Nowadays there is a great deal of interest in wanting to learn all about the buying and selling of antiques, more than possibly at any time in history. No doubt the most popular U.S. TV show 'The Antiques Road Show' and the British equivalent, have done a lot to make the antique industry very popular. What was once thought to be the world of stuffy and snobbish appraisers picking away at Chinese vases and other such oddities has now become a business that is quite intriguing to most people. Those who perhaps never before had an interest in antiques suddenly saw how much fun it could be to find out that an old afghan or piece of jewelry is actually worth thousands of dollars.
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 Antique Pre 1900 Pharmical Bottle  US $3.33
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 Old antique milk bottle US $8.99
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 old antique 1940s Pepsi bottle US $8.99
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 old antique Dr Pepper bottle US $8.99
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 Antique Pre 1900 SBM Clear Glass Bottle US $5.55
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 old antique Coke bottle with foreign writing US $8.99
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What has also helped everyday people to appreciate the world of antiques is that they see how items they never thought about as actually being antique, and certainly never considered as being valuable, can actually fetch quite a price at the right auction with the right buyer. Those who assumed that "antiques" only meant fancy furniture or Asian carvings had their eyes open to items such as early American folk art, different textiles including tablecloths and other linens, collectible bottles, and items such as these.
Obviously dabbling with antiques that you already have a good deal of knowledge on or possibly a very keen interest in, can mean an business endeavor that is not only very enjoyable but also financially successful.
Possibly you have thought about collectible antiques for for a little extra money but just cannot make your mind up as to which sorts of antique you would like to specialize in, or you are just looking for a little bit of variety to add to your business why not look at Antique Bottles?
Antique Bottles
Those empty beer bottles that you have in the garage waiting to be taken to the recycling center aren't what we're talking about here.
Antique bottles refer to a wide variety of types, uses, and designs. They are typically sold to collectors who often want to build their collection one piece at a time. They're usually valued for their different colors and for the fact that many were custom made for a particular industry or use at the time. Consider:
Apothecary Bottles
Today we don't typically use the word apothecary but instead refer to someone as a pharmacist or we go to the pharmacy or drug store. Today's medicines are doled out in small plastic prescription bottles in pill format, but "way back when" medicines were almost always liquid or powder and were stored in large, heavy-duty apothecary bottles.
These bottles are unique in that they were made of a very thick type of glass that was often cobalt blue, dark green, or another appealing color. Very often they had the name of the medicine or a poison warning painted right on the glass, as opposed to the stickers and labels we have today.
Most also came with a stopper top for them. This was something unique in the world of bottle making, reserved for either apothecary bottles or certain liquor bottles. As a matter of fact, if you can picture a bottle of a very fine scotch or other liquor that has a stopper top, you realize what an apothecary bottle looked like. The only difference is that liquor bottles are usually short and stout whereas apothecary bottles were tall and slender.
Coca-Cola Bottles
No, we're not talking about all those empties you have around the house that need to be taken back for your bottle deposit or to the recycling center. We're talking those bottles that were produced in the early 1900's.
Why the interest in this type of product? Well, to many the Coca-Cola Company represents a part of American history. It's a product that even to this day is recognized as being all-American. Having old Coke bottles is like having a classic 1966 Ford Mustang or a Joe DiMaggio baseball card. Not only is it historically significant, it's a piece of history that his unique to America.
Some antique Coke bottles can fetch literally hundreds of dollars at auction, while of course most go for a bit less. But the fact that you really can't get Coke in glass bottles anymore means that these items are probably just going to increase in value as time goes on.
Bitters Bottles
Bitters were old-fashioned medicines made of herbs and roots that were very bitter in taste, hence their name. During prohibition many would brew a form of bitters that contained alcohol; this way a person could imbibe under the guide of taking medicine.
Bitters bottles were known for their various colors and even their shapes. They were often fashioned to look like a log cabin, pig, corn cob, barrels, fish, Native Americans, or something similar. Many were even made with the female form as a shape. As a matter of fact, if you know the type and shape of bottle that Mrs. Butterworth's maple syrup comes in, you have an idea of what a lot of bitters bottles looked like.
The unusual colors are what really set these bottles apart and those with a more unusual color are the ones that are more valuable.
Other Types Of Bottles
There are many other types of antique bottles that typically do very well on the market today. These include vinegar bottles which were usually shaped like jugs with a rounded handle, cosmetics bottles, fruit jars, liquor bottles of all sorts, and many other sorts.
The market and price for all of these bottles is of course going to be different, and even among each style there is typically a higher price for older items or those that are more unusual.
If you're interested in buying or selling antique bottles, it pays to have a price guide for each different type and what they usually go for at auction, and then you can find them virtually anywhere. This means flea markets, estate sales, garage sales, and so many other places. Those who have these older bottles usually don't know what they're worth and aren't that concerned with finding out anyway, so if you do your homework before shopping you may find yourself with some great deals.
Deciding On Antiques
Hopefully by now we've convinced you that the world of antiques is not just for fancy Asian vases and old furniture. There are buyers for virtually any type of antique item out there; as a matter of fact we haven't even scratched the surface of the different types of items that you may find to be very financially lucrative.
So if you've been thinking of entering the fun and exciting world of antiques, there should be nothing holding you back. Do some reading about what makes each different item valuable and become familiar with about how much people are now paying at auction for them.You will possibly discover that this is the most enjoyable business venture you've ever tried.
Like the saying goes, another man's rubbish is someone else's treasure, so get out there and start 'treasure hunting'!