BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS

Famous John Feldmann ‘Indian Queen’ color run

aka ’INDIAN QUEEN’

I am presently working on a feature article on John Feldmann for the November/December issue of Bottles and Extras. During the development of possible imagery for the magazine, I prepared the above clip path art on the famous Feldmann ‘Indian Queen’ color run. I also wanted to look closer at the typographic variations on the Queens which I have below.

BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS

Whitney Brothers Glass Works | Circa 1867 – 1870

B 222     B 223     B 224    B 225     B 226

Indian Queens (2007) on an early spring morning – Meyer collection

B 224 – AntiqueBottles.com

According to the write up in Bitters Bottles by Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham, there is no discernible variations between the five different Queens other than their datelines.

Collectors seem not to notice which date line their Queen has so ranking their relative rarity is impossible. Many of the ground mouth finish Queens have been found with traces of paint in the crevasses of robe folds and between feathers of apron or necklace details. It could easily be mistaken for accumulated dust or soil but as so many of these paint traces we tend to believe that some, if not all, were painted originally. Today’s collectors seem to look for a sparkling mint specimen so the traces of paint are often removed.

Four other Queen molds are known. One quite varied with right arm well below waist and sword in hand. The left arm is bent and holding a shield to the body. Lettering on the shield is Mohawk Whiskey Pure Rye. At shawl fringe, Patented Feb. 11, 1868. Another of te same mold has unlettered shield. Area normally having patent date reads: H. Pharazyn Philadelphia Right Secured. Both of these queens have sheared mouths. The remaining queen molds are altogether different. See: E. Long’s Indian Herb Bitters and Indian Herb Bitters Dickerson & Stark.

Look for futre PRG posts on these ‘other’ queens’.

Read more: Amethyst Indian Queen Found in Seattle

Read More: H. Pharazyn Indian Queen – Philadelphia

Read More: Mohawk Whiskey Pure Rye Indian Queen

Read More: E. Longs Indian Herb Bitters

Read More: The Indian Herb Bitters Prepared by Drs Dickerson & Stark

Read More: Why do we call the bottles the ‘Indian Queen?’

Read More: The Rubenesque Queens

Read More: Barrel series – Original Pocahontas Bitters

Indian Queen Patent – 11 Feb 1868 – image Bitters Bottles

B 222 

PATENTED FEB. 11. 1868 (Celebrated has no R)

Embossed on shield and banner: BROWN’S CELEBATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED FEB. 11 1868
12″ h, amber Indian Queen (No R in CELEBRATED) – WeLoveOldBottles.com

B 222  BROWN’S / CELEBATED / INDIAN HERB BITTERS // PATENTED / FEB. 11, 1868
12 1/8 x 3 1/4
Indian Queen, Amber and Green, Rolled mouth, Extremely rare
Celebrated as no R
Note: There was a reproduction of this bottle made for the 1957 Jamestown Virginia 350 year celebration that is very similar except that the bottle ends at the headdress and has a stopper. The base has a fancy monogram. Thee bottle is heavy weighing about 1 1/2 lbs.

B 223

PATENTED 1867

B 223 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED 1867 – Meyer Collection

B 223  BROWN’S / CELEBRATED / INDIAN HERB BITTERS // PATENTED / 1867
Neal N. Brown   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12 1/4 x 3 1/4
Indian Queen, Amber, Rolled mouth, Common

B 224

PATENTED FEB 11. / 1867 

B 224 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED FEB. 11 1867 – American Bottle Auctions

B 224  BROWN’S / CELEBRATED / INDIAN HERB BITTERS // PATENTED / FEB. 11 / 1867
12 1/4 x 3 1/4
Indian Queen, Amber, Sheared or ground lip, Common
There are several examples with original multicolor paint which are Extremely rare

B 225

PATENTED 1868

B 225 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED 1868 – GreatAntiqueBottles.com

B 225  BROWN’S / CELEBRATED / INDIAN HERB BITTERS // PATENTED 1868
12 1/4 x 3 1/4
Indian Queen, Amber Common; Yellow green tone, Shear or Ground lip – Rare

B 226

PATENTED FEB. 11 1868

B 226 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED FEB. 11 1868 - GreatAntiqueBottles.com

B 226  BROWN’S / CELEBRATED / INDIAN HERB BITTERS // PATENTED /
FEB. 11 / 1868 //
12 1/4 x 3 1/4″
Indian Queen, Clear and Aqua – Extremely rare ; Amber – Common
Sheared or ground Lip,

BROWN’S ‘INDIAN QUEEN’ GALLERY

Brown’s Indian Queen Hotel, Washington City North side of Pennsylvania Avenue about midway between the Capitol and the President’s House, a few doors east of the Centre Market. The Indian Queen became Washington’s most prestigious hotel when it opened in 1820. - Library of Congress

B 223 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED 1867 in a pale yellow – image Skinner’s

B 222 BROWN’S CELEBATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED FEB. 11, 1868 in a dark amber - WeLoveOldBottles.com

Beautiful green Indian Queen – Jeff Burkhardt

BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS in clear glass. 12 ¼”. B 226. – American Bottle Auctions

B 226 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED FEB. 11 1868 in yellow with a greenish tone – American Bottle Auctions

Note: This is only the second one of these solid-glass Queens GW has ever heard of. (The other example was sold in Glass Works Auctions sale #22).In 1992 Glass Works Auction sold the bitters bottle collection of the late Dan Murphy of Utica, New York. At the time when GW picked up the collection, this rare item sat on a coffee table in the center of the Murphy’s bottle room. As of now only two exist, we believe they were possibly made for Neil Brown, the proprietor of Brown’s Indian Herb Bitters, possibly for his personal use as a paperweight or house ornament. Ex. Dan Murphy - Meyer Collection

B 225 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED 1868 in a dark chocolate. ex: Grapentine – Meyer Collection

B 225 BROWN’S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED 1868 in citron green. ex: Judge MacKenzie, Doy McCall collections – Meyer Collection