Uncorking the Allure of Antique Bottles


July 18, 2024
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Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors to hold annual convention at HMNS

  1. What: 2024 National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition, held by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC)
    • Ever wondered what secrets an ordinary antique bottle might hold? For some, they are portals to the past, filled to the brim with stories of everyday life, historical events, and bygone eras. For others, they are beautiful works of art – reflections of an ancient craft and appreciated for their dazzling colors, intricate designs, and aesthetic charm.

      Enthusiasts, both amateurs and experts alike, will want to mark their calendars for the upcoming 2024 National Antique Bottle & Glass Exposition, being held at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) and Hotel ZaZa in the Houston Museum District from Thursday, August 1 – Sunday, August 4, 2024.

      At HMNS, exposition attendees will enjoy two major exhibitions. On display in the Brown Gallery, the Sandor P. Fuss “American Antique Glass Masterpieces” showcases an extraordinary and meticulously collected group of early American tableware alongside legendary historical flasks, bitters, spirits, and other bottles and glass. Among the included selections, three legendary cobalt blue figural bitters will be reunited and prominently displayed. Opening simultaneously in the Hamill Gallery, “Select highlights from the David P. Wilber and Anthony Gugliotti Barber Bottle Collections” features highly decorative barber bottles from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Distinctive in color, shape, and design to allow the barber to easily identify their contents, these bottles would have been filled with hair tonic, hair oil, bay rum, shampoo and rosewater. The best of over a thousand examples from both collections will be displayed, and a hard-bound book showcasing the collections will also be for sale.
  • When: Thursday, August 1 – Sunday, August 4, 2024
  • Who:
    • Ferdinand Meyer V, Expo Director (available for interviews upon request)
  • Where:
    • Houston Museum of Natural Science
      5555 Hermann Park Dr, Houston, TX 77030
  • Why:
    • “After a successful Reno 2022 Convention, the FOHBC took the year off in 2023 to plan for a different experience in 2024,” said Ferdinand Meyer V, past three-time president of the FOHBC and one of the driving forces for this year’s event. “If you like history, great antique bottles and glass, museums, and nature, Houston is the place!”

For questions, please contact Sami Mesarwi at smesarwi@hmns.org or (281) 684-0430.

About Houston Museum of Natural Science

The Houston Museum of Natural Science—one of the nation’s most heavily attended museums—is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, and the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at 5555 Hermann Park Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.

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The Houston Museum of Natural Science

One of the nation's most heavily attended museums-is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, and the Wortham Giant Screen Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium, and George Observatory, and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at 5555 Hermann Park Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.

Visit HMNS.org


Media Information Sami Mesarwi Melodie Wade

Our Mission

The mission of the Houston Museum of Natural Science shall be to preserve and advance the general knowledge of natural science; to enhance in individuals the knowledge of and delight in natural science and related subjects; and to maintain and promote a museum of the first class.

HMNS at Hermann Park

5555 Hermann Park Dr.
Houston,Texas 77030
(713) 639-4629


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HMNS at Sugar Land

13016 University Blvd.
Sugar Land, Texas 77479
(281) 313-2277


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George Observatory

21901 FM 762 Rd.
Needville, Texas 77461
(281) 242-3055


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