Western Bitters Survey 2012

Western Bitters Survey 2012

THE TOP 20 WESTERN BITTERS

08 May 2012

Apple-Touch-IconAThe western Bitters collectors, which is a strong, passionate group, have reactivated their desire to determine the TOP 20 WESTERN BITTERS. This task was done some years ago apparently.

This is somewhat of a challenge without defining qualifications such as:

What is a western Bitters?

Are we talking about a specific Bitters brand?

Should the word Bitters be on the bottle? on the label?

Are we talking about Bitters molds too?

Historical significance?

Eye appeal?

Desirability?

Rarity?

Voting pre-qualification?

Should points be used?

Extra points if the bottle has California, San Francisco etc embossed on bottle?

I suppose, in the end, this all has to weigh in when you cast your vote. Without a doubt, the major qualification should be that ‘the bottle was made at a Western (California) glass works’ such as Pacific Glass Works or San Francisco Glass Works.

Here is the post (see below) from Dale Mlasko from Oregon, that got me involved as I hold many nice western Bitters myself. I tried not to post mostly green bottles. The bottles are anonymous though many of us can determine the owners. I thought about making all bottle pictures black and white but that was painfully difficult to do. I also am asking for better pictures if they are available and looking for a Dr. Hauseman’s German Bitters (flask) picture or actual bottle!

Please send me an email of your top 20 for RANKING compilation or post on this site or Western Bitters News. I suggest we announce at the FOHBC 2012 Reno EXPO.

[from Western Bitters News]

Recently I was reviewing older posts on this blog, and came across the “Western Bitters Survey”. I also noticed that this survey was compiled without the internet, and prior to the forum Western Bitters News. Being mainly western bitters focused in my collecting, and the apparent increase in the popularity in these gorgeous and historically significant bottles, I thought that perhaps this survey of the top 20 western bitters could be tabulated by anyone who has the ability to post their top 20. Just thought it would be interesting…Dale R. Mlasko

For what it’s worth, here is mine…

    1. Cassin’s Grape Brandy Bitters (Cassin,s)
    2. California Bitters | Frisch
    3. G.A. Simon’s
    4. Dr. Wonser’s Indian Root Bitters
    5. Oregon Chittum Bitters (square)
    6. Lacour’s
    7. Chalmer’s Catawba
    8. California Wine Bitters | M. Keller
    9. Old Man’s Stomach Bitters
    10. Dr. Miller’s Ratafia
    11. Widemann & Chappas
    12. Salutaris Bitters ( shoulder embossed)
    13. Dr. Boerhaave’s
    14. Alex Von Humboldts
    15. Dr. Hauseman’s German Bitters( flask)
    16. Dr. Hauseman’s German Bitters( square)
    17. E.G. Lyon’s
    18. V. Squarza
    19. Rosenbaum’s (small)
    20. Wormser Bros. Barrel

Some bitters are great, but just not in the “western” way…Bryant’s, Catawba, etc. Dale


AT & Co (Asher Taylor & Company)

AT & Co (embossed monogram in oval on shoulder), Very interesting neck design. BITTERS not embossed on bottle. Assumed Bitters product. Colors range from amber to olive amber and yellows. Exciting color runs possible. AT stands for Asher S. Taylor. Not listed in Carlyn Ring and W.C Ham’s Bitters Bottles or Bitters Bottles Supplement.


AFRICAN STOMACH BITTERS

AFRICAN STOMACH BITTERS, R/H numbers A15, A16 and A18. Also embossed SPRUANCE STANLEY & CO on A16 and A18. A San Francisco product. Round, amber bottle. Look for crude examples with applied top.


ALPINE HERB BITTERS | T.T. & Co. (motif in monogram)

ALPINE HERB BITTERS (motif shield with monogram TT&CO), R/H A37. Square, amber bottle. Look for examples with an applied top.


DR. BOERHAAVE’S STOMACH BITTERS

DR. BOERHAAVE’S STOMACH BITTERS, R/H B133. Square, amber, yellow-olive and green. Extremely rare. Siegfried & Philip Wertheimber & Louis Waterman, San Francisco.


CALIFORNIA BITTERS | MANUFACTURED BY J.G. FRISCH | SAN FRANCISCO

CALIFORNIA BITTERS R/H C12. Tapered, amber rectangle. One complete example known. Broken and re-assembled examples exist.


CALIFORNIA WINE BITTERS | M. KELLER LOS ANGELES |  M.K. (monogram)

CALIFORNIA WINE BITTERS, R/H C24. Round cylinder that comes in exciting shades of green. A Los Angeles Bitters. Label reads M. Keller’s Celebrated Los Angeles Wine Bitters


CASSIN’S GRAPE BRANDY BITTERS

CASSIN’S GRAPE BRANDY BITTERS, F.P. Cassin, San Francisco, California. base viola shape, sensuous bottle. R/H C78 and C79. Great colors and color range possibilities. Two primary different molds.


CHALMER”S CATAWBA WINE BITTERS | SUTTERS OLD MILL | TRADEMARK

CHALMER’S CATAWBA WINE BITTERS R/H C119 (C119.5 missing SUTTERS OLD MILL). One example known of C119.5. Good looking, round, aqua cylinder with motif-oval with cabin in woods. Look for character. SPRUANCE STANLEY & CO PROPRIETORS


GRAND PRIZE BITTERS

GRAD PRIZE BIOTTERS, L…Dr. Cooper’s Celebrated Grand Prize Bitters, R/H G89, Louis Taussig Co, Sole Agents, San Francisco, California


DR. THOS. HALL’S CALIFORNIA PEPSIN WINE BITTERS

DR THOS HALL’S CALIFORNIA PEPSIN WINE BITTERS, R/H H11, Square, amber. Look for examples with applied top.


DR. HARVEY’S BLOOD BITTERS

DR HARVEY’S BLOOD BITTERS. R/H H67. Rectangular, rounded amber bottle with sunken panels. Thought from Salinas or Fresno, California.


DR. HAUSEMAN’S GERMAN BITTERS

DR. HAUSEMAN’S GERMAN BITTERS, R/H H70, Extremely rare, amber square. Looking for picture of flask with the same name.


DR. HENLEY’S EYE OPENER

DR. HENLEY’S EYE OPENER, Extremely rare cylindrical quart. Very limited production. Not listed in R/H


DR. HENLEY’S WILD GRAPE ROOT IXL BITTERS

DR.HENLEY’S WILD GRAPE ROOT IXL BITTERS, R/H H85. One of a series of Dr. Henley round cylinders with various embossings.


LACOUR’S BITTERS SARSAPARIPHERE

LACOUR’S BITTERS SARSAPARIPHERE, R/H L3, Three distinct variants. Round, lighthouse patterned favorite among collectors, Nice color range for runs.


E.G. LYONS & CO. MANUFACTURERS SANF CO.

E.G. LYONS & CO. MANUFACTURERS SANF. CO., not embossed BITTERS. Very rare square. Not listed in Ring & Ham. Backward ‘N’. Good color range.


DR. MILLER’S RATAFIA DAMIANA | SIEBE BROS. & PLAGEMANN S.F. | SOLE AGENTS PACIFIC COAST

DR. MILLER’S RATAFIA (motif of pegasus) DAMIANA SIEBE BROS. & PLAGEMANN S.F. SOLE AGENTS PACIFIC COAST, R/H M90, round, amber, whiskey shape. Bottle embossed with a sphinx.


O.K. BITTERS

O.K. BITTERS, Extremely rare, cylindrical quart. An unsuccessful product for Dr. Henley.


OLD MAN’S STOMACH BITTERS | MARCUS SASS

OLD MAN’S STOMACH BITTERS / MARCUS SASS, R/H O42. Extremely rare, amber square. Possibly one complete known example.


OREGON CHITTUM BITTERS | DR. G.W. BROWN’S

OREGON CHITTUM BITTERS | DR. G.W. BROWN’S, recent find, only know example, unlisted. Amber square.


ORIZABA BITTERS |  J. MARISTANY JR.

ORIZABA BITTERS | J. MARISTANY JR., R/H O88, odd shaped amber rectangular Bitters. Extremely rare.


PERUVIAN BITTERS (motif monogram in shield W&K)

PERUVIAN BITTERS (motif monogram in shield W&K), J.C. Wilmerding and Calvin W. Kellogg, San Francisco, California. R/H P66, Amber square. Look for applied top examples. Typically in amber, there are known examples in clear, aqua and SCA.


Dr. Place’s CUNDURANGO Bitters

L…Dr. Place’s Cundurango Bitters, embossed CUNDURANGO two sides. R/H P106, Geo. W. Chesley & Co., Sacramento, California. Square comes in interesting shades of amber, green and aqua. Possibilities for color run.


DR. RENZ’S HERB BITTERS

DR. RENZ’S HERB BITTERS, R/H R36-R38. Large and small letter variants. Great color range. Very popular square Bitters.


ROSENBAUMS BITTERS | N.B. JACOBS & Co.| SAN FRANCISCO

ROSENBAUM’S BITTERS, Very rare square listed as R93 and R94 (Typographic differences). Color groups possible.


SALUTARIS S.F. BITTERS | BYRNE & CASTREE

SALUTARIS S.F. BITTERS, Extremely rare, round lady’s leg. Green. Shoulder and base embossed.


G.A. SIMON’S MEDICATED AROMATIC BITTERS

G.A SIMON’S MEDICATED AROMATIC BITTTERS, R/H S112, Extremely rare square. Amber, puce and yellowish green. Only a few undamaged specimens.


STOCKTON’S PORT WINE BITTERS

STOCKTON’S PORT WINE BITTERS (motif monogram SW TRADE MARK), popular amber, rectangular bottle. R/H S198


V. SQUARZA

V. SQUARZA (Vincent Squarza), Presumed Bitters not listed in R/H. Cobalt blue pint, applied square collar. Labeled Bitters. No many known examples.


ALEX VON HUMBOLDT’S STOMACH BITTERS

ALEX VON HUMBOLDT’S STOMACH BITTERS, Very rare square, R/H V31.Hazlett & Miller, agents for the United States. Nice color possibilities with amber, yellow, green and yellow olive.


J.WALKER | V.B.

L…Dr. Walker’s California Vinegar Bitters. A rather common bottle but still a favorite with collectors. Nice color range possibilities. Base embossed. Not embossed BITTERS.. R/H W11


E. WIDEMANN & J. CHAPPAS

E. WIDEMAN & J. CHAPPAS, Spelled incorrectly. Assumed Bitters. Maker of ALPINE HERB BITTERS. Round cylinder. Shoulder embossed. Good colors in the less than 10 complete specimens known.


DR. WONSER’S U.S.A. INDIAN ROOT BITTERS

DR. WONSER’S U.S.A. INDIAN ROOT BITTERS, W146, Strong, round bottle with ornate fluting on shoulder and rings on neck. Great color possibilities. Highly popular and collectible.


DR. WONSER’S BITTERS U.S.A.

DR. WONSER’S BITTERS U.S.A., square, aqua version of the popular Dr. Wonser’s Bitters. Very rare, Aqua. R/H W145.


WORMSER BROS. | SAN FRANCISCO

WORMSER BROS (motif bullseye) SAN FRANCISCO, popular western barrel. Usually in amber, yellow and green (extremely rare). R/H W162.5


YERBA BUENA BITTERS, S.F. CAL

YERBA BUENA BITTERS | S.F. CAL, popular flask usually in amber, aqua and green. Extremely rare. R/H Y3-Y4.


 

About Ferdinand Meyer V

Ferdinand Meyer V is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and has a BFA in Fine Art and Graphic Design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. Ferdinand is the founding Principal of FMG Design, a nationally recognized design consultation firm. Ferdinand is a passionate collector of American historical glass specializing in bitters bottles, color runs and related classic figural bottles. He is married to Elizabeth Jane Meyer and lives in Houston, Texas with their daughter and three wonderful grandchildren. The Meyers are also very involved in Quarter Horses, antiques and early United States postage stamps. Ferdinand is the past 6-year President of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors and is one of the founding members of the FOHBC Virtual Museum.
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