Dear Sun Spots: You have been very helpful in the past, so I will turn to you once again. I have a tall bottle of Chianti wine I won many years ago. The neck is long and slender, about 38 inches or so, and it has a round bottom. I’m wondering if it has any value. Also, how would one legally sell a handgun? I would like to know if someone out there could give me the value. I was told that it was in good condition. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: In regard to your first question inquiring about the value of the wine bottle, you could bring it to a couple of antique dealers in your area. They would be able to tell the age and value, and possibly make you a cash offer.

Regarding the legal selling of a handgun, according to the Maine State Police Licensing Unit for Weapons, there are no forms, licensing or permits needed on the state or federal level for the private sale of firearms. However, by law, the buyer must be at least 18 years old to purchase a long gun or rifle and 21 years old to purchase a handgun. And the seller cannot knowingly sell a firearm to a person prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm.

The state police also stressed that there are state and federal differences in firearm laws and recommended contacting individual departments for more information or to answer additional questions. You can reach the Maine State Police at (207) 624-7200 or visit their Web site at www.state.me.us/dps/msp/msp.htm, and you can contact the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at (202) 927-7770 or on the Web at www.atf.gov.

So, with this in mind, Sun Spots recommends bringing your firearm to a local gun shop for appraisal and then either sell direct to the gun shop or advertise in the Sun Journal’s classified section and/or Uncle Henry’s Swap or Sell it Guide.

Dear Sun Spots: Where can one buy the glass Coke soda bottles with Coke in them like they show on the Christmas Coke advertisements? And where do they sell dry ice in Maine? – No Name, No Town.

Answer: Evidently, there aren’t many stores that carry Coca-Cola in the small, green glass bottles; however, Sun Spots did locate some at Albert’s Variety, 124 Bartlett St., Lewiston, (207) 782-1448. These are 8-ounce bottles that sell for 79 cents each or three for $1.89. Albert’s Variety purchases them by the case and has many in stock.

In answer to your second question, dry ice is available at the following suppliers in Maine: Elm Ice Co., 56 Gray Road, Falmouth, (207) 797-5691; Getchell Bros. Inc., 1 Union St., Brewer, (207) 989-7335; Houlton Farms Dairy Bar, Houlton, (207) 532-2628; P. Gagnon and Son, 200 Main St., York, (207) 384-2213; Sure Winner Foods, 17 Stevens Road, Brewer, (207) 989-6447; and Vessel Services Inc., 1 Portland Fish Pier, Portland, (207) 772-5718.

According to www.dryiceinfo.com, dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide, a normal part of Earth’s atmosphere. It is the gas that we exhale during breathing and the gas that plants use in photosynthesis. It is also commonly added to water to make soda water. Dry ice is particularly useful for freezing and keeping things frozen because of its very cold temperature: -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit or 78.5 degrees Celsius. Dry ice is widely used because it is simple to freeze and easy to handle using insulated gloves. Dry ice changes directly from a solid to a gas in normal atmospheric conditions without going through a liquid stage. Therefore, it gets the name “dry ice.”

Also, plan to pick up the dry ice as close to the time it is needed as possible. Carry it in a well-insulated container, such as an ice chest. If it is transported inside a car or van for more than 15 minutes, make sure there is fresh air to breathe.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be posted at www.sunjournal.com in the Advice section under Opinion on the left-hand corner of your computer screen. In addition, you can e-mail your inquiries to [email protected].