# Beware of color modified bottles on ebay



## GuntherHess (May 29, 2014)

Beware of this seller. They have been using radiation to modify colors on uncommon bottles. Some inks, medicines , and other bottles.  Not your typical purples or burnt amber colors.Here is an example, a fairly common aqua pontil medicine that has been modified to a rare clear with amethyst tint (glass likely had manganese cullet in it).http://www.ebay.com/itm/034-034-EXTREMELY-034-034-RARE-034-034-INDIA-034-034-CHOLAGOGUE-034-034-OSGOOD-S-034-034-NEW-YORK-/121316811808?nma=true&si=RLrNbfSPpN1JGi1tIwJzDBRSH5M%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


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## cowseatmaize (May 29, 2014)

My monitor isn't showing even a hint of purple, maybe a touch of smokey but that wouldn't be from aqua. Maybe I need a new one.


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## epgorge (May 29, 2014)

Has anyone asked him if he is irradiating his glass?Ep


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## GuntherHess (May 29, 2014)

Here is a link to the same bottle before it was irradiated. The seller bought it for a much lower price , modified the color, then re-sold it. Plain and simple fraud.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Open-Pontiled-OSGOOD-039-S-INDIA-CHOLAGOGUE-/271380746101?nma=true&si=RLrNbfSPpN1JGi1tIwJzDBRSH5M%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


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## GuntherHess (May 29, 2014)

Here is a link to the same bottle before it was irradiated. The seller bought it for a much lower price , modified the color, then re-sold it. Plain and simple fraud.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Open-Pontiled-OSGOOD-039-S-INDIA-CHOLAGOGUE-/271380746101?nma=true&si=RLrNbfSPpN1JGi1tIwJzDBRSH5M%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


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## GuntherHess (May 29, 2014)

Here is a link to the same bottle before it was irradiated. You can compare the pontilled base and see its the same bottle. The seller bought it for a much lower price , modified the color, then re-sold it. Plain and simple fraud.  The tint is very light amethyst but is enough to indicate its not flint, rather manganese glass.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Open-Pontiled-OSGOOD-039-S-INDIA-CHOLAGOGUE-/271380746101?nma=true&si=RLrNbfSPpN1JGi1tIwJzDBRSH5M%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557


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## cowseatmaize (May 29, 2014)

I hope I did that right. There looked liked there were duplicate posts and I removed a couple. I hate this category and the need to approve everything. []If you posted other examples, well, sorry Matt.


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## cowseatmaize (May 29, 2014)

Come to think of it, I'll move it to chat about bottles.


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## GuntherHess (May 29, 2014)

Ebay has been alerted and they said they were monitoring the seller but nothing is likely to come out of that.I think he will just be careful to not irradiate items that he bought on ebay a month previously.


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## GuntherHess (May 29, 2014)

Thanks for posting the images. People need to be aware when this type of activity is going on.If you are going to pay hard earned money for an item ask other collectors their opinions.Be skeptical of items that seem unusual.Pass the word to other collectors. The more people are informed the less chance fakers have to scam people.Several people who bought items from this seller have already got refunds after they were made aware of what they bought.


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## 2find4me (May 29, 2014)

I have contacted many sellers like these, who try to sell their irradiated or fake bottles. Most of them never respond back.


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## epgorge (May 29, 2014)

I just wrote him and called him on it... I was none too friendly about it. If/when he/she responds I will let you know. This is something we need to be vigilant on and maybe even put up a wall of shame for these dealers.Joel


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## sandchip (May 30, 2014)

Any way to notify the buyer?  He or she is the one that needs to file charges against the POS that did it.  I feel like that's the only way to put a dent in this epidemic of fraud.  Hell, I almost bid on that bottle myself!


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## cowseatmaize (May 30, 2014)

I didn't know old aqua turned almost clear. That adds a whole new dimension to it all. I know the later stuff got zapped and went an odd pucey color.It pays to be broke I guess.[8|]


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## saratogadriver (May 30, 2014)

cowseatmaize said:
			
		

> I didn't know old aqua turned almost clear. That adds a whole new dimension to it all. I know the later stuff got zapped and went an odd pucey color.It pays to be broke I guess.[8|]


 Yup, that was a shocker to me too, that old pontiled stuff can be altered.   There was a "straw" colored pontiled umbrella that went for big $ not long ago that was an altered aqua or clear bottle before the zap.    It makes buying color a potentially risky proposition right now. Jim G


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## cowseatmaize (May 30, 2014)

If they had just nuked the aqua's back then to make them clear, we wouldn't have all the purple and straw colors to worry about now.What was wrong with those people?!!! []


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## GuntherHess (May 30, 2014)

There are very few people who have the skill and equipment to fake colors as well as this seller did.I don't want people to get the idea that is a rampant problem. It isn't , at least for the time being.But people do need to be aware of it and knowing who the sellers are gives you some level of protection. As far as the AQUA to CLEAR question..Virtually no old glass was clear to begin with. It either had lead or manganese added to make it clear.If too much manganese is added the bottle turns purple.High energy radiation (UVB to gamma rays) enhances the effect of the manganese.Cullet (broken up recycled bottles) was used as a flux to melt glass in the 19th century.So... aqua bottles often contained some manganese from cullet. Not enough to bleach them clear when they were blown, but, if irradiated properly the trace manganese could be activated to bleach the bottle. Thus you can sometimes make early aqua bottles into more rare CLEAR bottles. Note that while most early pontil medicines were made clear with lead (flint glass), there were some that were produced in clear using manganese.


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## GuntherHess (May 30, 2014)

Most of the crude bottle irradiating people seem to be centered around Jacksonville FL these days. I think because there are gamma ray food/hospital waste sterilization plants there.If you do a search of bottles around that area you will notice a large percentage are irradiated ... http://www.ebay.com/sch/Antique-Pre1900-/889/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=&_udlo=&_udhi=&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_fspt=1&_sadis=100&_fpos=&_fsct=4535&LH_SALE_CURRENCY=0&_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=10


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## andy volkerts (May 30, 2014)

Pretty soon they will be glowing green with all that exposure to the rays. Maybe then the problem will go away


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## reach44 (May 31, 2014)

Wasn't there a guy selling a bunch of fake citron colored bottles on ebay a while back?


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## epgorge (May 31, 2014)

If you search eBay for "irradiated bottles" you will find many. Some from Florida, some from Illinois, some from even NY. At least these people tell you they are "zapped" as collectors like to call them. If you do this search, you will see the gamete of colors one can get from radiation. I suppose, someday there will be a collector of these colors and bottles, though it will be interesting to see how long they stay the color one purchased. Thanks for the head up Matt. Good to know you are still watching out for us.Joel


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## TROG (Jun 3, 2014)

Have a look at this seller with no mention of colour alteration in his listings http://stores.ebay.com.au/gator-ben


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## 2find4me (Jun 3, 2014)

TROG, I have contacted that seller many times, but he never responds. His 4 negative feedbacks show that a few buyers have finally realized that the bottles are irradiated.


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## J.R. Collector (Apr 2, 2021)

Bump


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