Michael Polak’s obsession with old bottles started innocently enough in 1974 while digging in the dirt of an abandoned dump in Tonopah, Nev. To hear Polak tell it, that dump in the former silver-mining boomtown was just about the most exciting place in the world.
Of course, Polak was a man who found fun rummaging through the remains of long-ago-deserted outhouses. And if you think that’s odd, well, you’re not alone. As Polak once confessed, “just bring that up at a family gathering and you’re sure to kick the conversation into high gear.”
Image courtesy Michael Polak
For a half century, Polak was a passionate bottle hunter, collector, historian and author, becoming one of the country’s leading authorities on bottle collecting. That community lost a dear friend when Polak passed away Oct. 6, 2024, after a short battle with cancer. He was 78.
Polak wrote more than a dozen books on bottle collecting, including what has long been considered the “Bottle Bible” by collectors: Antique Trader Bottles: Identification and Price Guide, which sold more than 100,000 copies during its eight editions. Known as the “Bottle King” by many or “Tonopah Mike” by his bottle-collecting friends, Polak was smitten with a collector’s enthusiasm, reflected in his personal collection of more than 3,000 bottles.
Kovels Antique Trader file photo
Polak was also a contributing editor to Kovels Antique Trader. Earlier this year, he reported on the Phoenix Antiques Bottles & Collectibles Club’s show in Phoenix and was always available to help readers identify old bottles.
Courtesy Michael Polak
A multi-faceted person, Polak lived a fascinating life beyond collecting. He worked 45 years in the aerospace industry, getting his start as America raced to the moon. He was later involved in the Space Shuttle program and the development of the F-35 fighter jet.
Polak is survived by a son and daughter, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, as well as a legion of friends and appreciative collectors. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jaqueline.
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