19th Century bottle Digging.Digging up the past to preserve it for the future.

   Scroll down for a picture show from days gone by.

    View old bottles and other items dug from outhouse pits & dumps.

   I started this site for the love of bottles.Digging and collecting.Digging comes first.Unearthing the past is what it is all about for me.The thrill,the rush,and the satisfaction of pulling out an old bottle from a time capsule in the ground is UN-real! I never sell any of my bottles,this hobby is not about money to me,it is about the history of old glass from the past.

My grandmother is the person I have to thank for this wonderful love of old glass.I do believe she is with me at times, especially when I find a bottle like the puce eagle pictured above.

   My main source of old bottles today is privy digging AKA outhouse digging.I also dig dumps if they are old enough.The year 1900 is my limit on dumps.

   This hobby is all about history to me more then any other factor.I love to daydream about who used this hollow wear from the past.I picture a much slower and simpler time.Un like this fast paced world we live in today.

 But on the other side of the coin,there was a high death rate from all the wide spread diseases that the quack medicines could not cure, even though the labels said they could.Most of the diseases from that time are non existent today.

   That brings up another reason why I love this hobby so much.Because of all the crazy quack cures and guarantees on some of these dug bottles,claiming to cure everything from cancer to alcoholism.Wouldn't it be nice if it were that easy.

  And don't for get the time & master craftsmanship that went into each bottle.Unlike the cookie cutter world we live in today.

   On this site you will see mostly pictures of privy dug bottles,and digs in action.I also have digging story's on my blog that were published in the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector magazine. 

                          Scroll and enjoy.

                        Holloway's Ointment.1870

    For the cure of  inveterate ulcers ,bad legs,sore breasts,sore heads,  gout  and rheumatism.

                            The back of the puce eagle.

                    Dyottville Glass Works Philada

     1870 eight sided Seitz mineral water six ounce size.

      Wm A Selser.Bee figural honey bottle/Jar.1890

        A scarce example made from a private mold.

    A striped wear pitcher dug in near mint condition.1870

        More sodas from 1850s to 1870s outhouse holes.

       My digging buddy Paul down in a 1850s wood lined privy

         Two ovoid jugs dug in a 1850s barrel lined privy.

      A summer tree summer tree flask.Dug in a 1840s privy.

      Open pontil.

                 A Flagon used for wine or other liquids. 

             A scarce Hazleton Pa. Beer bottle.

         A Cathedral pepper sauce bottle 1860s

          Strychina Poison  a scarce example 1880

      To the left a West Ford Glass Works  Sheaf of wheat

      flask.To the right a green J .A Seitz beer 1870s privy.

               A Ironstone tea pot & a chamber pot.

       A Washington Taylor flask made at the Dyottville

        Glass works Phila. late 1840s -50s

            Another shot of the Sheaf of Wheat flask.

           J. Wise Allentown Pa.1870 beer bottle.       

     A   1890 Dr Moores Venereal cure. 

  A Wistar Pine Tar Cordial. This bottle was

    dug from a 22 foot brick lined privy.

     The full story is in my blog (Dig story's)

      This is a local advertising flask.Stein & Kramlich.The   

     This is a figured cologne bottle .Scrolled leaves & flowers.

      1830 - 60

         Cleaned up scrolled leaves & flowers cologne.

       Kohl & Beans Mineral Waters Easton Pa.1850s 

   Paul dug this Stafford's Master ink dug in a local dump.

      Boooooo! The Doll Head from the past.

      Pulmonic Syrup open pontil 1850s privy.

                I call this one the basket of cheer.

                 Cobalt,teal and green iron pontils,

                  from a 1850s privy.

                  Better known as"The Cobalt Hole"

      John Clarke Mineral Water.Mid 1840s

           Washington & Taylor  flask & Ip sodas. 1850

          Over 600 bottles dug from a brick lined privy.             

           Dating to 1880s- 60s.Read the story on how

           this dig started and ended.In my digging blog.

     U.S.A Hospital bottle.This bottle was found in

                medical bags during the Civil war.

                    H.H Warner & Co Tippecanoe

   Here are some of the historical flask that Paul pieced back

     together.There were 14 broken ones in that privy.

     Read the full story "The Last Bottle Out"

      In my digging story's.

                Eagle Cornucopia flask 1840s polished pontil

          Scarce amber Allentown  PA Hutch

         Daniel Ritter.Check out "three dumps on a hill"

         in my digging blog.

          Belle of Clifton Whiskey.This was a so called

            medicinal whiskey.Good for what ailed ya.

          Four 8 sided Seitz & Bro Mineral waters.

             A mint forest green Seitz & Bros.

          With the pepper seeds still in side.1860      

          The story of how this little common poison became a rare and

            sentimental bottle."Bottles in the Blood" (click digging story's)

       Historical flasks that Paul put back together.These

        are tough to find whole.

      Four privy dug medicines.Philly Pa,Easton,Pa,Washington NJ &

                and Allentown pa. All dug from the same privy.

    A dark teal 1850 summer  tree flask.This flask was re constructed

      by my digging buddy Paul.Every piece was found.

   My buddy Charlie Cook from New Orleans with a

               MONSTER! CATHEDRAL PICKLE.

                   I call this one the "Rock Pile" bottle.

                There is no info on this one.My

                guess is that it was used to treat piles.

   This is a U.Bruner druggist from Catasauqua Pa circa 1850.

         1870s  Geo Hoffman Allentown. Eight sided soda.

             "Mine shaft privy" (check the video)

                       Grandmas Secret For Baby's.

  The first and only"Warner's Safe Kidney & Liver Cure I ever dug.

                    They are not found in our area much.