# Box of many old, dirty, bottles



## GABatGH (Jul 16, 2020)

My wife and I were at a church flea market today, and in the middle of all the usual stuff was a cardboard box filled with obviously old, very, very, dirty bottles. Some of them still had dirt, as in soil, encrusted on them, while others looked like they might have been sitting in a barn for the last eight or ten decades. The box was priced at three dollars. It was half price day. We bought the box.

There are thirty three bottles, ranging from a tiny vial with a stopper with markings that looks similar to a syringe, to a tall amber bottle over a foot tall. 

While we know antiques, bottles are out of our purview. We know that many old bottles have very little value, but on the other hand a seemingly non-descript bottle *might* be extraordinarily valuable. I just don't know what to DO with them. Some of them seem to still have original contents, albeit in a now caked or dried syrup form. Do I rinse the bottles with just plain water? Just the outsides or the insides too?

Is there an online guide to follow with procedures for newbies?

Thanks!!!


----------



## nhpharm (Jul 16, 2020)

The Major's Rubber Cement bottle is probably the best one...I've always liked those.  Worth maybe $5-10.


----------



## GABatGH (Jul 16, 2020)

nhpharm said:


> The Major's Rubber Cement bottle is probably the best one...I've always liked those.  Worth maybe $5-10.


Is that in it's current state, or after it's been cleaned?


----------



## CanadianBottles (Jul 16, 2020)

Yeah unfortunately it doesn't look like there's anything of much value in there like Nhpharm said.  Nondescript bottles pretty much never have extraordinary value - there's got to be something interesting about them to make them desirable to collectors.  The $5-10 value would be after it's been cleaned, not many people want bottles to come with the original dirt.


----------



## GABatGH (Jul 16, 2020)

My original post wasn't about value - it was about what to DO with the bottles.  Like I said, some of the bottles, one small three inch bottle in particular, still seems to have its original contents, now in a solid form (maybe it was a powder) which is slightly smaller than the interior length and width of the bottle, but only a half inch tall (or so). Another taller bottle had some sort of liquid in it and the bottle had been on it's side for many years. I think there might have been a cork, which partially deteriorated so air got in it so the liquid evaporated to a syrup, which then dried. Do these 'original contents' need to be maintained? Should they just be washed out?

Since posting the first message I've read a few articles and watched a number of videos on cleaning dug up bottles. I've seen a variety of methods of cleaning, from bleach to clr to tumbling with copper shavings. Nobody mentioned bottles with original contents.


----------



## sandchip (Jul 17, 2020)

I would clean the Major's bottle, but honestly, I would not invest any time in cleaning the others.  I'd try soaking it in warm (not hot) dishwater for a bit and see if that gets the dirt to turn loose when scrubbed with a dishrag or old toothbrush.  If you don't have a bottle brush that will fit down into the neck, I would empty half or so of the soapy water and put about a half an inch of coarse sand in it, put your thumb over the top, and shake it around for a while.  I always sit low to the ground in the yard over the lawn, in case the bottle slips out of my hand.  Hasn't happened in decades, but better safe...  If the soapy water isn't cutting the contents, then I would try filling with denatured alcohol, then naptha (lighter fluid), trying different solvents until I find what will cut the residue.  Same procedure with each solvent:  fill, soak, sand/shake, rinse...  As a last resort, soaking in muriatic acid, same procedure, has worked well for me for years.  Of course, be careful with the stuff.  If you're not comfortable with handling any of these solvents, leave the bottle dirty.  If the contents on the Major's are original, then I'm leaning towards naptha which readily dissolves rubber.  Oh, and never put an old bottle in the dishwasher.


----------



## GABatGH (Jul 17, 2020)

sandchip said:


> I would not invest any time in cleaning the others.


So you're suggesting the throw away the other thirty two bottles? The box cost me $1.50 for 33 bottles. Even if I sell them all for $1 a piece, that's a 2,100% profit. If two or three of them are worth $5 or more, then so much the better. I have the means to sell them, but not the knowledge on how to prep them properly.

A few neem notable to my untrained [in relation to bottles] eye, like this little vial that I previously mentioned. I raised the contrast on the pic to see the markings better. As there's something in there and we haven't a clue what it is, we did *not* open it.



Two of these bottles with the little handles


Here's the little one with the solid contents, which are a whitish-pink


This is the one with the liquid that went to syrup and then dried. I thought it had a cork, but I think it's just the stuff in the next gone solid.


This one with the bands and the pattern between them


And lastly this little guy that says Pyrex on the bottom.


----------



## bottledan (Jul 22, 2020)

With all due respect there would be no point in cleaning them since they are not collectible bottles. These are the type of bottles that bottle diggers would leave behind or bury  back in the hole.


----------



## GritsGal (Jul 22, 2020)

Hi there. Did anyone ever mention about the vial you posted the photo of? That’s pretty neat. I guess true collectors doesn‘t give it any monetary  value but to me it’s a 10 on the interesting. As a novice who just loves old things like this, my husband is an antique that at times wonder his worth lol , I’d not throw that away. I’m sure someone like me would be willing to take it off your hands for at least a dollar or so profit. maybe all would be worth a few cents. I’d never throw anything away, if nothing else give it away to someone who has an interest. But as I said I’m not into it for resale.


----------



## TomFawls (Jul 22, 2020)

GABatGH said:


> My original post wasn't about value - it was about what to DO with the bottles.  Like I said, some of the bottles, one small three inch bottle in particular, still seems to have its original contents, now in a solid form (maybe it was a powder) which is slightly smaller than the interior length and width of the bottle, but only a half inch tall (or so). Another taller bottle had some sort of liquid in it and the bottle had been on it's side for many years. I think there might have been a cork, which partially deteriorated so air got in it so the liquid evaporated to a syrup, which then dried. Do these 'original contents' need to be maintained? Should they just be washed out?
> 
> Since posting the first message I've read a few articles and watched a number of videos on cleaning dug up bottles. I've seen a variety of methods of cleaning, from bleach to clr to tumbling with copper shavings. Nobody mentioned bottles with original contents.



Hate to be the contrarian here, but I'd clean (well, "rinse" would be more accurate) them all to get the loose dirt off them, then post them on eBay. Do the more interesting ones individually, and the less interesting in lots of 3 to 5 bottles. Price them initially between $5 and $9.99 (buyer pays shipping)...assuming they're all of the value folks here have said. 

You won't rich, but you will likely sell snough of them at those prices to more than recoup your $3 investment. 

Just a suggestion.


----------



## GABatGH (Jul 22, 2020)

TomFawls said:


> I'd clean them all to get the loose dirt off them, then post them on eBay. You won't rich, but you will likely sell snough of them at those prices to more than recoup your $3 investment.


My thoughts are similar. I've got all of them that had no contents and no closures, two thirds of them, soaking in a water/bleach bath. The others I'll clean one by one as needed, taking care regarding their corks or caps. 

As for eBay, I'll pass there. When we sell on eBay we lose about thirteen percent between eBay and PayPal fees. We will put the better bottles in one of our antique mall cases, and the rest will come with us to the flea market for the tables.


----------



## relic rescuer (Jul 22, 2020)

GABatGH said:


> My wife and I were at a church flea market today, and in the middle of all the usual stuff was a cardboard box filled with obviously old, very, very, dirty bottles. Some of them still had dirt, as in soil, encrusted on them, while others looked like they might have been sitting in a barn for the last eight or ten decades. The box was priced at three dollars. It was half price day. We bought the box.
> 
> There are thirty three bottles, ranging from a tiny vial with a stopper with markings that looks similar to a syringe, to a tall amber bottle over a foot tall.
> 
> ...


$3? Holy cow! Looks like for my collection, I'm going to have to give away...


----------



## American (Jul 22, 2020)

GABatGH said:


> My wife and I were at a church flea market today, and in the middle of all the usual stuff was a cardboard box filled with obviously old, very, very, dirty bottles. Some of them still had dirt, as in soil, encrusted on them, while others looked like they might have been sitting in a barn for the last eight or ten decades. The box was priced at three dollars. It was half price day. We bought the box.
> 
> There are thirty three bottles, ranging from a tiny vial with a stopper with markings that looks similar to a syringe, to a tall amber bottle over a foot tall.
> 
> ...


----------



## American (Jul 22, 2020)

When my kids, who never really got in to bottles, have tried to buy me bottles , like for a birthday present, they usually get me things that look like this grouping.  I secretly put them in the recycle bin.  But hey,  you only spent $1.50 - you could probably find that on the ground in front of a hot dog stand.


----------



## Dogo (Jul 22, 2020)

I would mix a strong solution of trisodiumphosphate (TSP) in a bucket of water and soak them for at least a week,  Then rinse and brush out any remaining dirt.  To sell bottles you will have to find someone who wants them. Most collectors wont.  The saleable bottles need to be identifiable or  a pretty color to be of interest.


----------



## sandchip (Jul 23, 2020)

GABatGH said:


> So you're suggesting the throw away the other thirty two bottles? The box cost me $1.50 for 33 bottles. Even if I sell them all for $1 a piece, that's a 2,100% profit. If two or three of them are worth $5 or more, then so much the better. I have the means to sell them, but not the knowledge on how to prep them properly...



Yeah, 2,100% profit sounds great, IF you can find anyone to buy them.  All good profit on paper if your time is of no value.  Even if you value your time at the current minimum wage, and I would assume that you value your time at more than that, then when all is said and done, if you actually keep track of just how many man hours you spend cleaning, hauling, displaying, etc., not to mention overhead whether you rent a booth or run your own antique mall, you will most likely find that you would suffer a 2,100% loss, if you're lucky.  I've collected bottles for over 45 years and no telling what the combined years of experience here at ABnet would total, but when we tell you these things, we are not trying to shoot you down, but only trying to help.  And yes, I was suggesting that you throw away the other 32 bottles.


----------



## embe (Jul 23, 2020)

Ah, man...I'm looking at the other side of the coin here and imagine how nice they'd look displayed on a shelf or windowsill, and you can still have that memory of the time you & your wife picked them up at the flea market.


----------



## Bohdan (Jul 23, 2020)

You are right to ignore $$$. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Clean them as well as you can. Preserve any paper labels intact if you can (they always add interest). Try simply soaking the bottles and contents. Water - acetone - lacquer thinner - varsol - try them all if necessary. Immerse them in a container OUTDOORS & away from curious children & pets. Rubber gloves, etc.. I've been digging and collecting since the early 70s and "value" some in my collection just because I happen to like them - even though they apparently aren't "worth" much $$$.  Don't put too much faith in 'experts' who will look at your collection and immediately see only a lack of $$$. Enjoy, learn and start collecting.


----------



## sandchip (Jul 24, 2020)

Bohdan said:


> You are right to ignore $$$. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Clean them as well as you can. Preserve any paper labels intact if you can (they always add interest). Try simply soaking the bottles and contents. Water - acetone - lacquer thinner - varsol - try them all if necessary. Immerse them in a container OUTDOORS & away from curious children & pets. Rubber gloves, etc.. I've been digging and collecting since the early 70s and "value" some in my collection just because I happen to like them - even though they apparently aren't "worth" much $$$.  Don't put too much faith in 'experts' who will look at your collection and immediately see only a lack of $$$. Enjoy, learn and start collecting.



I'm wondering to whom you are referring.  Who is right to ignore $$$?  The owner here is talking about turning a 2,100% profit, not the aesthetic beauty of the bottles.  I've never professed to be an "expert", but new members do reach out to veteran collectors here for guideance in various aspects of this hobby.  Yes, I'm into my 5th decade collecting bottles and have a few goodies, but I also have bottles proudly displayed that wouldn't bring a dollar if I tried to sell them.  I too started collecting bottles for their beauty in the early '70s, not for what they might be worth monetarily, which is apparently the owner's primary concern here.  I only advised him that if he's after a big return on his investment, to not waste his time.

I might add that I've never made negative comments on anyone finding beauty in even the most common bottles.  That was not the issue here, but instead "$$$", to which I responded with a constructive comment.  If you find his bottles desireable, that's perfectly fine.  If so, I would advise you to contact him immediately in order to buy them before they fly off the shelf.


----------



## TomFawls (Aug 5, 2020)

Wow, it sounds like you're doing a great job cleaning the bottles up....I'm too lazy to do that much work.  

And I do understand about eBay; before we started looking at selling "stuff" as part of our regular income, we felt the same way. And if you're only selling a few items every once in a while, then I agree with you. 

However, once the wife and I started getting serious about selling, we did some research and realized that while eBay does take their cut from every sale, their service does two things that we either couldn't do for ourselves or would pay much more for from private vendors: 

1. They let us reach tens (or maybe even 100's) of thousands of potential buyers with a single posting on one site - something that we were unable to do using our own website or FB marketplace or similar sites (where you've got to post to each forum); and 

2. Their systems do a lot of the administrative tasks one must do when running a retail business...saving us a lot of time and aggravation. 

Anyway, good luck with your hunting and selling!

Tom 



GABatGH said:


> My thoughts are similar. I've got all of them that had no contents and no closures, two thirds of them, soaking in a water/bleach bath. The others I'll clean one by one as needed, taking care regarding their corks or caps.
> 
> As for eBay, I'll pass there. When we sell on eBay we lose about thirteen percent between eBay and PayPal fees. We will put the better bottles in one of our antique mall cases, and the rest will come with us to the flea market for the tables.


----------



## sandchip (Aug 5, 2020)

Excellent points, Tom.  Welcome aboard, as well.


----------



## TomFawls (Aug 5, 2020)

Thanks. I've actually been a "lurker" for a few months. This seems like a great forum.


----------



## GABatGH (Aug 5, 2020)

Tom, I seriously do NOT want to have this become an ebay debate   We've been with ebay continuously since early 1997. It ain't what it used to be. That's why sites like Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, and craiglist have become popular. Personally, we have alternate outlets to sell stuff that most people don't. We sell true antiques for a family member (at antique malls), and we occasionally set up at flea markets. "Good" bottles, like the rubber cement, will go into a mall, and the rest will just come along for the ride to a flea market and we'll see what happens. At the flea market we put fresh cut flowers into some of them, just to give people an idea what to do with them. 

We also recently learned about Glass Bottle Beach in Brooklyn and just it twice last week and brought home way too many things. I haven't even gotten a chance to clean them yet.


----------



## TomFawls (Aug 6, 2020)

Sorry, I wasn't trying to get into an eBay debate and I wasn't really trying to give an eBay tutorial (although after re-reading my comment, I guess I was coming across as a bit of a pedantic. Sorry.  ).

Glad you're doing OK with selling.


----------

