Looking back at the Tony Shank Bitters Collection – Part II

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Tony Shank in his bottle room.

Apple-Touch-IconAThis is the second post of old 35 mm slides that were digitally converted by Tom Lines (Birmingham, Alabama). Sometime in the past Tom and Howard Crowe (Gold Hill, North Carolina) visited the famous Tony Shank collection of figural bitters. These images could have been forgotten as the bottles have long since been sold and sit in other prominent collection. Preserving our history and knowing about a bottles provenance adds value and enjoyment to the hobby. Thank you Tom.

“Amazing shots. Them being in 35mm just add to the feeling in the pictures. Absolutely stunning. This made my week to see so much amazing glass. The root bitters barrel is over the top. Thanks so much for sharing.”

BRAD SEIGLER (Part I comment)

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Howard Crowe looking at a legendary teal green Kelly’s Old Cabin Bitters.

TONY SHANK COLLECTION (Part II)

Read: Looking back at the Tony Shank Bitters Collection – Part I


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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.
This entry was posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Figural Bottles, History, Photography and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

3 Responses to Looking back at the Tony Shank Bitters Collection – Part II

  1. gloptop says:

    Unbelievable! Thanks for this post Ferd, I can’t believe the depth of rarity in this old collection. That two-toned green/amber Drakes has to be one of the wildest colored bottles that I have ever seen! Wonder where it is now?

    Dennis Rogers

  2. sandchip says:

    Unnnhh…chest pains!

  3. Froggy says:

    Dennis- Your comment on the 2-toned Drakes caused me to re-look at pics. I don’t think that’s a Drakes(4-log), but may in fact be the Ex-Rare, iron-pontiled PRAIRIE PLANTATION BITTERS. The elongated, bead-shaped log-ends are the tip-off. Because of the coloration, this may not even be the recently-sold John Feldmann example, which was amber. Therefore John’s, purchased at the 1995 Chicago summer Federation show auction, may not be unique.

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