ZINGARI BITTERS – F. RAHTER
Philadelphia, PA
The Viceroy of Egypt placed the name of Dr. Cheopsus upon the “Roll of Nobles” and presented to him a medal bearing the following inscription: “Dr. Cheopsus, the Public Benefactor.” This bitters is now offered to the Public of America with the full assurance that it wil be found, upon a fair trial, to act as a specific for the cure of Dyspepsia Fever and Ague, Bilious Fever, Colic, Colds, Bronchitis, Consumption in the First Stage, Flatulency, Nervous Debility, Female Comlaints, Rheumatism, Dysentery, acute and chronic Diarrhea, Cholera, Morbus, Cholera, Typhoid and Typhus Fever, Yellow Fever, Scrofula, Diseases of the Kidneys and Habitual Costiveness.
15 May 2013 (R•051714) (R•090714) (R•110914)
Zingari means Gypsies or Italian Gypsy so maybe we are talking about “Gypsy Bitters”. What an interesting marketing angle for yet another exciting bitters brand.
Guess what? The “F” of “F. Rahter” stands for “Ferdinand” Rahter who was in business in Philadelphia from 1870-1886. He was born in 1833 and died on January 4, 1908 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Ferdinand married Catherine Sechler (1841 – 1922) on August 11, 1859 in Littlestown, PA. He was a wholesale liquor salesman in Harrisburg and Philadelphia. He died of pneumonia while visiting his brother in Harrisburg. They had two children: Anna and Frank A. Rahter (1866 – 1901). Presumably, that is the Zingari Building in the post below.
My common amber colored Zingari Bitters is pictured above. Apparently, according to Ring & Ham, there is a gasoline colored example or two out there somewhere. Maybe it will surface and I can add to this post. I bet that would be something to see. Notice on the coin above, that “IXL” appears on the label.
The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham Listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:
Z4 ZINGARI BITTERS, Circa 1872 – 1887
// s // ZINGARI ( au) / BITTERS (ad ) // F. RAHTER. ( au ) //
F. Rahter & Company (later Rahter & Hause), Proprietor and Manufacturers, Philadelphia, Pa. (later Harrisburg, PA)
12 x 3 1/4 (5 1/4)
Round lady’s leg, Amber, ARM, Applied mouth, Amber, Common;
Gasoline, Extremely rare.
Label: The great Zingari Bitters, a sure cholera preventative. Will positively cure consumption, dyspepsia, scrofula, vertigo, asthma yellow fever, palpitation of the heart, chronic diarrhea, nervous debility, cholera morbus, fever and ague.
Two “Zingari / Bitters.” – “F. Rahter.” Bitters Bottles, America, 1860-1880. Cylindrical form with lady’s leg neck, medium amber, applied mouths with rings – smooth bases, ht. 11 7/8 inches; (one bottle has light haze near base, the other has stain on mouth exterior). R/H #Z-4 Each bottle retains partial original label and contents. One retains original lead foil seal. – Heckler Premier Auction 115
Zingari Bitters in a gasoline puce – Bitters Bottles Supplement
34 mm. Shell: gilt brass. Obv: 1868 double eagle obverse (F). Insert: yellow cardboard. Rev: F. RAHTER’S GREAT ZINGARI BITTERS, (around) / No. 6 / North Front St. / [bitters bottle] / Philadelphia. From the estate of Stephen L. Tanenbaum. – Stacks Bowers
The Great Zingari Bitters advertisement – 1869 Gettysburg Compiler
THE GREAT ZINGARI BITTERS
Zingari Bitters Advertisement – Leisure Hours, Volume 1, O’Dwyer & Company, 1868 – Pittsburgh, PA (Note the spelling of “Rahter”.
[Typical Testimonial] The component parts of this remarkable preparation were first discovered and compounded some twenty years ago by Dr. Cheopsus, a celebrated Egyptian physician. Thousands of his suffering countrymen were restored to health, as well as great numbers of the inhabitants of Nubia and Abyssinia and of the countries bordering on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Indeed the fame of the ZINGARI BITTERS soon spread over Europe and was adopted by the principal physicians in charge of the hospitals of the old world, in which it is still used with pre-eminent success. The Viceroy of Egypt placed the name of Dr. Cheopsus upon the “Roll of Nobles” and presented to him a medal bearing the following inscription: “Dr. Cheopsus, the Public Benefactor.” This bitters is now offered to the Public of America with the full assurance that it wil be found, upon a fair trial, to act as a specific for the cure of Dyspepsia Fever and Ague, Bilious Fever, Colic, Colds, Bronchitis, Consumption in the First Stage, Flatulency, Nervous Debility, Female Comlaints, Rheumatism, Dysentery, acute and chronic Diarrhea, Cholera, Morbus, Cholera, Typhoid and Typhus Fever, Yellow Fever, Scrofula, Diseases of the Kidneys and Habitual Costiveness.
Remarkable cures of the above diseases have been effected by its use, as numerous certificates, many from regular physicians, fully attest; and it is destined to supercede any preparation extant. As an agreeable tonic, and an invigorating beverage, it has no equal. Thus the ZINGARI BITTERS has SOUL as well as BODY, and as a preventive DISEASES has no SUPERIOR.
A FEW WORDS TO LADIES. – The use of the ZINGARI BITTERS will give you that soft, semi-transparent complexion which the God of nature (designing women to be the loveliest of his works), fully intended that you should have for it is nature’s own powder and paint combined. By purifying the blood, stimulating the pigmentary cells of the dermis, or true skin, and imparting health and life throughout the entire system, it gives that smooth clearness and beauty to the complexion so much to be desired – removing all roughness, blotches, freckles and that yellow, sickly look so common in our day; and what is even better than this, it cures every species of female irregularities and disease.
Price $1 per bottle.
Principal Depot, Harrisburg, Pa.
RAHTER & HAUSE, Sole Proprietors.
Reference to the Zingari Building – Harrisburg: The Old Eighth Ward
“Zingari / Bitters. / F. Rahter.” Figural Bitters Bottle. Bottle retains about 90% of original label. – Heckler Auction 110
Lot Of Four “Zingari / Bitters.” – “F. Rahter” Figural Bitters Bottles, America, 1860-1880. Cylindrical form with lady’s leg neck, shades of root beer amber, applied mouths with rings – smooth bases, ht. 11 3/4 inches to 12 inches; (all have some light exterior stain). R/H #Z-4 Two have original lead foil mouth seals. Three have partial contents. – Heckler Auction 118
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