Miners bottles as "objets d' art"

When searching for the perfect pop of color in your home, look no further than Miners bottles. These interesting accessories have an equally interesting story to tell. Made by miners in eastern Europe (probably Poland or Czechoslovakia), they are woven from detonator wires around discarded wine bottles. These objects were not made for their own use but for sale to tourists or other village people. The miner’s made them as they were waiting for their shifts to start or perhaps when the mine had to be evacuated for explosive gases. We liken this folk craft to scrimshaw objects which the sailors made during their long sea voyages. Circa 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s or 1990’s.

Equally cool are Zulu telephone wire art bottles and pots featured in the July-August issue of Veranda magazine. Colorful plastic-coated copper wire is woven into baskets and around glass bottles of various shapes and sizes to create beautiful little works of art. David Arment, an avid collector of Zulu telephone wire art began going on safaris in 1992. It was during his travels that he first became interested in the swirls and zigzags often portrayed in African art. Today, Arment's collection consists of over 1,000 pieces.

Whether you decide to include 1 or 1,000 bottles in your own collection, the addition of Miners bottles is one that will bring about much interest and conversation.