# New to bottles



## Karen Haberland

Hi all- I'm new to this bottle thing. I just inherited all these bottles. My mom said most of them were picked up at construction sites in and around Ann Arbor, MI. 
Do I clean them? With what? Just kinda overwhelmed and would love some guidance.


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## Screwtop

Welcome to a fun dilemma! From what I see right there, they seem to be common, low end bottles that don't appear to need much in the way of cleaning. If you'd like them to be cleaned, there are many ways to do it. I'd start out with warm/hot soapy water.

Are any embossed? (words, letters or pictures in raised form on the bottle)


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## Karen Haberland

Yes. Many of them have raised letters or pictures on them. I'll start with a hot soapy wash.


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## sandchip

Only start with water that is roughly the same temperature as your bottles.  Sometimes, even bringing a bottle from outside on a cold day into a warm house can spell disaster.  Glass doesn't like sudden temperature changes in either direction.  Many of the bottles appear to have ground staining as opposed to dirt.  Washing won't do a whole lot of good on that.

Most importantly, welcome to the hobby and to the forum!


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## Karen Haberland

Thank you so much! Most of these were displayed for a good 30 years or more in an unheated and un-air-conditioned lakefront cottage.  I'm surprised they even survived the trip from Michigan to Alabama.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64

Those glass insulators are very collectable. They look clean too.


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## hemihampton

Could be something good in there. Since I collect Michigan Bottles & Ann Arbor Bottles I'd be Interested to know what these 3 bottles are? do you have better pics of these 3? Curious, Let me know. THANKS, LEON.


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## Karen Haberland

Are you an Ann Arborite? I lived there for 41 years before moving to Alabama 5 years ago.  I'll go down and grab those bottles and take some pics.


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## Karen Haberland

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Those glass insulators are very collectable. They look clean too.


My mother and I picked those up in the 70s. I can remember it as clear as day.


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> Could be something good in there. Since I collect Michigan Bottles & Ann Arbor Bottles I'd be Interested to know what these 3 bottles are? do you have better pics of these 3? Curious, Let me know. THANKS, LEON. View attachment 202787View attachment 202789


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## Karen Haberland

The green bottle has no markings but I see seams and bubbles
The second bottle is iridescent and on the bottom it's stamped A.B. Co B16
The third bottle says "this bottle shall not be sold" and has a cork. Bottom is stamped S.B.&C. Co. 
The last bottle is from Ideal Dairy in Traverse City, Michigan.


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## Karen Haberland

#1 Green bottle. No marks but it has seams and bubbles
#2. Iridescent. Lots of bubbles. Says A.B. Co and B16 on the bottom
#3 This bottle says "This bottle not to be sold". Has the cork. Stamped S.B.&C. Co on bottom
#4. Ideal Dairy Traverse City, Michigan


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## slugplate

You have, what appears to be, some nice blob tops. Always something to keep. Also, when you clean bottles, make sure you gradually introduce it to temp changes. Do Not bring in from a cold spot and start washing. Take a day or two for them to acclimate to room temp and then wash them in room temp water first. Any additional cleanings should follow the same protocol. I simply use dish detergent, a sponge, copper pellets, and bottle brushes. If the stains have actually tarnished the glass, only a good tumble can take them out... maybe. Lastly, I only hand clean all of my bottles cuz I'm a relative purist when it comes to old bottles. It's a matter of personal taste as to whether or not you want them to look new.


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## Karen Haberland

slugplate said:


> You have, what appears to be, some nice blob tops. Always something to keep. Also, when you clean bottles, make sure you gradually introduce it to temp changes. Do Not bring in from a cold spot and start washing. Take a day or two for them to acclimate to room temp and then wash them in room temp water first. Any additional cleanings should follow the same protocol. I simply use dish detergent, a sponge, copper pellets, and bottle brushes. If the stains have actually tarnished the glass, only a good tumble can take them out... maybe. Lastly, I only hand clean all of my bottles cuz I'm a relative purist when it comes to old bottles. It's a matter of personal taste as to whether or not you want them to look new.



what's a blob top? What are copper pellets and what do they do?  What's a tumble? Sorry to be so obtuse.


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## slugplate

Karen Haberland said:


> what's a blob top? What are copper pellets and what do they do?  What's a tumble? Sorry to be so obtuse.


A blob top is a blob of glass for the lip. It's an unusually shaped lip that is kind of bulbous.

Copper pellets are cut pieces of copper wire about 1/8th of an inch long. If you put them in with soap and water, swirl it around inside the bottle it helps to clean it.

Tumbling is a term used for mechanically rolling the bottle on a machine with copper, cleaning agents, grit, and polish. Not many people have these types of machines, but there are some on here that do.


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## sandchip

Karen Haberland said:


> What's a blob top?...



Thought a picture might help.


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## hemihampton

Here's a Pic(S) that shows difference between Blob Top & Crown Top. or for those that want to get more specific a Baltimore Loop & ABM.  It looks like you showed me pics of 2 of the 3 bottles I asked about. did not see pic of the blob but seen pic of green bottle instead. curious if the blob has a name on it? LEON.


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## hemihampton

Here's the kinda bottles I collect & looking for. LEON.


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> Here's the kinda bottles I collect & looking for. LEON.
> View attachment 202829View attachment 202830View attachment 202831View attachment 202832


Leon- can you use my picture and point to the bottle you're asking about again? I'd be thankful for that.


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## sandchip

Karen, you might also note that Leon's last two pictures are of a Hutchinson stopper bottle or "Hutch" and not a blob top, since you're new to this and learning.  Also, to differentiate between a blob and Baltimore Loop, note that the one Leon showed us has a groove on the inside of the mouth, about halfway down in the top.  The tops are also usually a little smaller than the traditional blob tops.  On the crowntop, ABM or Automatic Bottle Machine, refers to it being made by machine, not the type top.  There are also hand blown crowntops, both tooled and occasionally applied.  Hope all this helps.


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## hemihampton

Karen Haberland said:


> Leon- can you use my picture and point to the bottle you're asking about again? I'd be thankful for that.




This Bottle here in pic with blob top.  do you have any similar bottles that are shaped or look like a beer bottle or soda bottle with a name on it? usually a bottle that say's on back "THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD" or something similar would usually have a name embossed of front but not always. Usually a Bottle with no name known as Slick will have No or very little Value or desireability unless unusual shape or color. LEON.


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## hemihampton

Karen Haberland said:


> Are you an Ann Arborite? I lived there for 41 years before moving to Alabama 5 years ago.  I'll go down and grab those bottles and take some pics.




I'm not a Ann Arborite, but live near Detroit in Warren Michigan. Coincedently I got Family that live in Alabama near Huntsville. I go down there all the time to visit or used to. LEON.


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## sandchip

hemihampton said:


> I'm not a Ann Arborite, but live near Detroit in Warren Michigan. Coincedently I got Family that live in Alabama near Huntsville. I go down there all the time to visit or used to. LEON.



One of the best bottles, not only in Alabama, but the whole country, is from Huntsville, the Easley's Saloon flask.  Only one quart with a big hole and one half pint known with super cool embossing.


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## hemihampton

hhmm, would be nice to dig some Privy's in Huntsville. What I's really like to dig in Alabama is some Coca Cola Hutch's. LEON.


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> This Bottle here in pic with blob top.  do you have any similar bottles that are shaped or look like a beer bottle or soda bottle with a name on it? usually a bottle that say's on back "THIS BOTTLE NOT TO BE SOLD" or something similar would usually have a name embossed of front but not always. Usually a Bottle with no name known as Slick will have No or very little Value or desireability unless unusual shape or color. LEON.View attachment 202847


Leon- that blob top is a Moxie Nerve Food. I brought it upstairs, along with a few others to wash up and photograph for you.


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## hemihampton

oh, ok. Do any of the Bottles say Ann Arbor on them or Michigan or any other Michigan City? LEON.


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## Karen Haberland

I've got a bunch of Detroit bottles and one that says Tahquamenon  on it


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## hemihampton

curious what the Detroit bottles are? can you take a pic of them? LEON.


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## Chark

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Those glass insulators are very collectable. They look clean too.


Which glass insulators?


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> curious what the Detroit bottles are? can you take a pic of them? LEON.


Yes. I'll work on that tomorrow.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64

Chark said:


> Which glass insulators?


Hard to see they are in the one picture on the left side of the shelf.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64

ROBBYBOBBY64 said:


> Hard to see they are in the one picture on the left side of the shelf.


One the bottom shelf on left. Just a little dark to see them clearly.


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## Chark

Thanks. I see them now. I have a bunch of those insulators & was told that they are worth much cause every body has them.


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> curious what the Detroit bottles are? can you take a pic of them? LEON.



Left to right: Pfeiffer Brewing Company, Detroit Mi,  GEO Norris and Co, Detroit Mi, Geo Norris and Co, Detroit, Mi, Moxie Nerve Food


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## Karen Haberland

Karen Haberland said:


> Yes. I'll work on that tomorrow.


3 Vernor's


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## Karen Haberland

Karen Haberland said:


> 3 Vernor's
> View attachment 202927



3 below left to right: Ideal Dairy, Traverse City, MI Tahquamenon Beverages,  Whistle orange soda


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## hemihampton

hhmm, OK, I was curious to see if you had anything tough or rare. All your bottles are extremely common but i'm not to familiar with the milk or tahquamonem soda. The rest I'm very familiar with. Looks like the blob I was curious about is the G or Geo Norris which is extremely common. Your best bottle may be the Vernors in Middle, although very common it is a slightly tougher variation with the 1906 pure food act & serial # on back. A few different variation of this 1906 statement on back. curious if you could take a pic of that statement if not to much hassle. you may have to lay bottle on it's side. THANKS, LEON.


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> hhmm, OK, I was curious to see if you had anything tough or rare. All your bottles are extremely common but i'm not to familiar with the milk or tahquamonem soda. The rest I'm very familiar with. Looks like the blob I was curious about is the G or Geo Norris which is extremely common. Your best bottle may be the Vernors in Middle, although very common it is a slightly tougher variation with the 1906 pure food act & serial # on back. A few different variation of this 1906 statement on back. curious if you could take a pic of that statement if not to much hassle. you may have to lay bottle on it's side. THANKS, LEON.


I'll work on it when I get home today


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## hemihampton

I have 6 different ones of those Vernors but always looking for more variations. LEON.


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> I have 6 different ones of those Vernors but always looking for more variations. LEON.
> View attachment 203119


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## Karen Haberland

Leon-this is the vernors bottle you wanted to see.  Karen


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## hemihampton

Karen Haberland said:


> Leon-this is the vernors bottle you wanted to see.  Karen



Yes, That's the one.  Couldn't read the # at end though, it was cropped off from Pic.  Is it NO# 1246 or some other #? THANKS, LEON.


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> Yes, That's the one.  Couldn't read the # at end though, it was cropped off from Pic.  Is it NO# 1246 or some other #? THANKS, LEON.



Yes. No. 1246


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## hemihampton

ok, thanks.


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## Karen Haberland

Hey everyone- how best do I sell these bottles? Do I sell them in groups on eBay, individually, etc?


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## Karen Haberland

hemihampton said:


> ok, thanks.


Is that a bottle you're not interested in?


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## hemihampton

I already have the bottle. If it was different I would of been Interested in it. If you do sell them maybe best to sell them on ebay individually, at least the ones that have names on them. If that don't work try selling the ones with names in a group. The ones with no names try selling in group. Good Luck. LEON.


P.S. Thanks for your time.


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