Category Archives: History

Looking at a Moffat Billhead

Looking at a Moffat Billhead 24 August 2019 Ben Swanson submitted this important illustrated billhead in the form of a stampless folded letter dated 1846 to Dr. William Washington Fritts of Carlisle, Kentucky from Dr. William Brinckerhoff Moffat proprietor of … Continue reading

Posted in Bitters, Ephemera, History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Cannon’s Bitters Study & Timeline – Washington, D.C.

Cannon’s Bitters Study & Timeline Washington D.C. 17 May 2019 (R•101420) With new material and research on Cannon’s Bitters, it seems like high time to re-look at this incredible brand. I thought I would lay out what I have discovered and … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Advice, Bitters, Digging and Finding, Druggist & Drugstore, Ephemera, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bissell’s Tonic Bitters – O. P. Bissell, Peoria, Illinois

Bissell’s Tonic Bitters Orrin Porter Bissell – Peoria, Illinois 12 May 2019 I thought I would post today on Bissell’s Tonic Bitters, a pretty cool bitters square from Peoria, Illinois. This brand should not get confused with Bissell’s Dandelion Bitters … Continue reading

Posted in Bitters, Ephemera, History, Medicines & Cures, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking at Bitters in the Rheinstrom, Bettman, Johnson & Co. Presentation Book

Looking at Bitters in the Rheinstrom, Bettman, Johnson & Co. Presentation Book Cincinnati, Ohio 08 May 2019 As some of you may know, I been working with Bill Ham in getting the Bitters Bottles Supplement 2 book ready for publication. … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Ephemera, History, liquor, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Publications | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Botanic Nerve Bitters – Herb Medicine Company, Philadelphia

Botanic Nerve Bitters Herb Medicine Company – Philadelphia 26 April 2019 I came across some nice pictures of a partially labeled (about 90% compete) Botanic Nerve Bitters bottle from a past eBay sale. The gentleman who sent the images felt … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Druggist & Drugstore, eBay, History, Medicines & Cures, Remedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Plows Celebrated Sherry Bitters – Chicago

Plows Celebrated Sherry Bitters William J. Plows – Chicago 21 April 2019 (R•042219) Glass Works Auctions has a wonderful example of a figural Plows Sherry Bitters in their upcoming ‘Colors of Spring’ Catalog Auction #130. The bottle is pictured at the … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Figural Bottles, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Watkins’ Celebrated & Invigorating Bitters, John R. Watkin’s, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Watkins’ Celebrated & Invigorating Bitters John R. Watkin’s – Lancaster, Pennsylvania 09 April 2019 I’ve had tucked away and stored in a digital folder, the upper-most advertisement for John R. Watkins, Agent, Wholesale and Retail Dealer in Foreign and Domestic Wines … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Bottling Works, History, liquor, Liquor Merchant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Cherokee Medicine Company – Galveston, Texas

The Cherokee Medicine Company Galveston, Texas Is this Lueder “Louis” Koester? 07 April 2019 (Koester jug added late the same day) Advanced Texas bottle collector Brad Seigler recently sent me a picture of an aqua square embossed The Cherokee Medicine … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Bottling Works, Collectors & Collections, Digging and Finding, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Sarsaparilla, Stoneware | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dr. D. Smith’s Wild Cherry Tonic Bitters

Dr. D. Smith’s Wild Cherry Tonic Bitters 28 March 2019 Bill Ham emailed me with a new bitters listing regarding a bottle on eBay that closed last night. See Listing He already assigned the bottle a catalog number which is … Continue reading

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Digging and Finding, eBay, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

William J. Reading – Key West, Florida

William J. Reading and his Coffin Flask Key West, Florida 24 March 2019 I like these little pocket or coffin flasks especially when they have interesting locales embossed on the bottles such as this W. J. READING, KEY WEST, FLA. … Continue reading

Posted in Digging and Finding, Flasks, History, Liquor Merchant, Questions, Tobacco | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment