Antique Persian Rugs

Antique Old

How do I make my old antique desk newer without ruining it?

The chair squeaks bad, how do I fix it? And I dont really want to refinish it.. but I want to get rid of some spots and blemishes... and can I stain over the top of this? Maybe make it darker without having to strip it? Thanks!

Old English really can make a difference. Before refinishing, spend several nights applying the Old English. Wood can be really really thirsty. This will sink in and bring out the natural wood grains and spots and still cover up scratches. Also, as the wood is moistened, it will turn darker. See how that goes. If it still needs to be finished........come back and I have a few tips for you there as well. Good luck

Antique Map of Old Hawaii $27.99 Steve Strickland Antique Map of Old Hawaii - Giclee Print

Old-Fashioned and Antique Car Horn $29.99 Old-Fashioned and Antique Car Horn - Photographic Print

Old-Fashioned and Antique Vintage Camera $29.99 Old-Fashioned and Antique Vintage Camera - Photographic Print

Old Antique Farm Plow Seeder $39.99 Derek Mccrea Old Antique Farm Plow Seeder - Giclee Print

Old Antique Dealer with His Merchandise $24.99 Ludovico Pacho Old Antique Dealer with His Merchandise - Photographic Print

Antique Rocking Chair Displayed at Old Sturbridge Village $79.99 Antique Rocking Chair Displayed at Old Sturbridge Village - Premium Photographic Print

Close-up of Old-Fashioned Tire on Antique Car $29.99 Close-up of Old-Fashioned Tire on Antique Car - Photographic Print

Antique Carriage on Farm with Old Barn and Wooden Fence $29.99 Antique Carriage on Farm with Old Barn and Wooden Fence - Photographic Print

Antique Rocking Chairs Displayed at Old Sturbridge Village $79.99 Walter Sanders Antique Rocking Chairs Displayed at Old Sturbridge Village - Premium Photographic Print

Weathered Paint with Old Texture, Antique, Peeling Surface $24.99 Albert Copley Weathered Paint with Old Texture, Antique, Peeling Surface - Photographic Print

Antique Duck Decoy Sits on an Old Wooden Crate $39.99 Joel Sartore Antique Duck Decoy Sits on an Old Wooden Crate - Photographic Print

Antique Duck Decoys Sit on an Old Wooden Crate $39.99 Joel Sartore Antique Duck Decoys Sit on an Old Wooden Crate - Photographic Print

Antique bottles in old outhouse hole

Treasure Hunting for Antique Bottles

Milk Bottles

To some, old bottles are just junk taking up space on the windowsills of the kitchen.  They truly don't appreciate the craftsmanship that typically went into making these items, which was usually done by hand.  Of course there are other reasons why someone would be interested in antique bottles, and it has to do with more than just how the bottles were made.

Antique bottles are truly a part of history.  The different types of bottles tell a story about a particular industry or way of life.  For example, medicinal bottles tell us how far the medical industry has come since many elements are now stored in plastic bags.  Seeing an old glass IV bottle can take you back decades.  There are antique bottles from the pharmaceutical industry that have the name of the chemical and even poison warnings worked right into the bottle's design.  This is so different from items today where everything is printed on adhesive labels and attached to the bottle itself.

It can be said too that antique bottles are a part of true Americana.  Old Coca-Cola or Pepsi-Cola bottles can remind one of the time when sodas were actually sold in glass bottles and were enjoyed at a real soda counter.  Other types of antique bottles that are valuable to collectors include vinegar bottles, whiskey bottles, torpedo bottles, cosmetic bottles, and of course beer bottles.  To collectors, a bottle that is in good shape and that is an unusual shape or color is very valuable and some can sell for literally tens of thousands of dollars.

Bitters Bottles

There are of course antique bottles that are appreciated for their design and workmanship.  For instance, bitters are an old type of medicine that were made from herbs and roots and were called that because of their bitter taste.  The bottles they were contained in were often shaped like log cabins, ears of corn, women's figures, or even a pig.  These types of antique bottles are valued for their different colors as well as their shapes.  You just don't see that much detail put into a bottle any longer!  If you can imagine a bottle of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, you have an idea of what old bitters bottles were shaped like.

Antique bottles can be found all across the United States.  Good locations include ghost towns, old dumps, old houses, old homesteads, antique stores and the campsites on the trails that the early pioneers used to cross the United States. 

Bocksbeutel Bottles

Before you start treasure hunting for these valuable antiques I suggest that you pay a visit to the National Bottle Museum at 76 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, NY, to learn the early bottle making methods.  The museum sponsors a antique bottle show every June and dealers and collectors from all over the world attend.  At the very least you can visit the museums web site. 

Many of the more valuable bottles were produced in the 1800s and were handmade and no two are exactly alike.  Bottles are appreciated for their look and for the visual appeal they have.  Lining colored bottles up against windows can really reflect sunlight and brighten up a kitchen.  But more than just visually appealing, antique bottles are truly part of history.  For antique lovers, bottles are an important part of any collection and can be very valuable.

Happy Treasure Hunting.

About the Author

David Cowley has created numerous articles on Treasure Hunting. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to Treasure Hunting. Visit Treasure Hunting

Tags: antique old 2, antique old hickory furniture, antique old town canoe, antique oldsmobile, antique oldsmobile club, antique oldsmobile parts, art, history, images, photography, vintage