2019 FOHBC 50th Anniversary National Antique Bottle Convention | Augusta, Georgia | Newman Open House

Mike & Julie Newman Residence – Martinez, Georgia

Thursday, 01 August 2019 | Noon to 3:00 pm

06 September 2019

The widely and wildly anticipated Mike & Julie Newman Open House occurred after the FOHBC Board Meeting. This was our lead-off event and boy was it a success! Guests were given directions to car pool or they could be shuttled by two (2) contracted vans that ran between our host Marriott Augusta Hotel and the Newman residence. A pair of the Newman’s retired friends, Tom McLaughlin and Roger Wexler, agreed to operate two 15-passenger vans. The entire event was sponsored or donated by the Newman’s and their friends which is quite amazing.

Mike at some times was concerned that too few would come, then too many, and by the end of the day, when all was said and done, we estimated that over 200 antique bottle and glass collectors wear able to make the event. We had guess-timated 75 to 100 attendees! The reception was outstanding and the comments that we are hearing, prove that the event was a smash hit. An event that will certainly be remembered for many years to come.

The kickoff reception at Mike Newman’s house was just awesome. Great meeting Mike and his wife for the first time and seeing other friends in the bottle hobby. And what can I say about the collection – outstanding!

Jeff & Joseph Scharnowske – Owosso, Michigan

With the open house occurring near meal time, Mike and Julie wanted to make sure that guests were treated to some good southern hospitality. They provided the entire crowd with Southern Bar-B-Que Pulled Pork Sliders, Charleston Shrimp, peeled with cocktail sauce, Pimento Cheese spread with crackers, Master Style Spinach Dip with Fritos and mini creampuffs and eclairs. The drink menu consisted of iced tea, Augusta “Sunshine Tea” (half tea, half lemonade), sodas, bottled water, bourbon, beer, wine etc. Mike’s sister, Nancy Ginn, actually prepared the legendary “Green Jacket” salad and helped with serving. Mike’s nephew Parker Ginn served as the bartender. Three of Julie’s retired teacher friends assisted with serving. Jamie Westendorff, from Charleston, South Carolina, brought the Charleston shrimp and pimento cheese spread. This was one solid operation spearheaded by the Newman’s. We are ever so grateful.

Each room in the Newman house was treated like a museum where you could see the Newman Collection which consists of regional bottles, sodas, historical flasks, bitters, inks, poisons, stoneware and just about anything you can imagine. Mike and Julie further supplemented the event with crude black glass bottles from the late Tommy Mitchener collection. Most were excavated by Tommy during the 1970s and 1980s in Savannah, Georgia from privies and outhouses. The Newman dining room was set up with killer Edgefield, South Carolina stoneware from the Philip and Corbett Toussaint collection. Another room was set up with Mike’s collection of pottery soda crocks from Georgia and South Carolina, another with black seal bottles. On and on, every room and flat surface had something historically great to look at.

We thought we would share a few pictures taken by our event photographer, Elizabeth Lacy who is also our Public Relations officer.

The Newman’s daughter Kim Cuningham, helped design a special FOHBC Open House commemorative “Koozie” that was given away to all attendees.

Read more about the 2019 FOHBC 50th Anniversary National Antique Bottle Convention in Augusta, Georgia

FOHBC Board Meeting • Augusta Museum of History Reception • Sweet Georgia Peaches Bottle Competition • Membership Breakfast • Educational Seminars • Ribbon Cutting • Banquet • Youth Corner • On the Tables • Augusta Educational Displays • People on the Showroom Floor • Augusta Prizes and Drawings • Augusta Souvenir Program.

We also had two or three television stations that visited the Newman’s during the event. This added to the excitement as Mike and Julie were interviewed. We had the best newspaper and television coverage possible. You can see the FOX54 report here:

Historical bottle collectors from across the country gather in Augusta for convention

All kinds of great food set out for visitors.

The Newman kitchen area was ground zero for food and drinks.

Left to right: Matt Lacy, Bobby Hinely and Tim Adams. Looks like Bobby wanted the shrimp for himself!

The presentation of southern cuisine was special.

Mike’s nephew Parker Ginn served as the bartender. Jim Hall checking in.

A comfortable group of collectors upstairs in Mike’s primary bottle room. It would get more crowded when the shuttle vans arrived.

Catching up with your friends. Mabel Hicks and Mark Vuono hold court. John Pastor and Mike Seeliger spotted.

Tom Lines and Richard Tucker (with hat). Richard said it was well worth the trip from California just to visit the Newman’s.

Downstairs bottle room (living room) before the crowd!

You could always tell when another shuttle bus dropped off collectors.

Mike Newman (far right) talking about his collection.

Mike with his sodas and historical flasks in the upstairs bottle room.

Jerry Forbes (Big Sur, California) talks with Jo Jackson. Two different TV crews in action.

A nice outdoor area and porch to relax, away from the crowd.

Ferdinand Meyer V (Team Augusta) being interviewed by a local television crew.

Upstairs bottle room with two television crews.

Filming the collection.

The legendary Tom Hicks in the house!

Examples from the Philip and Corbett Toussaint collection set out in the Newman dining room.

Incredible face jug and shard along with a super David Drake piece.

Exquisite pottery examples on dining room sideboard.

Original Dave the Slave pottery.

Concentric Ring Eagle historical flasks. That is Mikes hand!

A great grouping of South Carolina Dispensary flasks and bottles.

Washington Taylor historical flasks.

Master inks in the front row. Seltzer bottles in back.

All three sizes of Poison skulls.

A grouping of John Ryan Savannah bottles.

Southern sodas galore!

Please don’t handle the glass turtles!

Spectacular figural bitters barrels.

Crude black glass bottles on display from the late Tommy Mitchener collection.

Crude black seal bottles on display.

Pottery soda crocks from Georgia and South Carolina.

Some globs overseen by a framed Wiener dog. Sadly, their Weiner dog was not at the event.

Yes, there were security measures.