Category Archives: Art & Architecture

Paintings, drawings, sculptures, folk art, museums, architecture

Alfred Speer and his Raised Sidewalk & Standard Wine Bitters

Speer’s Standard Wine Bitters Speer’s vineyard and wine business started on a small scale, with the vineyard expanding until it was “the largest in the State, containing over five miles of driveways, and over five hundred miles of wire.” The … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Art & Architecture, Bitters, History, Liquor Merchant, Wine & Champagne | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fantasy Jug Raffle and Saratoga Bottles to be featured at the 2013 Saratoga Show

Ferdinand, Roy Topka with the Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa here. Local collector and artisan Jim Healy (he was tickled pink by the mention of his good work in the current Bottles and Extras) created the attached Fantasy Jug for … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Art & Architecture, Bottle Shows, Mineral Water, Museums, News, Pottery, Stoneware | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Looking at Absinthe Art and the “Green Fairy”

“la fée verte” (the green fairy) While looking in to an an incoming e-mail yesterday and the eventual development of a post that partially touched New Orleans Absinthe makers, I became side tracked with reading about Absinthe and the “la … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Art & Architecture, Ephemera, History, Liquor Merchant, Spirits | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Memories of My Childhood – Starr Weems

Hello: I am an Alabama artist who creates dreamlike watercolors that incorporate various types of jars. I paint memories of my childhood in the Deep South. These memories include vibrant jars of produce cooling on my great-grandmother’s windowsills and falling … Continue reading

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Bottles of any age as “Art”

Hi Ferdinand, My wife and I were shopping today at the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver and I noticed a chandelier for sale in one of the stores. Upon inspection, I realized that it was made of bottles! We thought … Continue reading

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Art Glass from the Dr. Gary and Arlette Johnson Collection

If you hurry quick, you can catch the ending tonight of Heckler Auction 102 where you will find a gorgeous assembly of art glass from the Gary and Arlette Johnson Collection. I was able to see some of these pieces … Continue reading

Posted in Art & Architecture, Art Glass, Auction News, Bowls, Pitchers, Vases | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Collectors” Series – What do you think?

I received an interesting telephone call last week from a very nice fellow named Chris with Architect Films in Toronto, Canada. After trading calls, we eventually had a nice talk regarding the possibility of them coming to Houston to include … Continue reading

Posted in Art & Architecture, Bitters, Club News, Collectors & Collections, Humor - Lighter Side, News, Peachridge Glass, Poison Bottles, Questions | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Some Nice Congress & Empire Spring Bottles – Shags to Riches

SHAGS TO RICHES (not by far) When Elizabeth and I first moved into the long vacant house on property we now affectionately call Peach Ridge, it had shag carpet (see above), an old decrepit boat in the garage and had … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, Art & Architecture, Article Publications, Auction News, Collectors & Collections, Humor - Lighter Side, Mineral Water, Peachridge Glass, Water, Whimsies, Windows | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Most Unusual Christmas Present

ART CHURCH BIRD HOUSE Now here’s something none of you have – For Xmas my wife to be commissioned a special, one of a kind birdhouse by HVBC (Hudson Valley Bottle Club) Club Treasurer Art Church, a friend of ours. … Continue reading

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Looking at Dr. Pierce’s Barn Advertising

DR. PIERCE’S FAMILY MEDICINES Dr. PIERCE’S FOR WEAK WOMEN Looking at Dr. Pierce’s Barn Advertising 20 December 2012 Tami Barber (certainly not a weak woman) posted a few really cool pictures and information on DR. PIERCE’S advertising on barns, including the … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Art & Architecture, Druggist & Drugstore, Folk Art, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment