Crescent Bitters from Crescent City

16 February 2012 (R•051814) (R•071315)

NOLA, The Big Easy, Crescent City, N’awlins…all names for the great city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

NOLA: New Orleans, Louisiana, duh.

Big Easy: “The Big Easy” became the official nickname for New Orleans after a contest was run years ago. Historically, New Orleans has weathered primitive conditions, yellow fever, hurricanes, floods, wars – English, French, Indians, Union — and just plain hard living. Being a survivor was something to celebrate. In addition, New Orleans is noted for its total mix of cultures that have held onto their past traditions and languages. New Orleans is also constantly celebrating! There are music festivals, food festivals, etc. throughout the year.

Crescent City: A nickname for New Orleans, originating from the shape of the Mississippi River as it bends around the city

N’awlins: “New Orleans”–It’s faster that way! 

A late addition to the Fancy Gent Series of square Bitters is the Crescent Bitters. This bottle was obtained in December 2010 and was photographed last weekend as part of my annual February photography of new additions.

Folks this is one wild, fancy square that embodies the bawdiness and character of New Orleans. The crescent moon, symbolizing the shape of the Mississippi as it bends around the city of New Orleans, embossing is killer. Check it out.

Crescent shape of the Mississippi River in New Orleans – circa 1891

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

C 248  CRESCENT BITTERS, Circa 1870 – 1880
CRESCENT ( au ) BITTERS ( cd ) / G. M. BAYLY & POND / NEW ORLEANS LA / TRADE MARK in motif of crescent moon // f // CRESCENT ( cu ) BITTERS ( cd ) / G. M. BAYLY & POND / NEW ORLEANS LA / TRADE MARK in motif of crescent moon // f //
9 3/4 x 2 3/4 (6 1/2)
Square, Amber, CM, Applied mouth, Very rare

CRESCENT BITTERS – Meyer Collection

CRESCENT BITTERS – Meyer Collection

CRESCENT BITTERS – Bitters Bottles Supplement

V A R I A N T

See below for an exciting new variant of this bottle. The new listing by Bill Ham for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

C 248.5  G.M. BAYLY & PONDS CRESCENT COCKTAIL OR BITTERS NEW ORLEANS / TRADE MARK / MIKE // f // sp* // f // // b // M H & Co.
9 3/4** x 2 5/8 (7)
Fancy square, amber, Extremely rare
* Same shape sunken panels as embossed side
**asssumed height, top missing
The embossing is along the left and right sides and in the arch over the pane, a large crescent is across the center of the panel with ends pointing downward. Mike is embossed under the crescent The backside is unembossed but does have the same sunken panels as the front. Inside this sunken panel, there are the traces of a slug plate square with three small circles.
Dug in New Orleans.

Unlisted, oddball variant CRESCENT BTTERS with different embossing. The base is 2 5/8″ x 2 5/8″ with a sunken circle and M H & Co embossed in the circle. From the base to the neck break is between 7 1/4″ to 7 1/2″. It was dug in New Orleans. The side opposite the embossed side has the same basic sunken panel shape, a tall rectangle with a triangular top and bottom. Also, directly across from the “crescent trademark and Mike” embossing, there are two horizontal lines across the long rectangle, with 3 tiny circle depressions. This kind of looks like where a slug plate was left out. The other two sides are plane flat rectangles with an arched tops. – eBay

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