I am curious Chris if there was a black/dark green flint glass bottle in mint condition that read WOOD (PORTOBELo) with only one L and lower case (o) at the end in Portobello on the base would it have any value? I have read the Wood only version without the Cooper is hard to come by do not know if this because few are found or collectors hold on to them, I did some research I believe would easily date during the 1850's 1860's.
I don't think the bottom of a broken bottle such as this one is worth anything to a bottle collector.
I can't imagine that these Portobello bottles, with whatever mold error, are especially rare. They are too recent to be of great interest to a black glass collector.
I agree Harry no one would want a broken base to a bottle. What would be a great interest just curious? I have been a collector for quite a few years, I like your take on what would be an interest to black glass collector 1700s maybe? I have quite a few Onions, mallets etc.. Can you show me to a link on how common these portobello bottles are anything prior to the company being sold in the 1900s? I did find one that has sold? Been in contact with Scotland glassworks, as far as the rarity because of the glass company's history probably making this one of the first bottles after the partnership of Wood & Cooper ended in 1866 or the Wood only logo was used during the partnership but only a few examples have been found dating during the time period of 1859 to 1866. Would only 100 bottles be considered rare? 200 bottles 1000,2000?. Yet you see a ton of bitter bottles being auctioned daily that are far from rare but with high price tags and considered or labeled rare. I have one example of a bottle in the last 30 yrs no one can show me another one like it, is it rare? I had certain people say hold on to it's a rare find, to well you know certain glass companies was short lived. I guess what I am getting at in the bottle world of collectors there's is a culture of demand & not necessarily of unique finds it seems it's all about trends, poisons, sodas, whiskeys/bitters and then you have the next glory hole dug up fueling that demand again with the claim of rarity heck all I have to do is google bitters bottles I can pull up page after page of similar supposed rare bottles with that novice collector just itching to make that purchase. I still would like a link to how common these Wood only logo portobellos are.
I didn't intend to offer research or to insult your particular collecting interest, Bottleinc.
I was responding to your question: "...if there was a black/dark green flint glass bottle in mint condition that read WOOD (PORTOBELo) with only one L and lower case (o) at the end in Portobello on the base would it have any value?" I can summarize my answer, based on more than four decades of collecting, buying, and selling black glass, as "Not much."
You seem to understand the market forces which lead to my "Not much" answer, so we can let that stand.
Show us your onions and mallets . . . those bottles always command interest.
Harry sorry my reply might seem directed towards your response, it was not my intention to come over harsh.
My frustration is not necessarily whether the bottle has value or not but the overall concept of the definition of (rare or unique). In a lot of cases, it's overly used.
I have seen truly unique pieces dismissed on the conclusion of demand.
For Instance, there was a bottle brought to me to do some research on, as of this day I can only find one other of its like that resides in a historical museum.
Now if I was to try to garner the well-deserved classification within the world of bottle collectors of its rarity it would be like trying to part the seas because it does not fall within what's trending or mainstream and highly sought.
Yet one can find a dime a dozen on any given day what's trending or mainstream which has been classified "rare" at any show, club, antique shop, online, estate auction, etc....
@Bottleinc - you get at an important issue with collecting and you are correct - that rarity can be relative, the term is overused, and demand is uneven.
Just like the stock market, so some will benefit by being contrarian buyers.
Collectors will work on a run of colors for a particular bottle and if they have an empty spot on the shelf, it burns a hole in their brain while they try to fill the gap. Other bottles for which there are no mold or color variants go undervalued in my opinion.
There is also the market dynamic of a few key collectors who enter or leave who are / have been pursuing something in particular. Specific items go up or fall back in value.
Economists talk about "perfect markets" where all participants have equal knowledge and make decisions based on exactly the same criteria. The internet has helped level the playing field in bottle collecting somewhat but there are still plenty of disparities.
Comments
My gut reaction was that value is in the $25 range, more or less. I did find one variant of this bottle that had sold for $35 postpaid.
I can't imagine that these Portobello bottles, with whatever mold error, are especially rare. They are too recent to be of great interest to a black glass collector.
What would be a great interest just curious? I have been a collector for quite a few years, I like your take on what would be an interest to black glass collector 1700s maybe? I have quite a few Onions, mallets etc.. Can you show me to a link on how common these portobello bottles are anything prior to the company being sold in the 1900s? I did find one that has sold? Been in contact with Scotland glassworks, as far as the rarity because of the glass company's history probably making this one of the first bottles after the partnership of Wood & Cooper ended in 1866 or the Wood only logo was used during the partnership but only a few examples have been found dating during the time period of 1859 to 1866.
Would only 100 bottles be considered rare? 200 bottles 1000,2000?.
Yet you see a ton of bitter bottles being auctioned daily that are far from rare but with high price tags and considered or labeled rare.
I have one example of a bottle in the last 30 yrs no one can show me another one like it, is it rare? I had certain people say hold on to it's a rare find, to well you know certain glass companies was short lived.
I guess what I am getting at in the bottle world of collectors there's is a culture of demand & not necessarily of unique finds it seems it's all about trends, poisons, sodas, whiskeys/bitters and then you have the next glory hole dug up fueling that demand again with the claim of rarity heck all I have to do is google bitters bottles I can pull up page after page of similar supposed rare bottles with that novice collector just itching to make that purchase.
I still would like a link to how common these Wood only logo portobellos are.
I was responding to your question: "...if there was a black/dark green flint glass bottle in mint condition that read WOOD (PORTOBELo) with only one L and lower case (o) at the end in Portobello on the base would it have any value?" I can summarize my answer, based on more than four decades of collecting, buying, and selling black glass, as "Not much."
You seem to understand the market forces which lead to my "Not much" answer, so we can let that stand.
Show us your onions and mallets . . . those bottles always command interest.
My frustration is not necessarily whether the bottle has value or not but the overall concept of the definition of (rare or unique). In a lot of cases, it's overly used.
I have seen truly unique pieces dismissed on the conclusion of demand.
For Instance, there was a bottle brought to me to do some research on, as of this day I can only find one other of its like that resides in a historical museum.
Now if I was to try to garner the well-deserved classification within the world of bottle collectors of its rarity it would be like trying to part the seas because it does not fall within what's trending or mainstream and highly sought.
Yet one can find a dime a dozen on any given day what's trending or mainstream which has been classified "rare" at any show, club, antique shop, online, estate auction, etc....
Just like the stock market, so some will benefit by being contrarian buyers.
Collectors will work on a run of colors for a particular bottle and if they have an empty spot on the shelf, it burns a hole in their brain while they try to fill the gap. Other bottles for which there are no mold or color variants go undervalued in my opinion.
There is also the market dynamic of a few key collectors who enter or leave who are / have been pursuing something in particular. Specific items go up or fall back in value.
Economists talk about "perfect markets" where all participants have equal knowledge and make decisions based on exactly the same criteria. The internet has helped level the playing field in bottle collecting somewhat but there are still plenty of disparities.
Hello, I have one in perfect condition, founded wile i'm detecting in some peruvian desert