A passion for Olive Oil in a different and totally unique way: Collecting small glass containers and cans.
Antonio Almagro Expósito, a farmer from the area of Bailén, born in Villanueva de la Reina (Jaén) 45 years ago, received the passion for collecting from his family. The central idea that they have had for generations, is that if they started a collection, they had to be the best in the world. This is how Antonio became passionate about collecting mini olive oil containers.
How did he start with the idea of collecting miniature cans and bottles of olive oil?
I started collecting them 17 years ago when I was visiting the oil fairs and I was there to promote and sell and the companies gave away small bottles and that’s how I decided to start the collection seriously.
Today the collection consists of 14,659 different bottles of up to 150 ml and 250 ml cans of olive oil from all over the world. The value is very high, there are many bottles and cans that can no longer be found, they are unique in the world because of their antiquity and that makes me proud because they have value and give me the enthusiasm to continue gathering the bottles and cans.
What is the value you consider this collection to be?
When I had 4000 units they offered me 60,000 euros and I didn’t accept because I wanted to get hold of a huge collection. In my collection there are very old bottles and cans, which have an added value, since Spanish companies such as Carbonell, La Española, Salgado, COOSUR, among others, no longer have these containers, and they have asked me to make them again and reissue them like this and have them in their respective museums.
How do you plan to maintain this heritage now and in the future?
I have created an association called Oleum Aedes and with it I want to make, together with the Diputación de Jaén and the Junta de Andalucía, a great museum so that as many people as possible can visit this great museum and see almost everything that has been packaged in Spain and in many other countries around the world.
Personally what has making this collection done for you?
I have a lot of bottles and cans from different countries, obtained with a lot of effort and tenacity, but it has been worth having everything I have been able to collect so far. I have gone thousands and thousands of miles, made thousands of phone calls, written thousands of emails, a lot of time in my life has been dedicated to this with a lot of passion and desire to try to have everything that is made in terms of small bottles of olive oil, although it is impossible. I have to thank many people who have helped me to achieve everything that I have managed to gather, people who have small collections and have given me some containers that I did not have, because they said that the best place to put them was in my collection. There are also companies that contact me and are proud that their products are in my collection and an endless number of things that have made this possible. My whole life is dedicated to olive oil and thanks to this collection, I have the pleasure of meeting people who are reading this interview today and that is a wonder, to have so many friends everywhere.
Mail:antonioalmagroexposito@hotmail.com