Snowy, cold and windy, what else would we expect in Central NY during March! The Empire State Bottle Collectors Association held their 49th annual Spring bottle show Sunday in Cicero, NY just outside of Syracuse. Jim Bender & I set out on the road bright and early and arrived at the American Legion in Cicero, NY around 7:30am. It’s always fun to unload in the sleet & snow! Once inside though, things warmed up. Show chairman Keon Kellogg and his show committee from the ESBCA had things well organized and greeted us with a handshake and some hot coffee. There were probably around 30-40 dealers set up by my quick estimate, many with multiple tables.
We got our tables set up and were able to take a quick “buyers lap” around the room before the doors opened to the public at 9:00am. The show drew just over 150 people through the door. Jim and I did fairly well with sales. I didn’t find any Saratogas or other pontiled NY sodas that I had to have, but there were several other gorgeous bottles that tempted my wallet! I held out with the exception of a couple small local “go-withs.” Jim ended up with a nice T.J. Kilmer’s from Schoharie, NY. (No Biningers today). The best part is always visiting with old friends and trading stories!
Everyone I spoke to had a great time. There was a nice mix of bottles for sale along with a couple milk bottle dealers and insulator folks. Another great day at the show! Well done ESBCA!
Jeff Ullman
FOHBC Northeast Director
March 2019
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.