Decorative Glass Bottles

You can brighten as many rooms with simple decorative glass bottles. The bottles could be in the kitchen with herbs in oil or in a bathroom with bath salts. They are inexpensive, yet give an elegant touch to any decor. You can even go to any craft store to look for paints made specifically for glass. A lead glass look to an inexpensive bottle can be a great to catch the sun in a window sill over your sink. Glass bottles can be found in almost any color, shape, or height imaginable.

One of my favorite places to shop for decorative glass bottles is at flea markets or yard sales. Goodwill stores have a great selection. Soon you will find no matter where you go, you will find some to fit into your collection. Collecting glass can become a great hobby.

When you do start to collect for value instead of decorative value, keep in mind what makes a bottle valuable. If you do not have anyone that wants your bottle then it is not valuable. Milk and painted label soda bottles are popular right now to collectors. Some sell for hundreds of dollars.

Generally the older the bottle; the more valuable it is. The earliest bottles in America were made between the 1600s and 1850s. Hand blown bottles were made before the turn of the century. After 1914 most bottles were machine made. Chips or cracks reduce the value. The original packaging or labels increase the value. Cobalt blue are not only pretty, but they are worth more money than regular aqua seen in Coke bottles. Yellow Green, and Purple are worth lots of money also. Olive green, milk glass and green are not as valuable.

Flasks are the most valuable designs. Handmade bottles have individuality which gives them more value. A bottle that represents a historic event on it is worth more than a bottle of the same type with nothing. Alaskan and Hawaiian bottles are worth more since they are in great demand. Areas where bottles were produces often make them more valuable too.