# Any thoughts on burst bubbles or other in making flaws?



## cowseatmaize (Dec 13, 2005)

Hi, I know that flaws keep prices down but what are your thoughts? I still think that most in making flaws should be called mint. All the work that went into making bottles in the early days of glass was too much to throw them out if a bubble burst and it still held liquid. Same goes for a crack that may have happened when snapping off the pontil rod.
 I have a Stoddard double eagle that definitely has an un-melted base from floor sweepings molded into one of the eagles and I think itâ€™s more interesting than a â€œperfectâ€ example. It also has a V crack in the lip, which doesnâ€™t look like a repair but hey, I got a double eagle for $25.
 I also have a reverse 99 Langleys Root & Herb Bitters with swirls of very small bubbles that make it look like stain but itâ€™s not. It's just froth in the gather. I tried to get $30 but no takers because it wasnâ€™t perfect. I did mention the few light scratches too though.
 I also think itâ€™s odd that the same people that want a perfect display piece but may or may not accept a piece thatâ€™s tumbled.
 Do you people reading this totally dismiss everything in the making or not? Except whittle, crudely applied lips and such of coarse.
 Start discussion nowâ€¦>


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## capsoda (Dec 13, 2005)

Good one Eric, I for one think that production flaws give a bottle or jar character and in some cases can substantually increase there value. I have seen bottles and jars with insects, twigs and leaves in the glass. Then there are backward letters,misspelled words and makers repairs, which are always done in glass not epoxy and superglue. I have a lowly amber Listerine bottle that would have went back into the hole if it were not for a massive makers repair and I am currently trying to get a friend to part with a 1800s plain mason jar except for the caterpillar in the glass. So in my humble opinion there great but to each his own. A bottle is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 13, 2005)

How about those bases that are just so off they barly stand or at least rock back and forth like weebles? I got quite a few of those. Is that damage?
 Bump


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## bearswede (Dec 13, 2005)

Hi Eric...

 I had one of those flasks that wouldn't stand on its own... I just got a stand for it... Displayed great that way, and I had no trouble selling it...

 I think most in-manufacture flaws are or should be acceptable to all but the ultra-fussy pants among us... Some flaws such as flashes, spider cracks from a potstone and heat cracks are possible exceptions...

 I bought a dark root beer amber Drake's at a bottle show; forgot to look down its throat before I shelled out the bargained price... Later I found a potstone at the very dark base... I kept looking harder and harder and finally, radiating cracks materialized... When I finally looked down the bottle's pipes, I saw the obvious...

 Sure, I bought a less-than-perfect bottle which will affect my ability to sell it and make a few kopeks... And you can be certain I will not fail to point out this flaw to prospective buyers... But what the heck, it doesn't show on display 'cause the dark color really hides it, and it was a perfectly natural part of the glass blowing process as it was practiced in the 19th century... I can forget about it and enjoy that bottle; maybe I was ticked at first, mostly with myself, but now I can live with it, embrace it even...


 Ron


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## capsoda (Dec 13, 2005)

Yeah Eric, Those crooked bottoms are great to and like Ron said these makers flaws should be exceptable. Then theres times when a bottle is ultra rare you have to take the best you can get. The pic is the first crown cork bottle used by a local bottler and is concidered very rare. I've only seen a few and only one that is mint. the clear glass seems to be prone to stress fractures when burried.The one in the pic is concidered in very good condition and I'm glad to have it.


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## BRIAN S. (Dec 13, 2005)

Myself ..... some in the manufacture does not bother me in purchasing a bottle . Unless it grossly disfigures it. Open bubbles to some people is damage .... to me it is character . Frothing of bubbles in the glass is also character and adds to the bottles value in my opinion. Crooked base or dips in the lip is alright also. Potstones, Ash , ect. in the glass also adds to the character and value in my opinion. Heavy whittle is a big plus also !!!
 But , Radiating potstones will reduce the value .... and will make me think twice on a purchase of a bottle... depending on price and rarity of course. Chips , cracks , flakes , dings or bruises .... also reduce value. And depending on rarity .... will weigh heavily in my desicion on a purchase. 
 I like character and think a bottle with good character is much better than a plain jain straight square boring bottle. Just my opinion !!!


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 22, 2005)

Hey, I thought I'd share some pics I took. I'm no photagrapher but.... Here's a Washington Taylor pint base. This is a wobbler.


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 22, 2005)

Here's some slag in a pontilled F Browns. Kind of a burst bubble to but mostly extra glass.


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 22, 2005)

A backward Z


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 22, 2005)

My favorite, a double eagle with a hunk if a base of another bottle on the eagle


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## bearswede (Dec 22, 2005)

I've seen that kind of mark on several bottles... I'm thinking it might be a patch for a worn mold...???

 Ron


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## DiggerBryan (Dec 23, 2005)

I have a question about open bubbles..... I bought a bottle on ebay and someone started to sand out an open bubble. How can I fix this? I have a tumbler but it doesn't seem to take out scratches and case wear and stuff like that it only seems to take out the haziness in the bottle. Any suggestions?


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 28, 2005)

DiggerBryan: try the tumbling threads. I think there is polishing and also cutting grades of the mix. I'm not a tumbler...yet.
 On the subject though I've added to my ebay list for one bottle the following.

 My bottles usually sells for less than other peoples. That's because I'm upfront, accurate and true to the real world. I'll over describe rather than have you wonder. Please consider that mold deformities, whittle, burst bubbles, heat cracks,  (especially around the pontil), decorking chips, etc. are common in old bottles.  Way too much work went into the process of making a bottle to scrap it if it still held water. It blows my mind that people want absolutely perfect when 100+ years ago there was no such thing. I will mention it though. See this if your interested https://www.antique-bottles.net/forum/Any_thoughts_on_burst_bubbles_or_other_in_making_flaws%3F/m_42727/tm.htm 
  The link goes to this post. Am I just saying to much by being honest? Should I just say as little as possible and sell the darn thing? Morals Su*&... don't thet.


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## capsoda (Dec 28, 2005)

Na Eric, Morals don't Su*& but those who take advantage of people with morals Su*&.

 Enjoyed your web page.


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 28, 2005)

Thanks Warren, thats just an effort to justify my cable costs. I get 10MB free!!!!. Oh well, it's picture hosting. Did you notice how unrealistic my prices were? They may come down as fuel prices rise. I haven't decidied if I want warmth or bottles yet. I'm leaning toward the bottles though.


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