# Best all around bottle book



## Clam (Jan 4, 2009)

As a digger/collector/seller that is pretty new to the bottle scene(about a year now) I would really like to hear from you guys as to what you think is the best all around bottle book out there. And what I mean by all around is one that has a good chance of covering bottles that I would be digging or running into at shops or auctions........... And a big plus is a book that lists dates with the bottles..........


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## Tony14 (Jan 4, 2009)

I've found the red book of fruit jars to be very helpful. Im not a jar collector, but run into them all the time and find myself checking this book most often (other than my wisconsin books) Matts medicine book is a very good one too.


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## RICKJJ59W (Jan 4, 2009)

I like Mike Polaks Antique Trader Bottles & Identification Guide.
  Not because My digging buddy and I are going to be in the 6th edition coming out in Feb 2009 but because Its a good book[].I bought every edition since Mike started putting them out many years ago.


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## woody (Jan 4, 2009)

I like Cecil Munsey's book "The illustrated guide to collecting bottles."


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## GuntherHess (Jan 4, 2009)

What you are asking is a tough question. There are SO MANY different bottles of each catagory that its really tough to make one book to cover them all well.
 To get decent coverage you really need books relating to the types of bottles you think you might find. For instance the RED BOOK would cover fruit jars. There are several all-in-one books as people stated above but they are only going to give you a taste of each bottle type.

 As for dates, its not too hard to estimate the rough date of a bottle once you know what to look for. 
 Take a look at...
http://www.sha.org/bottle/dating.htm


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## RED Matthews (Jan 4, 2009)

Hello Clam;  I have listed my favorite books on my homepage.  Every once in a while I will change a books value # but it is hard to find a book to answer all questions.  In my case where my main interest is in how they were made, the secrecy of production secrets were kept as job security and mostly just transferred to the gaffers young assistants on a shop team of workers.  One of the best how-they-were-made books is "The Mouth-Blown Bottle" by Grace Hendrick.  Check out that list and get back to me if you have any questions.  RED Matthews


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## jane8851 (Jan 5, 2009)

Hi Clam,
 Gotta' have a copy of American Bottles & Flasks and Their Ancestry by McKearin & Wilson. It's one of the best references for flasks. 

 And by sheer coincidence I happen to have a copy listed right now on eBay. ( I couldn't help myself, I'm so ashamed.)

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/jane8851


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## glass man (Jan 5, 2009)

YEP LIKE MATT SAID ,EACH CATAGORY HAS ITS OWN GREAT BOOK ,AS IT IS HARD TO BE REALLY INDEPTH ON ALL BOTTLES. :AS NOTED-AMERICAN GLASS,McKEARIN-BEST FOR  FLASKS AND EARLY GLASS  ,PATENT AND PROPRIETY MEDICINE BOTTLES BY JOSEPH K. BALDWIN,FOR PAT. MEDS,ALSO ANTIQUE AMERICAN MEDICINE BOTTLES AND PRICE GUIDE BY MATT KNAPP, ON CD ROM [ON THE FORUM] BEST TO ME  ON MEDS.] GREAT AMERICAN PONTILLED MEDICINES,BY FREDRICK  NIELSON ON AM. PONTILED MEDS,KETCHUP,PICKLES,SAUCES, BY BETTY ZUMWALT ON FOOD BOTTLES ,AMERICAN POT LIDS BARBARA AND SONNY JACKSON[KNOW THESE AIN'T BOTTLES BUT...]  ,AMERICAN SARSAPRILLA BOTTLES BY JOHN DEGRAFFT AND HIS SUPPLEMENT,COLLECTING THE CURES AND COLLECTING ALL CURES BY BILL AGEE [CURE COLLECTING OF COURSE],THE COLLECTING GUIDE TO CIVIL WAR PERIOD BOTTLES AND JARS BY MIKE RUSSELL [A MUST FOR THE CIVIL WAR DIGGER]PETRETTI'S COCA- COLA COLLECTIBLES PRICE GUIDE,GREAT COKE COLLECTING BOOK!  ASALREADY SAID RED BOOK ON MASON JARS,S I DON'T HAVE  THE KUHN BOOK ON POISONS WHICH IS GREAT ,THERE IS ALSO A GREAT BOOK ON STODDARD GLASS "ON THE TRAIL OF STODDARD GLASS?.,BUT THERE ARE REALLY NO GREAT OVER ALL BOOK AS THERE IS JUST TO MUCH INFO AND NOT ENOUGH INFO CAN GO INTO EACH CATAGORY ,THEY ARE JUST SKIMMED AND A PRICE OFTEN WAY OFF IS PUT ON THE BOTTLE. BEST TO FIND THE ONES I HAVE MENTIONED CAUSE THE PERSON HAS GREAT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SUBJECT AND GOES BELOW THE SURFACE. SURE I HAVE LEFT OUT OTHER GREAT BOOKS!  LEFT OUT KOVELS AND OTHERS LIKE IT CAUSE THERE JUST AIN'T MUCH OF SUBSTANCE IN THEM TO ME,GOOD BOOKS I GUESS FOR BEGINNERS TO GET AN IDEA BOUT BOTTLES,BUT THAT IS BOUT IT.JAMIE


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## RED Matthews (Jan 5, 2009)

Hi, Glass man,  I just copied off your list of books and found that I have most of them.  There are some others that I have recommended on my homepage.  I also rated them on their value to me relative to early bottle making methods information.  Thanks for your effort of listing them.  RED Matthews


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## Clam (Jan 6, 2009)

Thanks alot for the info I really appreciate all of your help...........


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## Wilkie (Jan 6, 2009)

For bitters, Bill Ham & Carolyn Rings "Bitter's Bottles".  A little pricy but worth every dime.  Western Whiskey's, tough call, between R.E. Barnett's "Western Whiskey Bottles" and John L. Thomas' "Whiskey Bottles of the Old West".  

 And let's not forget the infamous Matt Knapp and his "Antique American Medicine Bottles 2008 Price Guide" on cdrom.

 Many more really great ones out there, my suggestion is, buy them all.  It is good to have a reference library.


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## sloughduck (Jan 9, 2009)

I agree with Woody. The Cecil Munsey book is just the tops if you want good information.It was one of my first books and taught me a lot. if you have never looked at a copy,I would suggest you do so.You will be surprised at the good information on blowing,molds,punty and such.I have a large library of specific bottle books(soda,inks,whiskeys etc) But for the novice and pro it still can teach you something.


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## Wilkie (Jan 9, 2009)

> ORIGINAL: woody
> 
> I like Cecil Munsey's book "The illustrated guide to collecting bottles."


 I think I have two copies of this one.  Anyone interested in it.


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## Wilkie (Jan 9, 2009)

> ORIGINAL: Wilkie
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> ...


 
 I just checked Amazon.com, 75 dollars for it? used of course.  I'll trade my extra copy for a bottle I don't have.


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## woody (Jan 9, 2009)

there are some available here.

http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&qi=j2q5YQ3WRRmiNJ1JzRUDw8LXyUE_6663024876_1:42:208&bq=author%3Dcecil%2520munsey%26title%3Dcollecting%2520bottles%2520%2D%2520the%2520illustrated%2520guide%2520to


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## jane8851 (Jan 9, 2009)

While we're on the subject of bottle books, I still need a copy of Chuck Moore's auction catalog of the Greer pontilled meds. Anyone have an extra copy to sell me?


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## bottlediger (Jan 9, 2009)

its Harrmer & Rooke not Chuck Moore, anyway great catalog but good luck finding one []  5 years and i never found one, however my girlfriend found one for me for xmas []

 Digger Ry


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## jane8851 (Jan 9, 2009)

Hi Digger Ry,
 Yes I know it's Harmer Rooke. Chuck Moore was the owner back then.  

 Jane


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## bottlediger (Jan 9, 2009)

Good to know, if you search under harmer rooke you would have much better chance than C Moore, thats my guess anyway since thats what it says on the catalog

 Digger ry


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## passthebottle (Jan 11, 2009)

> Super Member
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      Hey Rick, I noticed that the book is available now, I'll be picking one up- it's always a treat to get pricing guide even though very few of my bottles ever show up in the Polaks series.


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## scottysbottles (Jan 12, 2009)

Hi , I just moved from az to tx , will try to come up w/ trade for your extra book , scotty farrell 2002 friendly st mt pleasant , tx , 75455, 903 572 5533[]


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## RICKJJ59W (Jan 12, 2009)

I hear you Kate,a lot of our broken ones turn up in Mikes books []

  I got the book today,man I look wiped out in that pic I almost look drunk. hahaha oh well its about bottles not appearance.We who dig  in crap holes don't give a crap.[8D]


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