One could buy a Barto’s Bitters, a concoction of whiskey and herbal flavorings, from 1872 to 1892 at the family-run store at 437 Penn Street.

A cannon that I have not written about on Peachridge Glass with the exception of one post noting the sale of this legendary bottle (read: A Legendary Barto’s Great Gun Bitters Changes Hands) is the Barto‘s Great Gun Bitters. This has to be one of my favorite figural Bitters bottles because of its strong form, clean lines and circular area where the embossing occurs (see below).

There is a fantastic article that I added to this post from the July, 5, 1978 issue of the Reading Eagle  (Read: 6th and Penn Site Rich in History) (see below).

The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

B 32  BARTO’S GREAT GUN BITTERS

BARTO’S (au ) / READING / PA / GREAT GUN BITTERS ( ad ) // c //
11 x 3 ½
Cannon, Amber, Green and Apricot, DC, Applied mouth, Label panel on reverse, Rare

Tobias Barto (1822 – 1887) astride a steed

Here are some pictures of some great examples:

BARTO’S GREAT GUN BITTERS in a crisp olive coloration – Aprill Collection

Legendary BARTO’S GREAT GUN BITTERS in apricot puce – Fuss Collection

Amber and olive example of the BARTO’S GREAT GUN BITTERS – photo from the John Feldmann collection

Embossed B & CO, on smooth base. Same form as the regular BARTO’S, not a finely made, and probably later label only variant. Deep “tobacco” amber. – Aprill Collection

BARTO’S GREAT GUN BITTERS article in the Reading Eagle July 5, 1978

BARTO’S GREAT GUN BITTERS article (detail) in the Reading Eagle July 5, 1978

Read Further: General Scotts Artillery Bitters – The Ultimate Cannon Barrel Figural

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Read Further: A. M. Bininger & Co. Figural Cannon

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Read Further: Thad Waterman “Warsaw” Stomach Bitters – Figural Cannon Barrel, Lighthouse or House Roof?

Read Further: Brown’s Castilian Bitters – Transitional Cannon Barrel Figural

Read Further: Castilian Bitters – Brown & Embree Proprietors – New York