With up to 75 stall holders, the Maryborough Antique Bottle Club’s annual show will host a vast range of bottles and collectables dating from the late-1700s up to the 1980s
Steve Greenwood is one of the organisers of this year’s event. Now in its 49th year, Steve encourages people who might have come across old bottles to bring them along to the show for evaluation. Modern-day prospectors might come across bottles in their search for nuggets and, as Steve explains, some may be worth more than the elusive gold.
“Depending on their age and rarity, bottles can fetch anything up to $100 thousand,” Steve said.
“Some of the old Hamilton Patent bottles can date back as far as the 1790s, so something like that would be worth a bit.
“The Codd bottles with marbles in the neck can also be valuable, depending on whether anyone wants them at the time.”
Before the invention of screw top soft drinks, Codd bottles were commonly used to sell flavoured soda water, with the pressure from the aerated liquid pushing a marble into the neck of the bottle to keep it fresh.
Bottles and collectables will also be available for purchase, with some of the more ornate designs making a unique gift that can evoke memories from days passed.
Held at the Maryborough Harness Raceway, prizes will be awarded to exhibitors across a range of categories. Glass, ceramic and coloured cordial bottles as well as beer, milk and medicine bottles will all be on display.
