In the 1930s, a new type of collecting began to develop rapidly - alcominimalistics. For almost a century, connoisseurs of expensive alcohol have been collecting collections of spirits in small bottles of no more than 50 ml. Miniature bottles (minibottle) began to appear in the XIX century as promotional items. Prohibition in the United States contributed to the further development of alcoholism. Then small containers for whiskey and cognac were in great demand, they were smaller versions of standard bottles brought to America before the prohibition of alcohol.
Over time, enterprises began to produce collectible items of various shapes: in the form of animals, cars, playing cards and slot machines, buildings, etc. They are made of ceramics, while standard-shaped items are usually glass. The pre-war ones were equipped with a cork, after the Second World War they were replaced by samples with a screw-on metal cap. The range of drinks has also expanded: in such bottles they began to sell herbal tinctures, beer, champagne. Some collectors have decided not to limit themselves to small-volume rarities and classify containers up to 100 ml also as alco-minimalistics.
Miniature bottles of alcohol are purchased in large quantities by airlines that offer small portions of expensive alcohol to their customers during the flight. They can also be found on trains and hotel minibars. Here they are sold individually, but in stores you can buy a package with 2-60 bottles. Manufacturers also offer several types of containers with alcoholic beverages.
Themed clubs operate all over the world: lovers of alco-minimalism exchange rare finds, and their collections, pictures of unusual specimens, as well as articles about collecting bottles are published on the pages of magazines. For example, The Miniature Bottle Collector magazine has been published in the New Zealand Miniature Bottle Club for several decades, the Midwest Miniature Bottle Collectors community has been operating in Chicago (USA) since 1979, and the private collection Miniaturas de Colombia has collected more than 12 thousand exhibits from different countries. peace.
The cost of one bottle can vary from a few dollars to several hundred dollars. If we talk about a new product, it all depends on its quality and prevalence. When buying exclusive copies, they already look at the condition of the container, lids and labels, check for cracks. The most expensive rarities are unique bottles that contain signatures, stamps or engravings of masters.
At Violity, those interested in alco-minimalism can also purchase collectible bottles and thematically related lots.
