Featured Collector
Jim Smith
Born in Tacoma, attended Franklin High School in Seattle and later worked for the City of Seattle (early ‘60s to late ‘80s) which gave him exposure to all sorts of interesting items to collect. Glass Insulators, Gamewell Fire Alarm Boxes, Gongs and Registers from Seattle Fire and Police—all things the City was doing away with and throwing out! His brother-in-law shared with him the hobby of collecting antique bottles, took him on digs throughout the area and he loved those adventures! He also loved storytelling and most of his collecting had to do with local history. He collected shot glasses, antique telephones, hand tools and was an excellent wine maker as well!!!
A portion of Jim's collection is shared below:
Insulators
A variety of insulators found in Seattle a number of years ago and still dirty after all these years.
Telephones and Switching Equipment
A collection of telephone and switching equipment gathered by Jim over the years from a variety of sites throughout the Seattle area.
Owl Drug Bottle
A milk glass Owl Drug bottle dug from one of the local dumps around the Seattle area.
Fire Alarm Box
A pristine fire alarm box that was used to call in fires throughout the city.
Police Telephone
An old police telephone call box used by the police to call in to the station from throughout the city in emergency situations.
The "Anonymous" Collection from Seattle and Beyond
A variety of antique bottles dug in Seattle a number of years ago and still dirty after all these years.
The "Anonymous" Collection from Seattle and Beyond
A variety of antique bottles dug in Seattle a number of years ago and still dirty after all these years.
Dr. J. Hostetters Bitters
4 slightly different "Dr. J. Hostetter's Stomach Bitters" bottles (circa 1910).
Wisdom's Robertine
A cobalt medicine "Wisdom's Robertine" from Portland Oregon (circa 1900).
Dr. Mott's Wild Cherry Tonic - Spruance & Stanley
A lite yellow-amber "Dr. Mott's Wild Cheery Tonic" from the Sprunace & Stanley Co. of San Francisco (circa 1880's).
Peruvian Bitters
A dark amber "Peruvian Bitters" bottle after a slight cleaning (circa early 1900's).
Pacific & Puget Sound
A light green "Pacific & Puget Sound Bottling Co." hutchinson soda bottle from Seattle (circa mid-1910's).
Bacher & Grimminger's - "Our House"
An amber whiskey bottle from Bacher & Grimminger's saloon and cafe, "Our House" of Seattle (circa mid-1910's).
Hiram Walker's
An un-embossed amber whiskey bottle "1895 Hiram Walker" as noted on the neck label from Canada (circa mid-1910's).
A green seltzer Bottle from the SunsetBottling Works of Seattle.
A Hutchinson Soda bottle from the Aetna Bottling Works of Tacoma.
2 light green Hutchinson Soda bottles from Port Angeles and Mt. Vernon, Washington.
A light red seltzer bottle from J. G. Fox and Co. of Seattle.
A Hutchinson Soda bottle from the Wenatchee Bottling Works of Wenatchee.
A clear seltzer bottle from the Zarembo Mineral Springs Co. of Seattle.
A Sprau's Bottling Works seltzer bottle from Monroe, Washington.
Label-only Pacific Club whiskey bottle from M & K Gottstein of Seattle.
A clear seltzer bottle from A. L. Van Valey of Everett, Washington.
A variety of ceramic beer stoppers from Seattle.
Dixon's Olde English labeled ginger beer from the Puget Sound Bottling Works of South Bellingham, Washington.
A vaseline colored seltzer bottle from Glaser Beverages of Seattle.