# Help with question about color



## tropichahni (Jan 19, 2017)

Hello, I am new here. I have only recently inherited a very large collection of bottles. My Grandma collected them over the space of 60 years. So there are boxes and boxes of them. I am learning what I can about them. I am also trying to sell some of them. I have come across a question which I can't find the answer to on a google search. 

I have a few bottles which have streaking of the color... the one I recently came across is a flask (still trying to identify) and the streaks are purple. It isn't the iridescent color you see on the aged ones but its actually in the glass. Can someone tell me what this is from and how it lends to or detracts from the value or collect-ability of the bottle?

I will try and include pictures but since it is my first time here, I may not be able to figure that out.


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## CanadianBottles (Jan 19, 2017)

Hi, and welcome to the forum.  Unfortunately what you've got here is a modern-ish reproduction of a historical flask, so in terms of value and collectibility it all depends on how much someone wants to stick it in their window.  I'm not sure what exactly the streaking of the colour is due to, but I'm pretty sure it's just decoration to make it look nicer in someone's window.  It's definitely a very nice looking bottle, but sadly not one that people are particularly likely to want to collect.  Streaking like that is very rare in real antique bottles, and I don't think I've ever seen it occur anywhere other than an insulator because they usually wouldn't let something like that get past quality control.


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## Harry Pristis (Jan 19, 2017)

Is that a 1970s Lestoil flask?

Purple streaks like these typically are accidents in the making of the bottle.  Odd color inclusions are not a collecting category; they do add to "character" of the bottle.  As character, streaks may add to the collector interest in the bottle, but not by a large amount.

Purple streaks may be caused by incompletely mixed manganese dioxide, a widely-use decolorizer before WWI.


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## tropichahni (Jan 23, 2017)

OK so looking through the internet I believe you are right Harry Pristis. This would actually make sense to me. I inherited a huge... I am talking in the thousands... glass collection of my Grandma's. She stopped collecting in the 70's. She used to do many dump site digs and most of her stuff has the sediment markings and this one does not. So it must have been something modern at the time she stopped her collection. Thanks for the help guys.


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## hemihampton (Jan 23, 2017)

Do you have any Michigan bottles? LEON.


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## tropichahni (Jan 23, 2017)

hemihampton said:


> Do you have any Michigan bottles? LEON.



I am not sure yet... I have only gotten into the third box and each box I have to research each item and mark. Any clues as to what I should be looking for as a far as Michigan bottles? what does the mark look like and what type of bottles ? whisky? 
I have so dang many bottles I don't know where to start. I have about 3 full boxes of jim beans and several boxes stuffed full of tiny medicine bottles of all shapes and sizes. This is going to take a long time to go through.


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## RIBottleguy (Jan 24, 2017)

Where are you located?  You best bet with a collection that huge is to find a club or collector near you to go through the collection with you and let you know what you have.  Maybe someone in this forum lives nearby.  Good luck!


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## tropichahni (Jan 25, 2017)

RIBottleguy said:


> Where are you located?  You best bet with a collection that huge is to find a club or collector near you to go through the collection with you and let you know what you have.  Maybe someone in this forum lives nearby.  Good luck!



I am near Pensacola FL. I can't find anyone around here. I keep looking but so far haven't had luck.


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## Harry Pristis (Jan 25, 2017)

tropichahni said:


> I am near Pensacola FL. I can't find anyone around here. I keep looking but so far haven't had luck.



Check with the reference librarian at your local library.  She is likely to have a list of local clubs and affinity groups.  There are many bottle collectors in Florida.


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## hemihampton (Jan 25, 2017)

There was a guy in here from that area, Cap Soda or something like that, Haven't seen him in here for a few years though? LEON.


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## CaptainSandune (Jul 8, 2017)

I am in Pensacola and know quite a bit about bottles.  I also buy collections at fair pricing if you are interested in selling them.


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