Jars-uary -- What A Month

January has been quite the month, for me, for bottle and jar collectors, and especially for Ball jar collectors. We should change the month's calendar name to JARS-uary!

Here are just a few of the month's highlights and some misc. info tidbits:

• The Martha Stewart Show » Christmas Cookies and Ball Jars
• Martha had a segment on -- wait for it ... collecting Ball Jars. All the info wasn't correct, but hey -- Martha was promoting the jar collecting hobby! As she says, "It's a GOOD thing!"

• The winter Munce Show -- I had a fabulous time. 4 days of visiting, really getting to know so many fellow collectors, and seeing some amazing collections. Wow! I would write more, but there's no need, thanks to this article:
• As the Fruit Jar Turns ... Winter Muncie 2009 by Bruce W. Schank
• It's THE ULTIMATE SHOW REPORT -- chock full of pix -- a MUST READ for any fruit jar collector. It's all I wish I would have written, and so much more. His pix are fabulous! After seeing them, I simply deleted my fuzzy snapshots. Check this out for the pix of the room hopping, of the show, and, most importantly, to see some amazing collections and displays. Bruce deserves a big round of applause for this article -- he put a lot of time and effort into it, as well as heart and soul.
• Here's a pic of Bruce holding up his beloved solid-pour-Ball treasure at the Muncie Show-n-Tell:

We had so much fun at the Muncie show, that Jeff & I joined the Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club. Check out their website for more Muncie Show pix, and info on the upcoming summer show. Some special events and activities are planned to coincide with the city's celebration of the Ball Company's birthday.

June Lowery also convinced us to join the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. Jeff & I hope to make to their national show this summer.

• The FOHBC 2009 National Bottle Show July 31-Aug. 2, Pomona, California

OK, tidbit time:

• The Columbus bottle show is coming up soon, in February, on the same day as the Scott Show, so plan to make a full day of antiquing!
• 2009 Columbus Antique Bottle Show held at the Rhodes Center, Ohio State Fairgrounds, 17th Avenue at I-71, on Saturday, February 21, 2009.

• Slim Wilberger wrote to the club, and I told him I'd pass along his request for help on his project:
• "I am looking for other collectors of Buffalo Lithia Water Water, Buffalo Lithia Springs Water and Buffalo Mineral Water bottles from Mecklenburg Co., Va. I am working on completing an article for a bottle magizine as well as looking for the following colors, emeral/bright green, dark amber and cobalt blue. I have one of the two different teal designs so I also need one of these if anyone in your club members wishes to talk about "The Buffalo Girls of Mecklenburg County." please email. Thanks, Slim Wilberger" / Richmond, Va. / slimwilberger@verizon.net

• George Judy had this awesome huge amber glass bell "bottle" (open at bottom) at Muncie. He wants to sell it! -- georgeoj@comcast.net

That's my story for now...

It's always about the bottom line...

I received an email today through my ebay "My Messages", that read:

• "THOUGHT YOU WERE A eBID PROMOTER???"

This eBayer saw that I have items listed on eBay right now.

I thought that my answer to him might make for a blog post -- so here's my response:

• "Hi there -- I guess you've been reading my blog -- thanks! I don't know how often you've read it, but I have written many posts about whether or not to stick with ebay, and I have explored several other selling venues/sites. You may have read about how I have agonized over what to do, and finally decided to stick with ebay for now.
• Bottom line (and it's always about the bottom line), is it's still the biggest marketplace with the most traffic.
• I am watching the others, and hope that someone else steps up and hits a homerun. For now, they all just seem to be warming up..."

I'd love to hear any other thoughts/experiences on the subject.

Go Crazy, Daddy-o!

I read today that even GoDaddy.com is starting an online marketplace for defecting ebay sellers.

• Read Randy Smythes blog post on the subject, and be sure to read all the comments, for more viewpoints of this ongoing discussion.

How many new sites are there now -- sheesh! How will bidders ever manage to surf them all?

They won't be able to, or want to. So will ebay win by default? Or will one of these many new sites take hold and rise up?

Or will all the sites, including ebay, kinda even out, with no "big dog"...?

I think the critical factor to think about is the buyer, and how to get his/her attention. If all the new sites, including private seller's websites, upload to google base, maybe that is the key to making finding easy for the buyer, and then it won't matter which site you sell on.

So let's make sure we use google base in all our efforts, and that we start educating buyers to shop that way, too.

Just my two cents, daddy-o!

Collecting Vintage Milk Bottles

I just read today's ANTIQUE TRADER NEWSLETTER, and it's full of interesting collecting tidbits.

They have several articles on vintage postcards, as well as a short piece on antique perfume bottles, worth your time just to see the beautiful photos.

The feature article that caught my attention is on COLLECTING MILK BOTTLES by Mark A. Roeder. Here's a couple excerpts from a long informative piece worth reading for new or experienced collectors:

• "Those who have been bitten by the milk bottle collecting bug will find no end of possibilities for their collection. The are a vast array of different sizes, shapes, and colors of milk bottles. There are related bottles as well, such as those produced to hold cream or cottage cheese. One can’t forget the caps, either. Some collectors collect not the bottles themselves, but the caps that once sealed them shut. "
• "To find more unusual milk bottles, attend milk bottle shows and check out the Web sites of milk bottle dealers. You will find some higher prices at these sources, but that’s because the merchandise is of greater quality and rarity. Remember, a hefty price tag doesn’t necessarily mean expensive. Quality pieces are worth the money."

Below are some pix of just a few of my own Lima Ohio milk bottle collection. I have been collecting them for almost 10 years now, and have so many, yet every now and then one turns up that I haven't seen before. I am amazed that I keep finding ones I don't have, but it keeps me on the hunt. I don't think I can ever safely say "I have them all".

Be sure to check out the Antique Trader's newsletter. Sign up to have it emailed to you -- it's free, and always interesting and informative.

You can see a few more pix of my Lima bottle collection:

• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA1.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA2.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA3.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA4.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA5.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA6.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA7.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA8.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA9.JPG
• http://fabclub.freeyellow.com/LIMA91.JPG

Muncie Fruit Jar Show -- 4 Day Event!

The Muncie jar show is this weekend -- we'll be there Thursday through Sunday. Hope to see you there!

Here's the link to see what the weather is like in Muncie.

Here's info from the Midwest Club's website:

• When: JANUARY 11 MUNCIE, INDIANA
• What: Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club Winter Show & Sale
• Where: 9 AM to 2 PM, at the Horizon Convention Center, Muncie, IN
• More Info: DAVE RITTENHOUSE, 1008 S. CR. 900 W., Farmland, IN 47340 (765) 468-8091, email: rittjman@aol.com --- http://www.fruitjar.org/

Here's what they say about this fun multi-day event:

" The Show and Sale on Sunday, January 11, 2009 will be the culmination of several days of fruit jar-related happenings.

Some people will start arriving at the Signature Inn, 3400 N. Chadam Lane, Muncie (765-284-4200) as early as Thursday to get their rooms set up and start room-hopping.

If you haven't been room-hopping, you don't know what you have missed. Dealers set their jars up in their rooms and you can hop from room to room in the hotel, looking for that special find.

Thursday and Friday nights will be the prime time for action in the rooms. "

Cheerful Treasures

Once a week I get an email from 1st Dibs, letting me know that the week's new listings have been posted. What with the cold gloomy winter weather, I thought I'd check the new items out, and look for some goodies to cheer me up.

What a batch of treasures I found. An eclectic mix, from carnival games, to fabulous jewelry. Here are my current faves:

• 20TH C. FRENCH FOLK ART TARGET SHOOT
• FRANCE1900-1920WONDERFUL AND WHIMSCAL DOUBLE FACED FOLKY 20TH C. TARGET SHOOT. ORIGINAL PAINTED IN VIBRANT COLOR.
• Price$4,500
  
• Folk Art Carnival Mermaid
• Belgiumcirca 1930's
• Fantastic multi--lighted mermaid from a European carnival. Wood frame.
• Price$2,450

• Portrait of Children in carved gilt frame
• Argentina -- early 19th century
• Portrait of children in fabulous carved gilt frame.
• Price$4,500

• Portrait of Children in carved gilt frame
• Argentina -- early 19th Century
• Portrait of children in fabulous carved gilt frame.
• Price$4,500

• Jensen: Laguna tiles, pair, Italy 1950's
• Italy1950'sThis is pair of Italian ceramic tiles by Jensen, signed and framed
• Price$750

• Pair of Midcentury Italian Hand Painted Harlequin Lamps
• Italy1940's-1950's
• Pair of Italian Hand Painted Pottery Lamps
• Price$3,800

• Carved Rock Crystal Buddha Pendant
• European1930's
• Wonderfully carved sitting Buddha pendant. Rose cut diamonds set in platinum accent the rock crystal quartz figure. The back of the piece is engraved with the image of Buddha as well.
• Price$4,950

• Red Peking Glass Art Deco Buddha Pendant
• France1920's
• This Buddha is as happy as Buddhas get. In bold red Peking glass, this platinum Art Deco piece is accented with black enamel and rose cut diamonds. All that dropped from an Old Mine Cut pear diamond.
• Price$3,750

• Unusual Tifari Question Mark Brooch - Clip
• United States1940
• This is fun brooch measures 3."h x 1.5"w.
• The blue faceted glass stone at the bottom moves. Marked with the crown, it is an early piece designed by Alfred Phillippe, who also designed for Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels.
• Price$750

Wow -- I think I just saved myself around $30,000.00! And look at all the fun I had -- for free!

I think the question mark pin was a good choice to end with, as a symbol of "You never know what you'll find!" Can't wait to see what I actually do find this year...