Historical Bottle Diggers of Virginia... ~2013~

 

The Dive Team attended and had a display table at the recent bottle show of the Historical Bottle Diggers of Virginia in Harrisonburg, Virginia...

This was a unique opportunity for the team members to show off what they have found over the years as well as showing what the Dive Team has and continues to do for the community.... 

Our display table had a collection including artifacts from numerous shipwrecks along the New Jersey shore, river and tidal zones, and of course bottles found while diving. Special emphasis showed how antique bottles are found by way of "Underwater Bottle Digging" and the condition they are found in. Several visitors to the table stated that they found this tactic very interesting and one person contrasted it to his tactic of "Digging bottles with his debit card" on e-bay...

We were provided with two tables and at first there was a question if we could fill both tables but once the items started to hit the tables it was obvious we did well with our selections of items...

One third of the display was devoted to the marine environment where many of these items were found along with where the Dive Team trains, practices, and performs the procedures as duty requires. Special display was devoted to a pile of fishing sinkers in sand and a description of how the Dive Team has retrieved over 5,600+lbs of sinkers that were sold during the Winter Fisherman's flea markets to support Dive Team functions....

It was a impressive show and one with over 75 tables of bottles and collectibles. It was a great opportunity to speak with other collectors\dealers and to compare prices and regional history of bottles. Several visitors to our display tables described artifacts that they have found over the years including civil war artifacts and the rich history here in the Shenandoah Valley...

 

 

Overall a great day...

Many bottles to look at and discuss...

Numerous people and collectors to meet and talk with...

Pulled pork bbq sandwiches...

And first place award for display and most educational...

Thanks to Chief Diver Chet Nesley who made the 5+ hour ride to the valley and thanks to the Historical Bottle Diggers of Virginia for their hospitality and interest in our "hobby"....