would think some of this stuff was made out of gold, not glass or non precious metals. Now not everything was that way but alot of it was. 
 I did find a box of some older bottles that had a few newer embossed and acl sodas that had been reduced down and were reasonable and I got a few of those but originally they had been over priced as well. I think alot of times they do not do their homework except on well known or high end collectables like furniture etc. I don't know if its because alot of these estates are for the whole households and there is just so much stuff or what?HH Ace


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## Gromit0299 (Dec 5, 2011)

Well the good thing is that with an Estate sale, you can always bargain, unlike an auction, where unless you know your limit (which really, sometimes, it's worse than gambling), you can easily end up bidding your house on something you really want.


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