Regional News – April 2023

Editor Note: This information is from the May–June 2023 issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector.

Midwest Region [Henry Hecker, Director]

The Milwaukee Antique Bottle and Advertising Club (MABAC) annual show was held on February 5th in Waukesha. This is always a great show with a wide variety of merchandise, many longtime dealers, and enthusiastic buyers. This year was no exception, with 71 dealers and 134 sales tables. Sales were brisk, with the usual strong interest in local brewery items, but we also got a number of national dealers with bitters, flasks, and higher-end advertising as well. Several years ago, as venue rental costs continued to rise, the show started to decline in profitability. The show is the chief revenue source for the club’s other activities.

The show has always had a long line starting an hour before opening, so the club members voted to go to a two-tier ticket price approach, early entry, and regular admission. While there had been some reluctance to do so in the past because the setup allowed dealers to buy as well, a compromise was reached, which allowed dealers time from 6:00 to 8:00 am and early admissions from 8:00 to 9:00 am. This year the early admissions numbered 84, with 365 general admissions. Not only have early admissions offset rising costs, but it has allowed the club to hold general admissions virtually flat.

Of special note this year was the return of one of Wisconsin’s own, Bill Taylor, who has returned to his home state after pursuing his career in the Pacific Northwest. Bill’s specialty is figural bitters, and many of us can hardly wait to tour his house to see what he has amassed over several decades.

While I did not get a detailed account of the 53rd annual St. Louis show held this March, reports are that it was very strongly attended.

For those of you who know Bill Mitchell, a longtime collector and national show dealer, be aware Bill is going through a very challenging health crisis. Please keep Bill and Kathy in your thoughts.

To support the Federation’s initiative to increase membership, I will be distributing the new flyers for the promotion of the Virtual Museum and Auction Price Report database. I will send a supply to each club to hand out at shows, club meetings, and other events. The FOHBC has a wonderful value proposition for its members. I do not have all the club contacts in my region, so please contact me so I can send you these promotional flyers.

Finally, I want to put in a pitch to the region to reach out to me if you would like portions of your collections to be enshrined in the Virtual Museum. While there is a big workload in the pipeline to record bottles, you want to get on the list.

From a Wisconsin standpoint, we have a number of important collections that are available. While Wisconsin did not achieve statehood until 1848 and appreciable population density until the 1850s, there are a number of great glass and pottery bottles of all categories from these early days that will make great additions to the Virtual Museum.

Southern Region [Tom Lines, Director]

Richard Kramerich, covering for the vacant Southern Region Director position, writes in that Bill Johnson reported on the Chattanooga North Georgia Antique Bottles & Advertising Show on March 18th in Dalton, Georgia. Jason Herron and Buddy Lasater put on a great show! There were almost 200 tables sold for the big room at Dalton Civic Center. Special set-ups were from Jack Daniels, Coca Cola and the Huston Museum. The hosts used the P.A. system for drawings and announcements. Jason did an interview that was broadcast over one of the Chattanooga television stations. This certainly helped the walk-in traffic on Saturday. A great last-minute change was that the dealers were allowed to set up on Friday, if they wished. Several other Southern Region show chairs were there including Jack and Jim Hewitt, Keith Quinn, Greg Eaton and Stanley Word (that he saw). The concession area was open from 9:00 am until about 2:00 pm on Saturday.

Richard adds, “Our FOHBC president, Michael Seeliger, was at the show and recruited Tom Lines to be the Southern Director.” Next on the radar—the Daphne show.

Northeast Region [Charlie Martin Jr., Director]

On February 5, the New Jersey Antique Bottle Club (NJABC) held its 27th Annual Show and Sale. Kevin Kyle, Show Chairman, reported that 61 dealers took multiple tables and had 265 paid admissions. This show does not offer early admission. Kevin said that the dealers sold quite a bit of stuff to customers and each other and that there seemed to be high energy all during the show.

Dealers attending the show came from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, and as far away as Indiana and Michigan. Also in attendance were representatives from several auction galleries. All in all, Kevin felt that it was a very successful bottle show.

Roy Topka, from the National Bottle Museum, in Ballston Spa, New York, reported that NBM’s “Bottles of the U.S.A.” exhibit received a boost recently. Representative examples from New Mexico and Alaska had been missing. Museum Trustee Phil Bernhard set about to rectify this situation. The Museum acquired a New Mexico Hutch, an Albuquerque Bottling Works, from a collector and received a donation from Zang Wood of his New Mexico Hutchinson Soda Bottles book. “This brings us one bottle away from completion, and we are still looking for a representative Alaska bottle.” The Museum welcomes a new Director, Kayla Whitehouse. “We look forward to her bringing her experience into the Museum as we move into 2023. We want everyone to know that the Museum now charges a $5 admission. Seniors are $4, children 12 and under, and current N.B.M. members are free. Meg Stevens, who has been a part of the Museum for 30 years, is stepping away. To honor her, she was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Museum’s annual meeting. Meg was integral to running the Museum, helping with the Bottle Show, and doing just about everything that needed to be done. We wish her all the best.”

The Baltimore Antique Bottle Club held its Annual Show and Sale on March 12, and the Show Chairman has yet to submit a report of the day’s events. Hopefully, my next report will have an update on one of the Northeast’s best shows.

With Spring weather in the offing, the 52nd Rochester Bottle and Antique Show was held on April 16. Hopefully, Alan and Pamela Weber, Show Co-Chairs, will submit their report for the next issue of AB&GC.

The 6th Annual Dunkard Valley Antique Bottle Stoneware Show and Sale (DVABSS) is scheduled for April 30 in Morgantown, West Virginia. Don Kelley, Show Chairperson, should submit a report that will appear in the next issue of AB&GC.

Steve Guion, Chair for the Shupp’s Grove Bottle Festival, 607 Willow Street, Reynolds, Pennsylvania, asked me to remind shoppers and dealers of the upcoming Bottle Festival on Friday, May 19, 2023. Early buyers only from 11 am to 5 pm at a ticket price of $20 per person and running through Sunday, May 21, 2023. Saturday and Sunday hours are from 6 am to dusk; admission is free to all on these two days. You can contact Steve at william03301956@gmail.com or call him at 717.371.1259. He has information and dealer contracts for those wishing to set up at the Festival. He also wanted to remind everyone of the Summer Bottle Festival scheduled for July 14-16, 2023, at the same location.

On May 21, 2023, the Washington Antique Bottle Club (WABC) will hold its 49th Annual Show and Sale. Enjoy the great Spring weather in the area by getting out to support your local bottle club’s show. Until the next issue, happy bottle hunting!

Western Region [Eric McGuire, Director]

You know Spring is here when Randy Taylor puts on his Chico Antique Bottle Show. The west coast has been hammered with the weather which greatly affected the attendance, so those hardy souls that made it had minimal competition. That was not good for the sellers, however. I am sure that I don’t need to remind most westerners that the next big show for us will be in Antioch, on April 21 and 22.

 

For those collectors who are interested in different or unusual bottles made for the western market, you may find an interesting medicine bottle at Western Bottle News (westernbitters.com) blog site. Some of the bottles are new to me and the stories behind them are fascinating. It couldn’t be more true that “behind every bottle is a story.” Some can be quite interesting like this “California Walnut Sauce, M.E. Young & Co., Los Angeles.” Pictured below.

The bridge between local historical societies and bottle collectors is proceeding very nicely in my little area of the world. Our local club member, John Burton, is maintaining an active speaking schedule with local historical groups. The results have been quite positive with the hope that this collaboration can spread. John’s latest talk is represented by the attached announcement.