# The Most Interesting Bottle I've Found In The Wild



## WesternPA-collector (Oct 26, 2018)

Yesterday I saw this Anchor Hocking "Congratulations High School Graduates Class of 1968" flask laying in a swampy area next to a murky pond in South Connellsville, only about a mile from the factory (plant 5) where it would have been made years ago. From a distance I could tell it was a flask and only hoped it was intact with no breaks. Very carefully I made my way to it without sinking into mud. I discovered there was actually not a single thing wrong with it besides being covered in so much grime I could hardly see the green color. I've gotten most of it off with a scouring pad on outside and toothbrush inside. But there are parts of it I can't get to. Does anyone know a good safe way to get the rest of the dirt removed inside? As a side note, I now own three Anchor flasks and they are all made of the same type of green glass that was used in the Rolling Rock bottles. The Rolling Rock contract kept the South Connellsville plant afloat for many decades. However in 2003 they lost that contract to Owens-Brockway and the factory ended up closing in 2004.   https://www.glassonweb.com/news/anchor-glass-plant-loses-rolling-rock-business


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## Truth1253 (Oct 26, 2018)

I absolutely love it!!


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## BottleDragon (Oct 26, 2018)

Cool find!

For cleaning try a mixture of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. It's especially effective on "pond scum". Just fill bottle and let sit for several hours, even overnight.

Some people prefer a more natural solution such as vinegar... worth a try if you don't have any bleach laying around.


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## WesternPA-collector (Oct 26, 2018)

BottleDragon said:


> Cool find!
> 
> For cleaning try a mixture of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. It's especially effective on "pond scum". Just fill bottle and let sit for several hours, even overnight.
> 
> Some people prefer a more natural solution such as vinegar... worth a try if you don't have any bleach laying around.



Thanks I will try bleach first then vinegar if that doesn't work. I have both available.  I'll see what happens.


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## WesternPA-collector (Oct 26, 2018)

Truth1253 said:


> I absolutely love it!!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Thanks, it's surprising what people will throw away sometimes. Especially something like this that had a limited quantity made.


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## Truth1253 (Oct 26, 2018)

WesternPA-collector said:


> Thanks, it's surprising what people will throw away sometimes. Especially something like this that had a limited quantity made.



Life is something else never ceases to amaze me. Get that beauty cleaned up and show us the glamour shots. Nice job Western. 


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## hemihampton (Oct 26, 2018)

That's a nice bottle & Interesting. Congrats. LEON.


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## WesternPA-collector (Oct 27, 2018)

I'm back. I've got the bottle looking more presentable now. The bleach did work wonders just by leaving it sit all night. Here's the results. I also added photos of the three Anchor Hocking flasks together. From left to right it's a 1971, 1967, and 1968. When they are all compared together I now see that the green is a different shade on all three of them.


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## mdnishimoto (Oct 31, 2018)

Very nice clean-up and great collection!


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## easywind (Oct 31, 2018)

Good job on the reclean ! For whatever it's worth, I also have had good luck using Efferdent denture cleaner... really


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## Too Many Bottles (Oct 31, 2018)

Did they get a flask of Whiskey for Graduation ? LOL ! Did you find this bottle in Indiana ? There was a Anchor Plant in Winchester Ind.


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## ponygirl (Nov 2, 2018)

*Safe cleaning Method*



BottleDragon said:


> Cool find!
> 
> For cleaning try a mixture of 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. It's especially effective on "pond scum". Just fill bottle and let sit for several hours, even overnight.
> 
> Some people prefer a more natural solution such as vinegar... worth a try if you don't have any bleach laying around.



I have just cleaned a few bottles from a dig that were completely encased in grime and slime. Clean them the usual way with a mild soap/ water/ bottle brush method first. Then fill the bottle with about 1" coarse salt. Add enough white vinegar to the salt in the bottle to make a slurry....a slightly thick but moveable salty liquid. Do not use so much vinegar that the salt dissolves. You want a thick liquid. Now SHAKE THE HECK out of it. Keep a finger over the opening so you don't end up wearing the stuff. This removes the stuck on dirt and deposits that cannot be reached within the bottle. I did have a couple of tough customers that I let hold the salt solution overnight. Next day they cleaned up well. This is by far the safest most effective and inexpensive way of cleaning out those stubborn, hard to reach areas of the bottle. Hope this helps.


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## BottleDragon (Nov 3, 2018)

ponygirl said:


> I have just cleaned a few bottles from a dig that were completely encased in grime and slime. Clean them the usual way with a mild soap/ water/ bottle brush method first. Then fill the bottle with about 1" coarse salt. Add enough white vinegar to the salt in the bottle to make a slurry....a slightly thick but moveable salty liquid. Do not use so much vinegar that the salt dissolves. You want a thick liquid. Now SHAKE THE HECK out of it. Keep a finger over the opening so you don't end up wearing the stuff. This removes the stuck on dirt and deposits that cannot be reached within the bottle. I did have a couple of tough customers that I let hold the salt solution overnight. Next day they cleaned up well. This is by far the safest most effective and inexpensive way of cleaning out those stubborn, hard to reach areas of the bottle. Hope this helps.



Thanks. I mean to try this method next time.

Bleach is very effective, but it does smell bad and is hazardous -- and it can wreck your clothes. If the salt and vinegar is equally effective, that would become my preferred method.


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## JerryN (Nov 6, 2018)

easywind said:


> Good job on the reclean ! For whatever it's worth, I also have had good luck using Efferdent denture cleaner... really



i have used efferdent and let it sit for 24 hours. It is the best bottle cleaner I have found


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