# local antique store



## carobran (Jul 11, 2011)

went to a antique store today,had a nice laugh,there was an amber bottle,no embossing except for measurements on the side,price......7$,also had a large aqua bottle,no embossing ,price.....38$,put em down & headed for the door[][:-][]


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## cyberdigger (Jul 11, 2011)

You have to think of antique stores as ..well, *not* where you find a great bargain... but if you _really_ want it, you can buy it..


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## carobran (Jul 11, 2011)

yea,didnt think theyd be that expensive though,all it is is a lady with some stuff set up in the front of a small drug store,i guess everyone thinks if its old its worth a thousand bucks,one day im gonna find heaven, where theres a ton of nice old bottles priced at a dollar apiece,untill then i guess ill keep on searching[]


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## Blackglass (Jul 12, 2011)

You wouldn't believe the prices I run into sometimes....$20 for a JSP, $25 for a Hoods, $12 for an unembossed BIM slick, $250 for a figural barrel ink with a giant lip chip, it just goes on.


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## TJSJHART (Jul 12, 2011)

I CAN'T BELIEVE SOME OF THE PRICES ON THINGS IN ANTIQUE STORES...IT'S LIKE THE 2 BOTTLES I FOUND IN A STORE HERE IN PHOENIX FROM PATTERSON N.J. ...I WROTE A MESSAAGE HERE TO JIM ..AKA epackage,,  thinkin he might be interested  but not worth the $30. they wanted  ,, and very common...


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## LC (Jul 12, 2011)

While visiting my sister in Tuscon some years ago , we took a day , and she took me to all the antique shops in town . I like Cincinnati bottles . We went into one shop and there on a shelf sat a whiskey bottle from Cincinnati . Being it was in Arizona I figured it would probably be quite reasonable being it was from out of state and all . Looked at the price , a whopping 165 bucks , I about fell over . I passed on that bottle without question . All the bottles in that particular shop were high priced . Went to another shop and bought a pontiled scroll flask for twelve bucks , they had no idea as to values of bottles at all . We also went to a flea market there . I found some sixteen ounce Pepsi bottles from the fifties , never knew there was such a thing for a couple of bucks each . They were from Mexico , sold them both , wish I had kept one of them now .

 We like Hull Pottery as well , found a beautiful large Tulip console bowl for seventy bucks worth an easy 200 dollars . Ended up being a thrilling trip . This was a good fifteen years ago , look forward to going to the shops again if we ever get out there again . I doubt that there will be any steals to find in this day and time though .


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## RED Matthews (Jul 12, 2011)

L.C,  When I worked for Thatcher Glass we made a lot of the 16oz soda bottles.  The problem of excessive pressure blowing them to pieces, got us out of the business.  I recall that there was a girl in Canada hurt by a bottle explosion.  
 I hadn't realized that the value of them got as high as you indicated.  I don't think I have any of them in my barn - I will have to check.  RED Matthews


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## div2roty (Jul 12, 2011)

> I doubt that there will be any steals to find in this day and time though .


 
 Depends on what type of turnover the store has, I find good deals in antique stores all the time, although I do buy way more than just bottles.  If a dealer only sells what they know, they probably aren't a successfull full time dealer.  To do it full time you have to take chances, which means pricing something way more than its "worth" because you overpaid for it, or pricing some wayless than its worth.

 I sell a lot to other dealers, so I have to be selling it somewhat reasonably.  I know very few full time dealers who don't sell to other dealers.  

 Its funny to me how bad a reputation antique dealers have on this forum.  I see a lot of dealers at bottle shows who have their stuff way overpriced, and not just part of their inventory, but everything.  I think there are more bottle dealers who do it as a hobby (or just want a table to get in early), and thus can ask really high prices, as compared to antique stores.  I pay a lot in rent, electric, heating oil, insurance, adv, supplies and other cost not to sell items.  I price everything at a level that I think will sell reasonably fast.

 Of course, in the end value is in the eye of the beholder.  If a dealer wants too much for something it is because the item is worth more to them than it is to you.  

 A few years ago I paid $33 for what I thought was a really cool antique handmade school desk.  Yesterday I sold it for $25.  Over time its worth to me lessened.  

 To conclude keep trying antique stores, eventually you'll find some you like and can consistnently get good deals at.  Find full time dealers, they have to sell enough to live off of, so their inventory keeps changing.


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## Wheelah23 (Jul 12, 2011)

I've had good and bad luck when it comes to antique shops. One had a bunch of embossed medicines for $5 each. I picked out the ones I hadn't heard of, and it turns out I got a good deal on them. Then again, I've been to antique shops where the prices are sky high. For example, a Dr. Kilmers for $20, and a Warner's for $35. Unfortunately, it's usually the most overpriced shops that have the most bottles. The big antique shops usually have more inventory, and since they're bigger, they can overprice everything and just let it sit for years until someone buys it. I agree with div, you have to just go to every antique shop you see, because sometimes there are good deals to be had.


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## carobran (Jul 12, 2011)

i go to every antique store i can,unfortunately most are on commission so you cant deal with the sellers,i prefer flea markets and the 2 local festivals we have each year,i went to one of these in april and there was a guy that had several bottles on his table including a KOSCIUSKO,MISS  dr. pepper with the embossed 10 2 4 clock,i was gonna buy it because it was local & i like dr.pepper until he said he wanted 20$ for it,.........he said it was rare because it had the name of the town embossed,didnt they all?[sm=rolleyes.gif][sm=tongue.gif]


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## ironmountain (Jul 12, 2011)

The antique store I go to is huge and totally full..almost the entire basement is nothing but bottles...her husband had been digging/collecting for years and he passed away a year or so ago...she gives me 50% off all bottles in the basement....


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## carobran (Jul 12, 2011)

_LUCKY!! _i envy you[][][][sm=lol.gif]


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## ajohn (Jul 12, 2011)

I travel a big loop when digging in antique stores.It seems the new strategy is to tape a picture of the item found in a book with the book value listed and then they list their piece for less.One "bottle & jar" guy,in one shop I visit, will have a common jar displayed with a picture out of a book of a rare variant and the listed value.The price he asks for will be about 50-60% of the pictured one....and sometimes he gets it[].


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## ajohn (Jul 12, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  ironmountain
> 
> The antique store I go to is huge and totally full..almost the entire basement is nothing but bottles...her husband had been digging/collecting for years and he passed away a year or so ago...she gives me 50% off all bottles in the basement....


 How far is MI. from CAL.???


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## carobran (Jul 12, 2011)

sent you a pm andy volkerts


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## div2roty (Jul 12, 2011)

My store is 6,000 square feet, I rent out about 50% of the space, my mom takes up 10-15% of the space and I fill the rest.  So its a big store.  There are plenty of items overpriced, even some of mine.  

 However, a big store can't always afford to let stuff sit.  Its really expensive to heat and cool bigger places, plus the rent or mortage is usually higher too.  I've spent an average of $30,000 a year on inventory the last 5 years.  It pays me to move stuff through, so eventually I sell stuff at a loss just to get more inventory.  

 Although I also know stores where the inventory rarely changes.  You need to find one where the owner does it full time and isn't independently weathly, because thats where you'll find someone who needs to constantly sell merch.


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## carobran (Jul 12, 2011)

dont have very many antique stores around here,i mostly go to the indoor flea market,got to get in and get out of that place though or the lady will talk your ears off[sm=rolleyes.gif][sm=rolleyes.gif][sm=lol.gif]


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## TJSJHART (Jul 12, 2011)

there are few of the stores where you rent space and display in your own cases or they rent you a case.. it's easy to ask an attendant to call the owner if they care to knock off a few $$$ to make sale


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## LC (Jul 12, 2011)

I was referring to only Pepsi Cola bottles from the 50s  Red , there were none for purchase here when I was a kid , only eight and twelve ounce bottles  . If there were other 16 ounce Pepsi bottles from the fifties in this country they were not around where I lived .


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## BellwoodBoys (Jul 12, 2011)

I went to an antique store in Virginia and a acl milk was $128 and it was a newer 1970's milk.


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## Blackglass (Jul 13, 2011)

You still can get great deals at antique stores, nevertheless. You just have to be there before everyone else. I once got a rare mug base citrone lager from Concord NH for $10, on another occaision a Ramon's Santonine Worm Syrup with a 98% label for $3, Improved Trommers Extract of Malt for $5, and a Unique Kent Closure Blob top for free at another outing. Because of this I visit them as often as possible.


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## BillinMo (Jul 13, 2011)

Antique stores are worth looking at... you never know what might turn up.  Sure, I've seen all sorts of overpriced junk, but managed to find a few bargains now and again. 

 The store owner has overhead and lots of daily expenses to cover, so I'm fine with the fact that they'll need to charge more than, say, a digger or collector/dealer.  

 What drives me absolutely nuts are the antique dealers who come up with some obviously BS story about an item's history, like a Hutchinson stopper being a special child-proof lid for poison, or an ordinary Brookfield beehive as a special insulator made and used only in the city of Brookfield, Missouri, and that piece of china in the window belonged to Martha Washington.  I just don't understand why a few dealers think no one will see through stories they're making up -- and worst of all, they'll insist that they're the expert and you must be crazy to question their authority.


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## slag pile digger (Jul 13, 2011)

AHHHHHHHHH...antique stores, consignment shops, pawn shops,etc. are excellent spots to find bottles. I have also found quite a few GREAT bottles in these places and will always return to them!! The owners and people running them are also great people who are always interested in my hobby (obsession) and will try to help me find what I am looking for. I am always looking for new places when traveling. Michael


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## earlyglass (Jul 13, 2011)

Blackglass, From what I have heard, there were a couple Farley's Inks found in NH a month or two ago. I also found a rare Dr. JW Poland bottle two months ago. Another collector found a Beekman's Pulmonic Syrup in a NH antique shop for $14 a couple years ago... sold it for $5500. Yes, opportunities are available, but you have to search them regularly! Mike


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## carobran (Jul 14, 2011)

> ORIGINAL: BellwoodBoys
> 
> I went to an antique store in Virginia and a acl milk was $128 and it was a newer 1970's milk.


 [8|][8|][8|]bet they didnt sell much


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## Stardust (Jul 31, 2011)

Oh how I loved to search in those shops...I'd even take pics in there to send to my mom when she could no longer get out. My friend Whitefeather took me by phone a few times, I really miss her ....the thrill was still there, even though I could not see what was there. Writing this is making me tear up, I miss the smell, I miss the really nice ones to holes in the walls.   Most of all I miss the people, I'm a people person and had made friends in all my favorite spots. Maybe someone could snap a few pics of their visits...I'd love to pretend I'm there once again.
 thanks~ 
 star


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## Stardust (Jul 31, 2011)

Funny, right after I wrote the above the phone rang. It was one of my son's asking how I was. Then he said I was wondering if you wanted to come with me, as he found a hidden treasure thrift shop That he thought I could get in and out of easily with out knocking the whole place down. He joined in on my excitement and I bought brand new pants with the tags on and 5 more bottles for the kids to dig up 1 was a Embossed Blob Beer:  OTIS S. NEIL HOWARD ST. BOSTON,  The other embossed REGISTERED  M.T. DWYER & CO. CLINTON MASS CONTENTS 8 FLUIDS OZS, all the rest were just little clear bottles. All for $3.50. ; ) ~  H A P P Y D A N C E  T I M E ~


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## delphinis (Jul 31, 2011)

On the way home from a trip to Maine this past spring I went into an antique store near Kittery. It was almost all bottles. Come to find out the owner is a digger/collector. Had a nice time talking to him. From what I could tell (with my limited knowledge) all of his bottles were priced right around what they're worth. For example I bought a Paine's celery compound bottle for $5. I figure since he's a digger/collector he knows what his bottles are really worth and prices them accordingly. Real nice guy, gave my daughter a couple of free packs of baseball cards, which she enjoys collecting.


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## slag pile digger (Jul 31, 2011)

Star, Sounds like you had a great time with your son!!!!! I'm glad. My daughter and I enjoy the shops also. Michael


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## Stardust (Aug 2, 2011)

I sure did! [] It gave me an instant high ~[] I'm glad Michael that you and your daughter enjoy the store together also~ Making Memories is Fun [8D] You can learn a lot in an antique store or thrift shop for free fun ~


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## RIBottleguy (Aug 4, 2011)

I just visited an antique store and saw an unembossed aqua medicine for $28.  I ended up buying three bottles at much more reasonable prices, but I was still surprised at the price range.


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## kwalker (Aug 4, 2011)

Once visited an antique shop near here...wanted $25 for a Bromo...no errors. Kindly, I put it back and walked out [>:]


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## carobran (Aug 4, 2011)

> ORIGINAL: RIBottleguy
> 
> I just visited an antique store and saw an unembossed aqua medicine for $28.  I ended up buying three bottles at much more reasonable prices, but I was still surprised at the price range.


 _YIKES!!![8|][8|][8|][][][:'(]_


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