No. 71 Noc 2009 newsletter of GBCC

Geelong Bottle & Collectables Club IncVolume 71 November 2009

NOT EVEN CLOSE

A JJ Trait Majolica barrel like this just fetched $2900 on eBay. Is it arecord for a Geelong branded item?

TURN TO P3 TO SEE THE NEW KING OF CORIO BAY

Geelong Bottle and Collectables Club Inc. The club meets on the fourth Monday of each month (excluding December) at the Belmont Park Pavilion, Barrabool Road, under the James Harrison Bridge.

Club postal address: Geelong Bottle and Collectables Club Inc. Box 5049 North Geelong LPO 3215

WHO’S WHOPresident: Dave Smith

Vice-president: Peter Harding

Treasurer: Bob Bauer

Secretary:Tracey Elso

Assistant secretary: Noel Dawson

Librarian: Craig Finegan

Editor: Cam Ward 0430 369 146

Public officer: Kim Johnson

State representative: David Smith

Catering officer: Pam Bauer

Committee members: Tony ParsonsCraig FineganKim JohnsonNoel Dawsonand executives

The club has organised for two sausage sizzles to be held at Bunnings’ Corio

and Waurn Ponds stores next year as a means of funding the club and its activities.

The Corio one is being organised for Sunday, February 7 by Tracey and Craig, with Kim looking after the Waurn Ponds barbecue later in the month.

Bunnings requires clubs to run the sizzle from 9am to 5pm, and to be manned by a minimum of two people. There are strict guidelines to be adhered to and we will need to be at Bunnings by 8am to start setting up. Marquees have to be erected by the clubs themselves so we will need club members to help with these events.

These sausage sizzles are hard work, but very profitable. As

a club, we need to be self-funding for our events and expenses such as the collectable shows, printing our newsletters, rent, buying books for our library and doing fun things as a group.

We all benefit from these as a club. Why not have some fun by joining in the sausage sizzles too?

Set for sizzling start to 2010

Diary datesJanuary23/24/25 – FRYERSTOWN (Annual antique fair)

February7 – BATHURST (Swap meet; Bathurst Showgrounds)7 – CORIO (Club sausage sizzle, Bunnings Corio)14 – BALLARAT (Super Southern Swap Meet; Ballarat Airport)14 – MALDON (Antiques & Collectables fair; Maldon Football Ground)

March28 - CRANBOURNE (Collectors’ fair; Cranbourne Public Hall)

Rare Geelong barrels are no laughing matterWhen this fabulous JJ

Trait Majolica five-gallon ginger beer

barrel went for $2900 on eBay recently, it raised the question of whether it was the most expensive Geelong branded item ever.

The answer is a resounding no.Firstly, Graham Lancaster’s

last Flowerdale auction for the year featured the rare Huddart, Parker & Coy enamel sign. The multicoloured sign on a cream and brown background featured a superb pictorial of steam ship on the ocean for the service to Melbourne and Geelong. Described in the catalogue as one of Australia’s most important signs, it sold for more than $10,000.

Add to that, club member Joe Votava knows of a Priddle 26oz Codd that went for $5000 in a private sale. He thinks that should the Bollington 26oz Codd come on the market it would smash that price.

And the dust had barely settled on the Trait sale when word came through that a Chas Cole barrel had sold for an undisclosed record amount in another private sale.

Although considerably plainer than the Trait barrel, the Chas Cole is thought to be unique and in better condition than the eBay Trait.

It had what looked like a horseshoe-shaped bruise to the top lip of the barrel, all over crazing and glaze nibbles and small chips on the high points of the lettering. There was a chip to the top of the banner to the left of the first J in JJ Trait and the bung hole at the bottom of the barrel where the tap fitted had been repaired at some time.

But these minor faults did not detract from the outstanding appearance, set off by the vivid glaze pattern. And over the 10 days of the auction, the barrel attracted 27 bids from 11 different bidders.

Its sale may not have been a record among the bottle-collecting community, but it was definitely an exception, not the rule, to the appeal of Geelong items.

Local dealer Steen Andersen said local pieces usually had little appeal outside Geelong, unless they had some wider connection. Among the most expensive items with a local connection that he had for sale recently was a $1500 trio of medals awarded to a Geelong soldier killed in action in WWI.

Early Geelong VFL memorabilia is another obvious case in point. Steen had a rare

program from the Cats’ October 1963 exhibition match against Melbourne in San Francisco – the first such game of Australian Rules played in America – for sale at $650.

And a silver medal, right, awarded to WA Stewart for a dancing competition at Geelong’s Commun Na Feine Hotel on January 1, 1861 is for sale for $1495.

STANDING TALL: This is the Chas Cole barrel that sold for an undisclosed record amount only weeks after another Geelong branded pottery barrel fetched $2900 on eBay.

minutes

October monthly meetingOctober 26, 2009

Meeting opened at: 8pm

ApologiesRobyn Stocks

Minutes of previous meeting Moved: Kim Johnson Seconded: Ernie Taylor

Business arising from minutesKim – Community Billboards re showBannockburn FairTrestles for club show – still pursuing

CorrespondenceBottle Museum Opening – 13th Dec Grand opening

Treasurer’s reportTerm Deposit $2528Cash Tin $0Tea Tin $40Swap & Sell Tin $0

General Business2010 SHOW: Dave and committee doing a lot towards the show.SELF FUNDING: Committee decided to boost funds by being self-sufficient in funding, using several ways to create funds. Will require assistance from the club as a whole.SAUSAGE SIZZLE: Kim & Tracey are organising sausage sizzles at both Waurn Ponds and Corio Bunnings stores. These to be in first quarter of 2010.CAR BOOT SALE: Dave organising a club car-boot sale at Belmont Scout Hall – May 2010, with sites for hire, a bacon & egg/sausage sizzle and a cake stall. Several people already wanting stalls.ANTIQUE TRAIL BOOKLET: New booklet being written up by Peter & Kim, funding to be donated by How Bazaar Collect-ables. LIFE MEMBERSHIP: Geelong Bottle & Collectables Club proud to award our first life membership awards with accompanying shields to Dot & Joe Votava and Ernie Taylor. Congratulations all round!COMMITTEE MEETING: Next committee meeting 7th Dec, 7.30 pm at Daves HouseNOVEMBER MEETING = CHRISTMAS BREAKUP: Next meeting – November 23 is to be our break-up and Xmas party. A hamper is to be organised, as well as coin toss, and other fun things to do! Meeting closed at: 8.35pm

Best Aquired1st: Peter Harding Display of 1911 and other various calendars = 2nd: Alan Snowden Wills pirate Shag Tobacco Statue – circa 1930= 2nd: Alan Snowden Embossed advertising sign – Ducasses Brandy3rd: Tony Parsons 18 x ceramic label bottles

Club catches public’s eye at antique fair

Bannockburn show and tell The club had an information

table/display at the recent Bannockburn Antique Fair.

On a sweltering day inside and out, Craig, Kim, Chris, Noel and Alan all helped out with setting up a great display of collectables, talking to other collectors and handing out flyers to interested people.

We had some people very interested in the club, as well as interested in what people in the club collected – even a few offers on the displayed items!

Craig had his photo in the following week’s Geelong News holding up a couple of bottles (no mention of the club unfortunately) and all in all was a great day out.

Much thanks to the guys who helped out for the day – it took some work, but we all had some fun!

TWO WISE MEN: Craig, left, and Noel were on hand to answer the public’s questions at the Bannockburn collectables fair.

CAN CAN: A close-up of one section of the club’s eye-catching display.

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NovemberTracey Uranium glass pendant Pressed glass swan powder bowl Uranium glass Sowerby vase and frog Walther (Germany) fish bowl Whitefriars uranium glass flower bowl

Alan Call out last rites kit THIRD Wills Cigarettes advertising mirror SECOND

Tony Eight country Victorian codds FIRST Allens merry-go-round tin Three ceramic labels

Jennifer Soda bottle Barry The Metal Turner’s Handbook

Bob Coleman Stove 500 (new in box)

Cam 1920s bicycle board game 1969 women’s basketball pins/blazer pocket Three old magazines Hotel Pacific brass key tag Three World War II newspapers

Ron & Jan Old gauge Briquettes advertising thermometer Rosella bottle

Dot & Joe 1928 News of the Week newspaper Melbourne yesterdays Large bottle opener Wooden shortbread mould

Peter & Lee Lead type and type tray

Kim Tin

WHAT WILL YOU UNEARTH IN 2010?

CLASSIFIEDSNotices

Need to e-mail a photo?Like to post a photo on the internet to

sell an item?Have a lend of the club’s digital

camera.ASK PETER FOR DETAILS

Wanted to buyAnything to do with Jim Beam, Coca Cola, ceramic Garfields

and Ned Kelly. Collectables collector.

Phone Len Ellmer on 5224 1469.

Royal Doulton whisky flasksKingsware/Old electric jugs

Blowtorches, clean or dirty and any spares.

Phone JIM HUNTER on 5127 6420. Member of the Gippsland club.

SINGER SEWING MACHINESAnything to do with Singer.

Phone Bruce or Elsie on 5275 5450.

Matchboxes, labels, vesta boxes, match grips and Meakin china.

Phone 5276 1267.

Any old newspapers and documents.Prefer Geelong and areas but will

consider anything.Phone Peter on 5275 3411.

Geelong street guides and business directories.Phone 5266 1126.

Milk glass Vegemite/Marmite jars.Also screw top metal lids, any size.

Phone Bruce on 0408 527 741.

Wanted to buy

Pre-1956 telephone directories.Geelong & District or MelbournePhone Cam on 0430 369 146.

Any old newspapers and documents.Prefer Geelong and areas but will

consider anything.Phone Peter on 5275 3411.

Victa logo plateFor original model

Phone Alan on 5255 4773 or 0403 160 336.

Embassy branded items.The old GJ Coles home brand.

Will BUY anything.Phone Peter on 5275 3411.

For salePhotographic record of 2008 State

Bottle and Collectables Show.All category winners and selected

individual bottles on one CD. Suitable for enlargements.

$10 per copy.Phone Cam on 0430 369 146.

Any Scouting memorabilia.Phone Shane on 5229 6469.

Aussie fruit/preserving/jam jars Geelong bottles

Ceramic label milks and soft drinks David 0419 434 306/5243 4306