# Ghost Labels



## logan.the.collector (Jun 21, 2021)

Since I started bottle digging years ago, I've come across many pyroglaze / ACL bottles that have been wiped clean by the elements of nature. Always thought it was cool though that most bottles have a ghost label that stays on the bottle forever. This local one I found last night has a very prominent "ghost label" that made it very easy to read even with the paint long gone.


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## YoloBottles (Jun 21, 2021)

Sweet, any idea how it happens? Looks like some kind of UV damage.


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## Mailman1960 (Jun 21, 2021)

logan.the.collector said:


> Since I started bottle digging years ago, I've come across many pyroglaze / ACL bottles that have been wiped clean by the elements of nature. Always thought it was cool though that most bottles have a ghost label that stays on the bottle forever. This local one I found last night has a very prominent "ghost label" that made it very easy to read even with the paint long gone.
> 
> View attachment 226765


Never saw anything like that all of my digging in an old burn dump, what type of dump was that in.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jun 22, 2021)

logan.the.collector said:


> Since I started bottle digging years ago, I've come across many pyroglaze / ACL bottles that have been wiped clean by the elements of nature. Always thought it was cool though that most bottles have a ghost label that stays on the bottle forever. This local one I found last night has a very prominent "ghost label" that made it very easy to read even with the paint long gone.
> 
> View attachment 226765


They are almost like a weak acid etched label. I have an acl milk  you can't see wet but dry the remnants can be seen at an angle and in the right light. 
ROBBYBOBBY64.


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## TxBottleDigger (Jun 27, 2021)

Sometimes, bottles with ghost labels are worth keeping because you can sharpie it in.


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## treeguyfred (Jul 19, 2021)

Nice and clean example there! it's more than likely a combination of things happening. ~first, as I understand it, there is some acidity in the paint used to apply the logo and advertising on the bottle. ~ second the ground may also have a high acidity level (possibly tannic acid from evergreens and other conifers in area ... or ash from coal or wood burn) which may strengthen the effect (the paint would act almost like a concentrator or conduit for the reaction). and finally when the paint is finally eliminated due to bacteria or enzymes in the soil all that is left is the very fine and faint ghost of the original ACL or pyroglazing ...(it is something I think someone else brought to us using the info from various ACL producing company histories)
Always a neat topic,
~Fred
@logan.the.collector


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## treeguyfred (Jul 19, 2021)

logan.the.collector said:


> This local one I found last night has a very prominent "ghost label" that made it very easy to read even with the paint long gone.


Bruh, I'm always, ALWAYS glad to find a local with anything...and that one is cool af
~Fred
@logan.the.collector


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## logan.the.collector (Jul 21, 2021)

treeguyfred said:


> Bruh, I'm always, ALWAYS glad to find a local with anything...and that one is cool af
> ~Fred
> @logan.the.collector


I certainly will never complain over finding a local bottle even in this condition. Yesterday I dug a Saranac Lake NY milk like this too, very different than what I am used to finding


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