Next up - Downieville!

Bruce,
Thanks for posting the flyer for the Downieville Show.

If any sellers are interested we still have 5 or so sales tables left for the show.
rs

New Sidebar

You spoke, I listened.

Last week I was asked why we don't have a "wanted" column. After all, this is about promoting western whiskey collecting. And everyone has one or two pieces that they'd really like to add to their collection.

As of this morning, a new column (called a sidebar) has been inserted on the top right of the main page. It's titled, simply, Wanted. Send me a brief description of what you'd like, and the condition that you will consider acceptable, and I'll post it at no charge for you. Make sure to include your email address so that you can be contacted! Our readership includes both collectors, and non-collectors. With close to 200,000 folks having looked at this site, someone out there may just have what you're after.

Good luck!

 

Check out the latest comments and posts! All good! Sacramento FOHBC Expo 2016

 

Now that the dust has settled, I'd love to hear how the show was. Sleepers? High points of the weekend? Auction? 

Shoot me an email or a comment, and I'll be happy to pass on your thoughts as an update to this post. 

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OK gang, here is the first "guest opinion". 

Let's keep them comin'!

#1)

Hi Bruce.

The Sacramento National was a good show overall. The entire event from Thursday was jam packed with activity and had something for everyone. The "General's Reception" was nice with hamburgers and great socializing. There were seminars too with my favorites being conducted by John Shroyer and Tom Jacobs.

The line to get in the show on the first day was huge and attendance by the public on Saturday was unbelievable. This had to be a record turnout for a National.

I bought extremely well but actual sales were disappointing. Maybe my prices were too high but most tables had bargains which sat for the entire show. Had my money not run out, I could have really loaded up. 

Forgot to mention the displays...they were amazing and well presented. I particularly liked the Gold Rush artifact and Benicia glass displays.

The auction was kind of odd with conflict between bidders and the auctioneers, a very late start time and painful cadence. I left at 11:00 pm and the auction was only a little more than half completed. The alcohol was flowing and did not mix well with glass. The bids were super strong though, and I am sure a few bidders woke up the next morning trying to justify the expense for damaged or common bottles. Pretty surreal event. 

Regards,

Anonymous

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Here are a few results of the whiskey portion of the auction mentioned above;

 










 





















 




 













 




 









 





 

 
 


























 

 





 










 
 

             

 A darn respectable showing, if you ask me, when the hammer price and the "juice" are added together!

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Back to the comments:

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Bruce,

     I attended the FOHBC show in Sacramento and sold from part of a table generously offered me by Dale Santos, major demi-john collector. The overall planning and operation of the show were just about perfect. The Bottles & Extras ads, the Facebook ads,  the reception, the breakfast, the seminars, the opening, the auction, the exhibits, the banquet all went perfectly.  The only aspect which wasn't perfect was local advertising. I didn't see any ads in the Sacramento Bee, in which all the stamp, coin, gun, rare book, paper, and antique glass shows (in fact, glass show will be at the same venue as the Expo this weekend) advertise. Tip O'Neill, former Speaker of the House, once said, "All politics is local."  While that may not be true of bottle shows, since people from all over the nation come, it is true that if bottle shows don't alert locals, including newbies, flea market hawks, and bring antique collectors, they won't be there. I hear all the time that we are in a dying hobby and we need new people. If we don't put the carrots in front of their noses, they won't be motivated. The few locals I saw heard about the show by word of mouth. Nevertheless, I did hear that the show broke all early looker fees, so advertising among serious collectors was effective.

    

 I think too much praise cannot be given to the FOHBC, Ferdinand and Elizabeth for the efforts,  Likewise Richard and Beverly Siri who spent an enormous amount of time and effort to run the show, pretty much flawlessly. The exhibits were all well done. What else to say?  A great weekend.  

Steve Abbott

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And another view

Hi Bruce,

I attended the FOHBC show Saturday morning. Didn't have an extra $60 for the Friday afternoon early lookers. We got there early waiting in the restaurant adjacent to the show entry hall.

Saw people starting to get up before 9am to buy tickets and get in line. Was in the first 20 folks in line. Soon after they opened the doors and let everyone enter.

I made it through most of the aisles before even making an offer. Prices for scarce local clear-glass druggists were often $30-50+ !! Jakes and spice bottles were nice to see but nothing I couldn't leave on the tables for $35.00.

By 10am many sellers were ready to deal. I asked about Friday early lookers. Sellers usually said they did OK on Friday for the most part.

I came home with a "full face embossed" SF hutch from Astorg Springs, a tooled crown from Mayfield (seller also had a Mayfield hutch), and a tooled crown from Imperial Ginger Ale Oakland.

Jason P. from San Jose