St. Nicholas Stomach Bitters – Gentry & Otis – New, York

The large and small size of the pontiled ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS (S 16 and S 17)  - Meyer Colection

My friend and Civil War medicine authority Jim Schmidt (visit Civil War Medicine (and writing) found this great advertisement for St. Nicholas Stomach Bitters (see below). As Jim puts it “I just LOVE how they made a bottle part of the ad!”

This prompted me to develop this post on this wonderful Bitters that came in two different sizes. Notice the shape of the tapered rectangular wedge form.

This Bitters brand has a special place in my heart as my grandson is named Nicholas. It is also somewhat of a coincidence as I was adding and moving some Bitters bottles around this past weekend. Both St. Nicholas Stomach Bitters were removed from a shelf and set on a table waiting for a new position. They were still sitting there last night, as almost waiting for special attention and a write-up.

Note: Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham Bitters Bottle numbers S 16 and S 17.

Was doing some research today and came across this GREAT advertisement in October 2, 1860 issue of the Galveston News…St. Nicholas Stomach Bitters…I just LOVE how they made a bottle part of the ad! Enjoy! – Jim Schmidt

S 16  ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS, Circa 1845 – 1860,

f // ST ( sd ) / NICHOLAS ( sd ) / STOMACH ( sd ) / BITTERS ( sd ) // f // IMPORTED ( sd ) BY ( sd ) / GENTRY ( sd ) & OTIS. ( sd ) / NY ( sd ) //
9 3/8 x 3 3/8 x 3 (7 3/8)  5/16
Tapered Rectangular, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Rough pontil mark and Metallic pontil mark, Extremely rare

Note: S 16 is larger and much rarer than the smaller S 17 bottle. Most S 16 examples are heavily etched and damaged. Example was found in an estate in Texas, examples were dug in New Orleans.

S 16 The larger ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS – Meyer Collection

S 17  ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS, Circa 1845 – 1860,

f // ST ( sd ) / NICHOLAS ( sd ) / STOMACH ( sd ) / BITTERS ( sd ) // f // IMPORTED ( sd ) BY ( sd ) / GENTRY ( sd ) & OTIS. ( sd ) / N.Y. ( sd ) //
7 1/2 x 2 3/4 x 2 1/2 (5 3/4) 3/8
Tapered Rectangular, Amber, LTC, Rough pontil mark and
Metallic pontil mark, Very rare

Note: A number of examples were dug in San Jose, California. Example found in Lake Tahoe.

S 17 The smaller ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS – Meyer Collection

Embossing detail on both sizes of the ST NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS. S 16 on left, S 17 on right – Meyer Collection

ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS pair as pictured in Bitters Bottle Supplement by Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham

ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS pair – Ham Collection

Here is an advertisement from the Southern Democrat. (Waco, Texas), Vol. 1, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 18, 1858. Wow…200 cases of ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS and 50 cases of HOSTETTER’S STOMACH BITTERS sitting blocks from where I am sitting now – Ferdinand Meyer V

J.R.N. & CO / BOSTON / MASS, 7 3/4″ tall, smooth base. Same shape as the St. Nicholas. bitters. – Charles Aprill