c.1930 Beautiful Antique Ship in Bottle Folk Tramp A (03/31/2011)...

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c.1930 Beautiful Antique Ship in Bottle Folk Tramp Art

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c.1930 Beautiful Antique Ship in Bottle Folk Tramp Art

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Sold Date: 03/31/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Transportation and Vehicles

Lousy Photos ... I'm visiting family in Kansas and was looking at the sibs I have for sale right now. It's funny -- an entire month can go by and I'll have zero sales. Then out of nowhere, in the last three days, I've sold three of the nicer ones I had listed. Meanwhile, I'm adding an addendum to this sib because the photos are really horrible. This sib is so much nicer than what it looks like in these photos. The coloring inside the bottle is nice. If I were home, I would re-shoot all these photos. Those who have eyes can see ...
What's For Sale? ... This is a beautiful ship in bottle from around 1930 -- it could be 1940's. It's a standard whiskey bottle from that era, measuring 11.5 inches (29 cm) in length. I'm not happy with the way the photos came out, but you can pretty much make everything out. This sib was made in England, and the guy who made it was very skilled. Everything inside is very tight -- nothing amiss. Nothing loose inside the bottle. The ship model is well done with complicated rigging. But it's a combination of the ship model and diorama which really make this one special. It's a lovely detailed diorama. Know what I like the most -- those Art Deco slanted (brown) cars. There are two cars -- one in the neck, and another near the end of the ships bowsprit. Too many details inside to accurately describe -- but it's all incredibly detailed and well done. All hand carved and hand painted -- and the painting is perfect. At each end of the diorama is a house on a hill, with a path (road) leading up to the top of the hill. The flag on the ship's mast is from UK. Take a look at the lovely marbleization on the bottom of the bottle -- a clear sign of the care that went into making this ship in bottle. And there's a nice hand-painted sky behind the diorama. What's wrong with this sib? NOTHING!
Don't hesitate to ask questions regarding this item :

Note: I'm cleaning out the sib closet . Check out my other items -- I'll be posting other ships in bottle in the very near future.

Interested in learning more about ships in bottle? Join the Ships in Bottle Association of America. Check out the website: / Learn more from the people who still make them. (FYI, I myself don't have the patience, but I can appreciate the results all the same.)

Original vs. Factory Made: There are a lot of ships in bottles listed on eBay which are mass produced in a factory-like setting. In my opinion, those "sibs" will not increase significantly in value over time. Most of them are not worth the cost of shipping. This ship in bottle is made the traditional way, through the neck. It is an original piece of folk art, not made in a factory in China ... see my comments below concerning value.

A Word About Value ... I have no clue how many ships in bottles I've sold on eBay through the years, but suffice it to say -- quite a few. And as with all products and services during this economic downturn, there are definite trends that apply to ships-in-bottles. Which is to say, prices today are down from what they were a couple of years ago. My pricing of this SIB reflects that downturn. But anyone who follows the stock market knows that what is once down will surely rebound and go back up in time -- the value of a work of art will continue to grow over time. I have long felt that ships in bottles are a hidden treasure of the broader world of Folk Art. Which is to say, you can still buy a ship in bottle relatively cheap. Have you priced rare silver coins recently? There are some coins that nobody but the super rich can afford. What fun is that? It's not like that with ships in bottles -- you can still buy a high quality antique SIB at bargain-basement prices compared to other works of art. The the trends in value and pricing of SIBs will increase significantly in coming years. As with stocks and bonds, this is a good time to buy if you think in terms of long-term investment.
Virtual Museum of Folk Art in Bottles . My ...