There is something about glass bottles that people like. These days, many folks enjoy holding and seeing objects that are not made of plastics. Other people might feel some positive nostalgia when they see a glass bottle.
There are many categories of bottle collecting. Some people like rare, handmade bottles. Others want bottles from particular geographical locations. While other people just like colored glass.
When I started bottle collecting, they were mostly medical or patent medicine bottles. A few were soda bottles, just because they were part of popular culture. Even though I sold most of my collection, I still find a few around the house that I’ve overlooked.
Some seemingly common drink bottles not only look good, they have
some monetary value, as well. A mid-20th Century 7 Up bottle evokes memories of my mom. The soft drink was her favorite soda. She also administered it to us kids whenever we got sick. This one is a perfect prop for a red Gerbera daisy. Just a bottle, a flower, and a bit of greenery make a fun accent or gift.
A 500ml Coke bottle from Mexico is large enough for a heavy flower. The bottle is slightly exotic, making it right for a solitary bird of paradise. Add just a few small accents, and you’re good to go.
Jim Beam Whiskey bottles are a category unto themselves. I don’t seriously collect them, because the hobby can be an obsession of its own. Not only that, a collector can put out a good deal of cash while building a decent variety of the artistic bottles. One of the very few in my house, is this Frederick Remington example. His cowboy art is found on a series of Jim Beam bottles.
I decided to push the envelope, a bit, by shaping a grouping of blooms and evergreen to evoke the Wild West in a somewhat contemporary way.
How about your home? Do you have an old glass bottle or container gathering dust somewhere? It takes only a little effort to create an eye-catching display.
Ciao
The Blue Jay of Happiness enjoys John Steinbeck’s colorful use of bottles in storytelling. “So in our pride we ordered for breakfast an omelet, toast and coffee and what has just arrived is a tomato salad with onions, a dish of pickles, a big slice of watermelon and two bottles of cream soda.”
These are neat! The retro lives!!