Our own Lavon Daugherty was honored with an article in this weeks Akron Beacon Journal. His museum of ceramic decanters was featured with a three page article. His museum located in Sugarcreek, OH has about 3000 of the 1960-70’s figural decanters including Jim Beam, Lionstone, Ski Country, Ezra Brooks, Grenadier, Jack Daniels, Lewis & Clark, and McCormick.
OBC at Kalamazoo
This was our first visit to the Kalamazoo Bottle Show. Adam and Phyllis Koch have been making the trip for many years, but it just seemed so far. In reality it was the same distance as Cincinnati and I regularly make the trip to visit family. The Jelly Jammers had made plans to have their spring meeting in conjunction with the show. Four couples met in the Clarion hotel and shared all their latest jelly related purchases. Friday night was the hospitality with all the great food and conversation. Dealer set up on Saturday was at 8 and the general public was admitted at 10. Nice having an extra hour to sleep with the later dealer set up. The show was well attended and the displays were well done. There was a nice variety of bottles for every level of collecting. We will plan to attend next year. Click “Read More” to see all the pictures.
February Meeting
Thanks to Fred Donley, John Fifer, Louis Fifer, Steve Wherley, Jeff DeLuca, and Alan DeMaison for the February “Anything but Bottles” program. Nice variety of collections. March is another club sharing program where members share their recently acquired treasures. The Ohio Bottle Club Facebook page is now sharing OBC events with the bottle world. Want to share your latest bottle acquisition with the world, send me a picture and a description. Fred Donley started the March “Anything But Bottles” with a very nice selection of early Wooster covers. He had them displayed very nicely. Click on the “Read More” for more pictures.
Baltimore 2016
Ohio was well represented at the 2016 Baltimore Antique Bottle Show and Sale on Sunday. Many Ohio Bottle Club members and Ohioans made the trip for the show. The variety of bottles and go-withs was amazing with nice selection for the beginner and the old timers. Click on “Read More” to see all the pictures.
At Long Last
Louis Fifer and his father John had found a bottle shard while digging at the Ravenna Glass Company site in Ohio. The Ravenna Glass Company started production in 1857 and closed in 1864. Known today for many marked historical flasks, they were also known for using high quality glass. The Fifer’s only clue to the bottle was the partial embossing “GETA” and below “ORM.SY” on the shard they found. After some detective work and with help from Matt Lacy, it is with great excitement that Louis was able to find and add a complete/intact example to his collection. The ROGERS VEGETABLE WORM.SYRUP CINCINNATI is small aqua pontiled medicine that was hand blown in Ravenna for a merchant in Cincinnati, so many miles away. See all the pictures in “Read More”.
Kaiser Wilhelm Bitters, Sandusky, OH
Gary Beatty sent me some pictures of a Kaiser Wilhelm Bitters from Sandusky, OH that he picked up at Chattanooga. I did some research, but little is know and nothing is listed in the Sandusky City Directory according to the sources. Those that I saw listed on ebay where mostly clear with a few ambers. In doing my research, I saw a number of Kaiser Wilhelm Bitters that were amethyst in color, interesting. Gary’s claims his had been nuked, was dull with stains and begging for a good cleaning. Gary was able to restore the bottle to the original condition. Beautiful bottle! See an advertising tray and a website in the “Read More”.
January Program
What a great program. Ohio/local beers and sodas was a real hit. Bravo to the presenters; Chris Gudzinas, Craig Lane, Todd Knisley and Matt Lacy. Chris Gudzinas started the program with a nice collection of Youngstown bottles. His main collection of Renner beers was impressive. “The origin of eastern Ohio’s longest-lasting brewery had remained a mystery to this author until recently, when new information was uncovered. See all the pictures from the meeting by clicking on “Read More”.
January Meeting
The January 28th meeting will feature a program of Ohio/local beers and sodas. This will be a club participation with many club members sharing their collections. I would hope to see a variety of very early sodas/beers all the way to the 50’s with the painted label sodas. 
Refreshment break will be pizza. Get your latest Mansfield news and pick up your Mansfield raffle tickets at the meeting.
Destination Cleveland for 2018
The long awaited announcement was made by Louis Fifer (FOHBC Conventions Director) that the 2018 FOHBC National Convention will be held in Cleveland, Ohio. The Ohio Bottle Club will be the host club. Read the announcement. After exploring other sites including Toledo, Sandusky, Columbus and Akron; Cleveland emerged as the leading site with a very strong offer and very attractive dining/activities within walking distance from the hotel. The team of Louis Fifer, Matt Lacy, John Fifer and Alan DeMaison received unanimous approval from the FOHBC Board of Directors on the proposal.
Jerry Haymond Passes
It is with great sadness that the OBC has learned that Jerry Haymond, milk bottle collector and dealer has passed. Jerry was a familiar face at all of our meetings, bottle shows and flea markets. Jerry was known for his hat that he always wore. Jerry was a pioneer in milk bottle collecting and he will be missed.
Happy New Years 2016
The OBC wishes all the collectors a happy New Years filled with good health and a few bottles for your collecting. Just received the digital Findlay and Kalamazoo newsletters for January 2016. Fun to start the new years reading about bottle collecting. The FOHBC Virtual Museum is establishing the first portable photographing site in Ohio. It will take a few months of work to perfect the method, but what a step forward in the hobby. Don’t forget the Muncie Fruit Jar show on January 10. Check out the weather reports and make plans to attend.
Merry Christmas
The Ohio Bottle Club would like to wish all a Merry Christmas. The Christmas dinner was very well attended and the food was spectacular. The officers for 2016 will be President, Alan DeMaison; Treasurer, Berny Baldwin; and Secretary, Marlene Franchino. See “Read More” for pictures from the meeting.
President’s December Message
This month is the club’s annual Christmas dinner. Please bring a side dish or dessert to share. Dinner is at 6:30 on December 17th. We need some volunteers to be officers for next year. Secretary is a definite need. Please consider sharing your talents. We need volunteers to educate us on a part of collecting that you are an expert. We are always ready to learn about something new. Elaine’s brides bank collection started with a program that Ann Sekerak did for the bottle club. Her jelly jar collection started with a program we saw at the FOHBC National in Collinsville. Share your collecting. Click on the “Read More” to see the pictures from the November meeting.