First Blue Ridge Bottle Show on April 18th
Photo by Randy Mays of the Blue Ridge Bottle Club, Galax
By DANIELLE REID
Patriot Publishing
People like to collect different things as a hobby. Some collect rare books, coins, stamps, artwork, and others like to collect bottles and glassware.
Kendal Nuckolls and her husband, Andrew began collecting antique fruit jars (Mason jars) as a fun hobby. Now, they want to share the fun and collecting opportunities with others in the community. Nuckolls joked that once you get the bug of collecting, you can never turn it off. She would drive past an antique store and wonder if there was something interesting in there to buy.
“People love collecting bottles and glassware. They admire the color and shape of the item, and like to learn about the history of them,” Nuckolls remarked. “People do it for the pure joy of collecting – and they like to fellowship with other collectors. It’s a way of relating to someone.”
Popular items are antique fruit jars, stoneware, flasks, soda, milk, whiskey and medicine bottles. Nuckolls says these items are often found in creek beds, old barns, farmhouses, and outhouses by collectors referred to as “diggers.”
After doing some personal research with other collectors, they discovered there is a huge market in the local area for people who collect fruit jars, glassware, milk bottles, whiskey bottles – but no local shows where they can go to buy or sell their glassware.
“According to the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC), there are no active bottle shows in this immediate area. There are also no active bottle clubs within 100 miles,” related Nuckolls.
“We have been going to bottle shows for awhile, but there are none close to us. The closest ones are in Mooresville and Clemens, NC,” she said. Families like the Nuckolls with two small children, ages three and one year old, can find traveling to distant shows a challenge.
That’s when the couple decided to take a major step and sponsor their own bottle show. They secured a location at the Grover Cleveland VFW Post 1115 in Hillsville for their first Blue Ridge Bottle Show on Saturday, April 18th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is no admission fee for the public, but there is a small fee for vendors.
In preparation for their first show, the couple printed 200 flyers announcing the show, talked to local antique dealers and collectors and contacted interested media, hoping to promote and support the bottle collecting hobby.
Nuckolls says that a lot of people don’t realize that collecting can generate revenue as well as being fun. People can pick their own budget based on their income and prices can range from a few dollars to thousands. A recent national auction generated a $50,000 price tag for a cobalt blue jar and amber jar pair found in a closet in Pennsylvania.
The Red Book of Fruit Jars, originally authored by Dave Eifler, provides valuable information for potential collectors.
On the LovetoKnow.com website, bottle collectors can find a listing of some valuable antique bottles with an Olive green double eagle flask worth $6,700. The website explains how the value is estimated depending on the age, condition and rarity factors of the item. It also provides a printable antique bottle price list including a detailed description of the bottle.
The Nuckolls are members of the Blue Ridge Bottle Club where they share knowledge and history about bottles, jars and other glassware. They enjoy receiving knowledge from older generations of people who have been collectors and like to share their experiences with younger ones.
Interested collectors and vendors can contact Kendal Nuckolls at: 276.233.7857 or at BlueRidgeBottleShow@gmail.com
