Clean Vermont Antique Ship in Bottle Folk Tramp Art (05/25/2011)

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Clean Vermont Antique Ship in Bottle Folk Tramp Art

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Clean Vermont Antique Ship in Bottle Folk Tramp Art

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Sold Date: 05/25/2011
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Transportation and Vehicles

From My Shelf To Yours ... This is a great little ship in bottle -- I've owned it for many years. It was almost hidden inside a glass bookcase, and I've finally decided to sell it, in order to make room for new sibs in my private collection. My loss is someone else's gain. I wouldn't have kept this sib for years unless it was special and really nice. I've said it before - I don't feel the need to die with the most ships in bottles. I buy some ... I sell some.

What's For Sale? ... I date this ship in bottle to around 1925-1930. I bought it from a guy in Vermont -- and that's consistent with the "feel" of this little sib. I don't know how to describe it other than saying it has a old New England look and feel to it. The bottle is a classic flat one pint flask -- concave (indented) on one side. The bottle measures eight inches in length (21 cm) and four inches in width. It has that old classic language, "Federal law forbids sale or reuse of this bottle." Everyone should be able to clearly see what's offered here in the photos. What I like about it is the clean and simple lines -- the rigging is perfect. Very realistic in its simplicity. Note the sails folded on deck -- a very cool touch. The sea is a pea-soup green hue. The hull is hand carved and hand painted. The masts are varnished and look very realistic. Not much else to say -- it's a lovely little sib that will look perfectly on someone else's display shelf. Please note the additional note below -- the stand is NOT included in the sale.

NOTE : The stand in the photos is NOT included in the sale -- it was used solely to hold the bottle for the photos. I sell stands for ships in bottles separately. If the purchaser of this sib wants this stand, it's an additional $15.00. You are not obligated to purchase the stand -- it isn't difficult to make your own.
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...