# "Highlights" of my collection.



## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

Get the pun? Haw haw haw!
After having to shut my computer down, again, I can now redo this thread--what does, "He's dead, Jim!" mean when that pops up in the last instant before your computer terminates program from being frozen? 
Anyway, aggravated, time to share:
I was bored today. So, I took my gold calligraphy marker and highlighted several bottles. I  started with only those in the first picture, but ended up doing many more. 
See the before/after of the first bottle I did-- Muskegon Bottling Works.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

From dark to bright: Michigan Bottling Company, Muskegon, 1890s blob-top and one of my recent additions.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

Here's a good side-by-side comparison of an unhighlighted bottle with a highlighted-- They were practically twins. 
A nice Poison from Goodman and an Stearns from him as well--thanks!


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

Coca-Cola Bottling Co bottle. I modified Bottle to Bottel because I was still bored. It comes off easily.


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## cowseatmaize (Dec 30, 2014)

Do you use Chrome? https://support.google.co...e/answer/1270364?hl=en


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

Diekman Bottling Works, Monroe, Michigan.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

Eric, yes. That is most helpful-- if you know why it pops up. Thank you!!! I feel better now. But, now, why do I get a laughing squirrel when I copy/paste? LOL.I'm serious....
Before:


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

After:


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

I think gold looks nice. Essentially, what I want people to get out of this is that highlighting is a very good idea for displaying. It works on many bottles (not all, I believe, should be highlighted,) and makes them truly pop.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

A Paul's bottle. 
Four Paul's bottles--two I traded.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

Beers-- I'm a prohibitionist, so it's interesting that I love beer bottles.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

NuGrape from Goodman.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 30, 2014)

My issue is I can't keep my hands stable. So, essentially, not all lines are straight. 
Whilst doing all of these, I noticed things about embossing I hadn't before-- about how it was done by the engraver. You could see his style and character put in. 
I need lots of practice, but I'll get there.


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## hemihampton (Dec 31, 2014)

I see alot of people do that in White but the Gold looks good also. Thats the one thing I don't like about embossed bottles, they are hard to read or photograph, which is why when I started collecting beer bottles I only collected paper label bottles with color & cool graphics on the bottles & why I have about 600 of those, 300 from Michigan. Then later started collecting Michigan embossed bottles. LEON.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 31, 2014)

I had no white. Hah hah. 
Sadly they are indeed hard to see/picture without highlighting; so,  if you can,  collecting colored-graphic cans and bottles is an excellent but costly way to build a collection-- I know how paper labels of desired age can go pretty high compared to their embossed counterparts. 
I always wondered what got you into cans. Thanks for telling me!


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## hemihampton (Dec 31, 2014)

I got into beer cans way back inthe 1970's around 1974. Back then it was the new Fade & thing to do. Lots of people doing it then. After I got all the Michigan cans the only thing left was to get the bottles, first the paper labels & then embossed. LEON. P.S. Most of the expensive paper label beers are the pre prohibition ones. Those can get into the hundreds while the more common 1930's & up labels can average $10-$20 bucks.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 31, 2014)

Ever think about sending one of each out for a temporary display at a very large show?


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## hemihampton (Dec 31, 2014)

NO, I never have thought about that.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 31, 2014)

I'm sure it's one of the, if not the, nicest collection of Michigan cans and paper labels around.


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## Bottleworm (Dec 31, 2014)

How long did it take to highlight a single bottle? Always thought about doing that but never did.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 31, 2014)

It depends. Are you good with keeping straight lines? How much is to highlight? Will you need to "color" it (go over/scribble multiple times,) or can you go over it once? I spent a few hours doing all of those and others, and today I did several insulators and one milk. I'd say 5-10 minutes for one. It's worth it, Dylan.


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## Bottleworm (Dec 31, 2014)

Well I have a ton of bottles compared to that picture. I can do everything you said above and I really like that gold color but I think white would be better. Thanks for your response and where did you get your paint stick?


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 31, 2014)

I have more. I only did half of what's in my room, and it isn't hard. I recommend doing it--and it isn't paint. I used a golden calligraphy pen-marker that will come off if I wipe it-- I got it at a place called *Hobby Lobby*. They had other colors, so you're in luck.
Thanks for the compliment, and I'd have done white if I had any. Good luck and show us what you do!


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## Bottleworm (Dec 31, 2014)

Oh yeah a marker not paint. I have about oh boy umm 100 bottles and only a few of them don't have embossing. Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I would post a lot of pics on this forum but ever since I got my new laptop I can't get pics to upload right on here.


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 31, 2014)

Do you use a camera-camera? Or your lap-top? Either way, might it be a size issue? 
I'm trying to get my ACL collection to grow-- like Leon, I like color. 
Just don't rush, and they'll look superb! Good luck and have fun. I want more to do-- it's fun.


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## Bottleworm (Dec 31, 2014)

I use a camera and yes it always says file too large. Ill try and figure it out and get some pics up. May be a while though. Thanks!


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## Robby Raccoon (Dec 31, 2014)

Go to Microsoft Paint or whatever feature you have. Go to Image, Resize/Skew, then change it from 100 to 30 in the first option (both parts of option one.) If still to big, move that down to 80. Re-save after each re-sizing attempt. If it doesn't work, PM me and I'll do it if you email me them.


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## Bottleworm (Dec 31, 2014)

Ok cool thanks man! I never tried that before! Thanks!


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## Robby Raccoon (Jan 4, 2015)

An unhighlighted bottle and my newest Hutch: Listed in Hutchbook as Rare.


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## RED Matthews (May 14, 2015)

Well Bob; Now I know how you did my Birthday Bottle.  Thanks my friend - that is the first bottle I have received for a birthday gift.  Smiles as I look at on top of my Dell now.  Your unique in my thoughts.   We are starting to pack for migration to NY.  My wife and daughters - won't let me drive - so my daughter is doing it.  Oh well - things get ugly when one gets old. The blob top is now in my black glass shelf area. Nice specimen. I unpacked another box yesterday, and found two bottles my Grand Mother had given me when when I was about twelve yers old.  One is a clear glass cosmetic that has the side wall all covered with raised rose blooms.  It was made in a two part mold - and the mold maker had to place the flowers so the mold would release them.  The seam goes across the bottom and the neck was tooled with a glass bead to fit in a pushed on cap.  This tells me it is over a hundred years old.   She also gave me an old ink well - one inch x one inch with a round hobnailed bottom and a brass ball closure cap.  I have never seen another of either one of these special items in my collection.   RED M.


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## Robby Raccoon (May 14, 2015)

I'm glad you liked them, Red.  The rose one sounds pretty, and the brass-topped sounds pretty neat.


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## RED Matthews (May 23, 2015)

My better half lived in Salem IL.  We haven't found any Illinois made bottles that I remember.   RED M.


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## Robby Raccoon (May 23, 2015)

Owen-Illinois Glass Company had branches in Illinois. One of the most common makers-marks on post-1900 bottles. Just today picked up one made by them.  I have a few Chicago, Illinois bottles, including one blob-top beer and one milk, but I haven't seen any Salem, IL bottles-- if that's what you're asking?


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