Somer’s Antique Bottle Clubs 46th Annual Show and Sale

Somer’s Antique Bottle Clubs 46th Annual Show and Sale

This past weekend I attended the Somer’s Antique Bottle Clubs 46th annual Show and Sale held at St. Bernard’s School West Campus located in Enfield, Connecticut.

I have attended this show for years and have always enjoyed it a lot. For over 40 years, Rose Sokol and her husband Bob, have run the show. I had a chance to work with Rose on a few FOHBC items with her club and she is a true patriot of the hobby. Her devotion to the hobby is second to none and her club should be very proud of her and what she has done for the club over the years.

Bob and Rose Sokol with Ray Burke, President of the club

The show is now chaired by Don Desjardin who has keep things running as smooth as always. There are normally about 50 sales tables at the show and about a half dozen displays.

The quality at the show is normally very good with most dealers from the New England states. I always find something to buy. Normally I attend shows with Jim Berry but he was busy this year so I was lucky enough to have two other good friends ride shotgun this year. Jeff Ullman a fellow collector from Cobleskill, New York and Jim Healy of Tribes Hill, New York made the trip with me. This was the first time that ether of them had been to the show. They both left with bags and were very happy. I believe you will see them back next year for sure.

On a sad note, someone took a nice pint Sunburst flask off a sales table. On a happy note she was caught and the police were called in. At these shows always keep an eye on your bottles as well as the guys bottles next to you.

For me, the day was filled with questions about the FOHBC 2017 Springfield National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo. I am looking forward to this major event more and more every day. Ron Rainka told me he would do a display of his Moore’s ink collection, which should be a beauty. Ron is “Mr. Moore” when it comes to inks. For those of you that don’t know Ron, he lives in the house of the famous J.I.E. & M ink man.

Wes Seaman told me he would be willing to do a seminar on Sandwich Glass. I have been told by many that Wes has done talks at some of the clubs meetings and they are great. I only hope I am not too busy running around that I can’t go. Every day we get more ideas and better plans as we go forward. When I walk around and see how happy people are with these local shows I can’t wait to see how they will like a mega show.

Jim Bender
FOHBC Historian, FOHBC 2017 Springfield National Co-Chair

The club had a table of the milk glass Charlie Gardner flasks that were produced in 1973.

Busy show room. Note the guys shirt in the lower left corner. I love a guy who wears his hobby. You see this stuff at Brimfield all the time.

There is nothing like a ray of sunshine to make a bottle look good.

Some very cool battery Jars on display.

I think everyone has a bottle or two with their name on it. Doug Burr does.

Here’s some nice Sawyers bottles in some rare colors.

Some great Edward E. Hall bottles on display.

Dug stoneware all from Connecticut on display.

A very rare Moore ink mold from the collection of Ron Rainka. Come to Springfield to see more of Ron’s collection.

Rick Ciralli caught on camera. Rick will be the Emcee at the Bottle Competition in Springfield 2017. It should be a blast!

Mike George always happy. Mike will be heading up the seminars in Springfield 2017.

Some great inks for sale at Ron Rainka’s table. Wait till you see the collection!

The showroom was busy all day with sales looking good for all.

There is nothing like bottles in a window.

Poison collector Art Dell behind his table. Art tells me the giant poison on the case is called the mother in law size. Just Kidding!