“Collectors” Series – What do you think?

Posted on 28 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

I received an interesting telephone call last week from a very nice fellow named Chris with Architect Films in Toronto, Canada. After trading calls, we eventually had a nice talk regarding the possibility of them coming to Houston to include my Bitters Collection in their Collectors series. We finished the call with saying we will talk again. I did, by the way, check them out.They seem to be real.

This weekend I received the following email from Joan Cabaniss who is the President of the Antique Poison Bottle Collectors Association (APBCA).

Dear Joan,

Thanks for the nice chat this afternoon. Here’s the info for your members.

My name is Catherine May and I work for television series called “Collectors” that celebrates collectors and collections all over North America. I would love to be able to include a poison bottle collection in the show.

Here’s some info about the show:

In each of 14 half-hour episodes, we’ll visit a different city/region to meet 4 different collectors. Our pilot episode took place in Los Angeles and featured collectors of die cast toys, antique hats and hat boxes, Wonder Woman memorabilia, and several hundred snow globes amassed by actor Corben Bernsen of “L.A. Law”.

We are based in Toronto and the show will initially be shown on the Slice Network across Canada. (“Slice” is like “slice of life”.) Most Canadian series are eventually sold and shown all over the world and we expect that to be the case for “Collectors”.

“Collectors” is hosted by a highly knowledgeable collector-appraiser with over 30 years of experience including multiple years as an expert on “Antiques Roadshow”. Participants who appear on the show are compensated financially for their time ($750 US) and are furnished with a video record of their collection in the form of a DVD of their episode.

We’re seeking people with extensive home-based collections (as opposed to people with private museums or retail outlets). All of the collections we’ve filmed have been very nicely displayed whether the collector lived in a modest apartment or grand home. While its not the focus on the show, the collector should be comfortable with having our host estimate its total value. Given that the collections we showcase are highly valuable (so far they range from $20K to 10 million) collectors’ privacy is maintained by referring to them on the program by first name only, and providing viewers with only the most general information about where in the country they live.

The cities we will be travelling to first are Dallas, Miami and Las Vegas but I would happy to hear from any collector in the US or Canada who thinks they might be a good fit for the series.

Thanks very much and best regards,

Catherine May

Architect Films (416) 466-5888 Ext 271

I am curious if anyone else has been contacted? I know Bob Ferraro was. Would you be interested in being included? Is this good for the hobby?

This is the second studio that has contacted us this past year. After thinking it would be pretty cool, I mentioned it to my wife Elizabeth. She kind of freaked out. We have had some limited experience with television and commercials and understand a typical, 60 second commercial taking all day to film with dozens of people being involved including actors, technicians, catering, wardrobe etc.

“While its not the focus on the show, the collector should be comfortable with having our host estimate its total value.”

The part where they ask you the value of your collection and have an ‘expert’ give you an appraisal is also kind of humorous. So many pros and cons here. Chris did ask for other names of collectors and I did draw the line there and withheld my comments.

Posted in Art & Architecture, Bitters, Club News, Collectors & Collections, Humor - Lighter Side, News, Peachridge Glass, Poison Bottles, Questions | Tagged Architect, canada, Films, television, Toronto | 10 Comments

Washington – Taylor (Portrait Only) Historical Flasks

Posted on 27 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

WASHINGTON TAYLOR PORTRAIT FLASKS

27 January 2013 (R•061717) (R•031719-AGG) (R•040418-Heckler Aprill)

Since starting out as a Bitters collector back in 2002, I have ‘strayed’ slightly from my course a couple of times into the Historical Flask world. As a specialist in color runs I found it immensely pleasurably to look at runs of Baltimore, Corn for the World (Read: Corn for the World Historical Flasks) and Washington Taylor Portrait Flasks from Dyottville Glass Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

That is my old run of Washington Taylor portrait flasks above. The color range is extraordinary in this mold. I would buy a few, start my run with five or six and then be slammed by a beauty of another of such high degree and cost that I quickly said, ‘no’ and saved my money for Bitters bottles. Here is my tribute to the W/T’s as I call them. Simple, no embossed words, historical, gutsy and gorgeous.

T. W. Dyott’s Glass Works (Dyottville) at Richmond & Beach, as seen from the Delaware River, 1831

The McKearin Historical Flask Groups

Group I – Portrait Flasks

Numbers 1 through 61 are Washington Flasks,  Numbers 62 through 79a include Adams, Harrison, Jackson and Taylor,  Numbers 80 through 93 are Lafayette, Numbers 94 through 98 are Franklin,  Numbers 99 through 107a are Jenny Lind. Other portrait flasks are listed in molds 111 through 131

G A L L E R Y

BUST OF WASHINGTON – BUST OF TAYLOR, (GI-54), Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ca. 1848 – 1855, deep sapphire blue quart, smooth base, applied blob mouth. Two in-making chips that occurred when the lip was sheared extend slightly below the edge of the mouth at the neck. A bright, clean flask with good glass whittle, a number of air bubbles and in an incredible vivid blue color. Another great window bottle, some real eye candy! – Glass Works Auctions #115

BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54?), Medium Citron Green, Circa 1849-1855, Perfect, Lots of character. From a private collection in Lancaster, PA., Ex: Blaske Collection, sticker on base. – ex Ferdinand Meyer V Collection

Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1860-1870. Prussian blue, heavy applied collared mouth – smooth base, quart; (minor manufacturer’s mouth roughness). GI-54 Beautiful bottle, rare color, strong mold impression, exceptional example. The Dr. Gary and Arlette Johnson collection. – Heckler Auction 102

BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54), Yellow Olive, Circa 1849-1855, Near Perfect, Rich yellow olive quart, smooth base, applied sloping collar mouth. A Rarely offered in this attractive color. Glass Works Auction 80 Lot #101. June 2007 – ex Ferdinand Meyer V Collection

Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Yellow with a slight olive tone, sheared mouth – pontil scar, half pint; GI-53 – Norman C. Heckler & Company

BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54?), Sapphire Blue, Circa 1849-1855, Mint, Tons of character. From a private collection in Lancaster, PA. – ex Ferdinand Meyer V Collection

Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1860-1870. Brilliant medium green, applied sloping collared mouth with ring – smooth base, quart; (1/16 inch bruise on the underside of the collar, 1/8 inch flash at the top of the mouth, a manufacturer’s defect). GI- 54 Beautiful color, strong embossing. Warren “Bud” Lane collection. – Heckler Auction 100 – Lot: 18

BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-54) Light Teal Blue, Circa 1848-1855, About Perfect, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1848-1855, light teal blue quart, open pontil, applied mouth, about perfect. Plenty of glass whittle and in a nice shade of blue that approaches being sapphire., Glass Works Auction 86 Lot #8 – Ferdinand Meyer V Collection

Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Ginger ale color, sheared mouth – pontil scar, quart. GI-51 Great condition, unique in this most unusual and beautiful color. Exceptional – Norman C. Heckler & Company

BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI- ) Medium Green, Circa 1840 -1860, Near Perfect, Dyottville Glass Works. Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Brilliant bubbly medium green, applied sloping collared mouth – pontil scar, quart. Some very minor highpoint wear and scratches. Norman Heckler Auction 83 Lot #22 Jun 2007 – Ferdinand Meyer V Collection

Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Unusual yellow golden amber, sheared mouth – pontil scar, pint. GI-52 An exceptional bottle, great color, strong embossing, filled with millions of tiny bubbles, great condition. – Norman C. Heckler & Company

BUST OF WASHINGTON BUST OF TAYLOR (GI-57), Light Emerald
Green Aqua, Circa 1849-1855, Perfect, Very crude flask in perfect condition. Quart, 7 7/8″ tall, with a sheared lip and strong, intact, iron pontil. The glass is crude, with an overall pebbled effect. The color is a blue-green or light emerald green. This is not a deep, rich color, but it is very pretty. – Meyer Colection

Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Yellow with an olive tone, sheared mouth – pontil scar, half pint; (slightly buffed portion at the top of the sheared lip). GI-56 An extremely rare color in a hard to find half pint mold, strong embossing. Ex Charles B. Gardner collection #1860, ex Robert Mebane collection, Warren “Bud” Lane collection. – Heckler Auction 100 – Lot: 25

BUST OF WASHINGTON – BUST OF TAYLOR, (GI-54), Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, ca. 1848 – 1855, medium ginger ale color quart, big tubular open pontil, applied mouth. Pristine perfect condition, nicely whittled glass and having a strikingly bold impression. One of the best, and in a very rare eye appealing color that changes depending of the light it is viewed in. Very few flasks were ever blown in this wild a color! – Glass Works Auction #96

Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Yellow with an olive tint, sheared mouth – tubular pontil scar, half pint. GI-56 Strongly embossed, extremely rare color, beautiful example. The Dr. Gary and Arlette Johnson collection. – Heckler Auction 102

WASHINGTON – TAYLOR Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, 1848 – 1855. Gorgeous, light-to-medium pinkish-puce with profuse striations swirled throughout, sheared mouth – blowpipe pontil scar, Qt, near mint; (a little scattered light exterior wear). GI-51. Unlisted and exceptional color, incredible eye-appeal. A top example! We are privileged to offer this flask at auction, the 1st time on the market in more than 20 years. Provenance: James Chebalo collection. – American Glass Gallery | Auction #22

WASHINGTON – WASHINGTON Portrait Flask, Lockport Glass Works, Lockport, NY, 1850 – 1860. Rich, deep blue green, sheared mouth – blowpipe pontil scar, Qt, virtually attic mint; (just a trace bit of faint wear and a pinprick speck of roughness on the inside edge of the lip, otherwise pristine!) GI-61. A scarce mold, vivid, rare, eye-appealing color, beautifully whittled. Provenance: James Chebalo collection. – American Glass Gallery | Auction #22

BUST OF WASHINGTON / “WASHINGTON” – BUST OF TAYLOR / “G.Z. TAYLOR”, (GI-50), Dyottville Glass Works, ca. 1848 – 1855, clear glass with a hint of amethyst pint, open pontil, sheared and tooled lip. A chip off the outer edge of the lip has been partially buffed out, otherwise perfect. Rare color in a scarce mold! – Glass Works Auction #115

Lot: 87 Washington Bust – Sheaf Of Wheat Portrait Flask, probably Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Rich cobalt blue, sheared mouth – pontil scar, half pint; (moderate exterior high point wear, shallow 3/8 inch pontil chip comes to edge of base). GI-59 A heavy little flask with thick glass. Extremely rare. Found at a construction site in Cincinnati, Ohio. Generally fine condition. Dr. Charles and Jane Aprill collection. Estimate: $15,000 – $30,000 Minimum bid: $7,500 Price Realized: $14,040 – The Dr. Charles & Jane Aprill Collection: Heckler Auction, Session I, Premier Auction 172,

Posted in Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Early American Glass, Flasks, Historical Flasks | Tagged Blaske, Dr. Gary and Arlette Johnson, Dyottville, Ferdinand Meyer V, Flask, Glass Works, Historical, Norman Heckler, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Portrait, T.W. Dyott, Taylor, Warren "Bud" Lane, Washington | Leave a comment

“knife-edged” Pitkins made by “that guy”

Posted on 27 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Hi Ferd,

This Sunday a week ago, the annual members’ meeting of the Museum of Connecticut Glass was held at the Manchester Connecticut Historical Society. One of the highlights was an outstanding presentation by Tom Haunton on 20th Century South Jersey Glass.

Picture of Dana’s Pitkins at the MOCG Meeting, Manchester History Center.

Dana Charlton, a museum member, had brought a couple of Pitkin flasks. After taking a picture of them, I asked her to tell me why she brought them and what made them interesting. With the hub-bub of the meeting, Dana never got a chance to answer and said “I’ll send it in an e-mail”, and here is her reply:

“The annual meetings of the Museum of Connecticut Glass are enjoyable for me for a variety of reasons…Manchester was home to Pitkin Glass Works and as a collector of Pitkin-type flasks, I bring a flask or two with me to the meetings for show & tell. Recently, when Pitkin Glass Works expert Tom Duff and I spoke by phone, I asked his thoughts on an unusual form of Pitkin — I call these “knife-edged” Pitkins, because the side edges of the flasks are flattened, bringing them to a near point.

Although it’s hard to know what New England factory they were blown in, every example that I’ve seen is crafted with great skill, well blown in the pattern mold to give good definition to both fine swirls and ribs, and the glass itself has good clarity.

There are few enough Pitkin flasks of this form known that I theorize they might have been blown by one glassblower. Indeed, collectors who have examples refer to them as made by “that guy”. Tom was intrigued by the form and we discussed the possible reasons for forming the edges of the flask this way. Possibly it was to make it easier to get a grip on the flask when drinking from it, or it was the way the apprentice pinched the sides carrying it to the annealing oven, or it could have been, my favorite theory, that it was the personal style of “that guy”!

The same flasks from another angle, to better show the ‘knife-edge

Dana also provided another picture that better illustrates the “knife-edge” or flattened edge, with a second form for comparison.

Regards,

K. (Ken Previtali)

Posted in Club News, Collectors & Collections, Early American Glass, Flasks, Freeblown Glass, Glass Companies & Works, Glass Makers, History, Museums, News, Questions | Tagged Connecticut, Dana Charlton-Zarro, Historical, knife-edge, Manchester, museum, Pitkin, Pitkin Glass Works, Society, South Jersey, Thomas Haunton, Tom Duff | 2 Comments

The New Bedford Museum of Glass

Posted on 27 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

The New Bedford Museum of Glass

Dear Mr. Meyer,

I was speaking with our mutual friend Ken Previtali at a recent glass lecture in Connecticut (Thomas Haunton’s talk on Clevenger glass), and he suggested that I get in touch with you relative to a library development project currently underway at the New Bedford Museum of Glass.

Our museum was opened to the public two years ago, and among our various projects we are working to expand our glass research library. Currently it numbers some 9,500 publications, but we are missing many back issues of newsletters, etc., published by glass collecting organizations. Several months ago we were contacted by the Early American Pattern Glass Society, which wanted to add us to their newsletter mailing list as a way to publicize their organization. I asked them about back issues, and a query published in their most recent issue allowed us to assemble a full set received from their generous members. Inspired by this success, we are approaching other organizations, including the National Greentown Glass Association, the Vaseline Glass Collectors, the Antique Glass Salt and Sugar Shaker Club, the Paperweight Collectors Association, and the National Toothpick Holder Collectors’ Society.

Oh yes, and also the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors.

Do you think the Federation would be willing to add our museum to its mailing list and help us to assemble a set of the Bottles and Extras publication? Whether or not this is possible, we would be happy to add a link to your organization on our website.

I look forward to hearing from you, and hope you might be able to stop in to see the new glass museum, should your travels bring you out this way.

Sincerely,
Kirk J. Nelson
________________________________
President and Executive Director
New Bedford Museum of Glass
61 Wamsutta St.
New Bedford, MA 02740
508-984-1666
www.nbmog.org

Museum Virtual Tour

Posted in Advice, Display, Early American Glass, FOHBC News, History, Museums, News, Questions | Tagged Bottles and Extras, Clevenger, fohbc, Glass, Ken Previtali, Kirk J. Nelson, Massachusetts, MNew Bedford, museum, Thomas Haunton | Leave a comment

Some Great US Postal Advertising Covers & Cards

Posted on 26 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Gorgeous early US Patriotic Cover with three cent 1868 stamp. In the 19th century the goddess-like figure Columbia often appeared as a symbol of the United States. On this envelope Columbia stands beside the American flag and a shield bearing the stars and stripes.

As a United States stamp collector too, I find myself really enjoying patriotic covers and advertising covers related to history and antique bottle and glass collecting. I have assembled a few here to demonstrate my point. By combining a topic, art, design, a stamp, cancellation and personal hand writing (and some typing) you get a amazing piece of history. My have times changed.

This 1862 cover is considered by many to be the finest U.S. advertising cover, with its artfully executed scene in multicolored crayon lithography by the firm of Sarony, Major & Knapp. (Collection of Benjamin Franklin Bailar, U.S. Postmaster General from 1975 to 1978, and a current member of the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee.) – Sheaff

Super cover for Illustrated advertising for Wm McCully & Co, glass works, postmark – Mar 11, 1871, Origin: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Destination – Natchez, Mississippi

Weisbrod & Hess Brewery, Philadelphia. Illustrated multicolor advertising design showing Company Logo Surrounded by Hops on 1907 cover franked with 2¢ regular issue tied by Philadelphia, Pa. machine flag cancel – Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions

Advertising cover for Lawton’s Indian Blood Syrup, A Most Wonderful Remedy, Orleans County, N.Y.

The Masten and Wells Fireworks Mfg. Co. Red illustrated ad showing Man Igniting Fireworks, on cover franked with 2¢ red tied by 1900 Boston, Mass. machine cancel – Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions

2c Carmine, Ty. I, nicely centered single tied to desirable all-over multicolored medical and surgical advertising cover of Seabury & Johnson, one of the most famous and spectacularly beautiful advertising covers known, front shows gold medals and red cross in an ornate design, while reverse depicts three barechested people and extolling the virtues of the company’s “Benson’s Plaster” for backaches, light strike of 1906 New York machine cancel ties stamp, Des Moines, Iowa – Stamp Auction Network

Advertising cover with Two Cent stamp for Dr. Kilmer & Co, Binghamton, N.Y., cancelled 1866 – Sheaf

Advertising cover for Speer’s Vineyards in Passaic, N.J.

Cooper Shop Volunteer refreshment Saloon and Hospital advertising cover

Hunt’s Remedy advertising cover

DANISH WEST INDIES (7c) 1903 BISECT ON WHISKEY ADVERTISING COVER Bisected 4¢ stamp paying 2¢ rate, tied with 1/20/03 St. Thomas cds, handstamped DWI address, on D.C.L. Scotch Whiskey advertising cover, with whiskey bottle at left and company crest on backflap. A few trivial toning specks, otherwise very fine. Cat value does not include any premium for advertising covers.

Perkins & Stearn California Wines – N.Y.C. showing California State Seal

Ayer’s Sarsaparilla, Cure’s That Tired Old Feeling – Lowell, Mass.

us-postal-history-advertisingillustrated-covers-277915

Milwaukee Beer Festival, Sept. 8-13, 1902, all-over illustrated multicolor advertising cover bearing 2¢ carmine (279B) tied by “Milwaukee Jul 14 ’02” machine cancel to DeWitt, Ioa., reverse with “Drink Schlitz” slogan.

Breinig’s Pure Linseed Oil Paints. Multicolored illustrated lithograph ad showing Painter Hanging from Steeple Weather Vane, on cover franked with 2¢ red tied by 1903 Jersey Shore, Pa. duplex postmark – Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions

Rub-No-More Washing Powder. Illustrated advertising design in black with red text showing Mother & Baby Elephant on 1906 cover franked with 2¢ Regular Issue (pulled perf) by McConnelsville, Ohio duplex cancel, reverse with all over advertising text – Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions

Panama Canal advertising card for Hostetter’s Bitters – Meyer Collection

1898 Pabst Brewery advertising card, UX14. A UX14 from Milwaukee, Wis to Buffalo, NY in 1898. Fantastic colorful Pabst Brewery advertising on the back of the postal card. – DK Enterprise

1880 Bourbon Whisky Advertising Cover Boone’s Creek – Cover Franked With 3c Banknote, Tied By Black Cork And Postmarked With Faint Cds (Fayette County). Illustrated Advertisement For Hand Made Sour Mash And Pure Bourbon Whisky From Hc Clay & Co Distillers Of Boone’s Creek Kentucky. Addressed To Circlesville.

2c Carmine, Ty. I, tied to an immaculate all-over multicolored advertising cover depicting a huge adorable baby’s face for the Paris Medicine Co. of St. Louis, listing several of the company’s products both on the front and reverse, clear “St. Louis, Mo./Oct 13, 1904” World’s Fair slogan postmark, extremely fine; an especially striking advertising cover

1887 Medical Advertising Cover ‘Gooch’s Mexican Syrup For Coughs And Colds’ Liberty (Casey County) To Lawrenceburg Kentucky.Versailles

The Eagle Brewing Co. Illustrated multicolor advertising design showing Two Bottles of Eagle Beer on 1934 cover franked with 3¢ Washington tied by Utica, NY machine cancel – Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions

Posted in Advertising, Breweriana, Ephemera, History, Postage | Tagged Ayer's Sarsaparilla, Boone's Creek, Breinig's, Columbia, Cooper Shop, Cover, D.C.L. Scotch Whiskey, Dr. Kilmer & Co., Eagle Brewing Co., Gooch's Mexican Syrup, Hostetter's Bitters, Hunt's Remedy, Lawton's Indian Blood Syrup, Major & Knapp, Masten and Wells, Pabst Brewery, Paris Medicine Co., Patriotic, Perkins & Stearn, postage, Rub-No-More, Sarony, Seabury & Johnson, Speer's Vineyards, United States, Weisbrod & Hess, Wm McCully & Co. | Leave a comment

The old but sexy, Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters lady’s leg

Posted on 25 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

BROWN & DRAKE CATAWBA BITTERS

The old but sexy, Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters lady’s leg

25 January 2013 (R•030319)

The first in the series of Lady’s Leg figural bottles is a ‘doozie’ as it is the predecessor brand to the famous Drake’s Plantation Bitters. It is even confused with the Catawba Wine Bitters embossed grapes square from Cincinnati.

The Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters, from Binghamton, New York, is one of the most desirable bitters bottles for most of us hard core collectors. I believe there are only three known examples. With history, form and character, these are great bottles. I am fortunate to have seen two personally and will not forget the experience.

We will include below, an email from Jeff Burkhardt (Cedarburg, Wisconsin) talking about his example and the story behind how it became part of his special collection. I am hoping that Jeff and another advanced figural collector Bill Taylor (Oregon) will be sharing more of their great lady’s leg bottles pictures in the future for this series.

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

C 81 Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters

BROWN & DRAKE ( cu ) / CATAWBA BITTERS ( cu ) / BINGHAMTON ( cd ) / N.Y. // c //
P.H. Drake and Company New York
11 1/2 x 3 3/8 (5)
Round Lady’s Leg, Puce and Amber, ARM, Applied mouth, Metallic pontil mark
The Corning (New York) Journal May 19, 1859

*Listing required for J.B. Brown & Co.’s Catawba Wine Bitters, Binghamton, N.Y. (see. further below)

Greetings Ferdinand – Tough photographing on a dreary, snowy day.

Attached you will find two pictures of my BROWN & DRAKE CATAWBA BITTERS ladies leg. It is golden-amber in the top half and a puce-red amber in the lower half.

The bottle was purchased from the late Alan Spear of Lockport, New York shortly after its “brother” was sold in the 1989 Glass Works sale of Roger Sweetland’s legendary collection of Western New York bottles. Every bottle has a story, and this pair of legs has a great one. Here’s the earlier part.

Alan delighted in telling me the story of buying a PAIR of these great rarities when he was a door-to-door FULLER BRUSH salesman (if you’re old enough to remember those products, it’s time to sell the collection!).

As Alan approached a prospective home, there they were in the window. Obviously he acquired the bottles, but I don’t know if he made a brush sale! The first and arguably best example (deep puce), went to Roger Sweetland; the second example (mine), Alan kept.

When the Sweetland collection was subsequently sold in the aforementioned Glass Works auction, Jimmy Chebalo purchased it. The hammer price was $13,000 + 10% BP = $14,300. I was the underbidder, my maximum bid of $13,000 having tied Chebalo’s. I declined going any further (by far and away the MOST I’d ever offered for any bottle), so he won the bottle. The sale price obviously convinced Spear to sell the second bottle, as I received a call from him shortly after the auction, wherein we struck a deal on it. I never did find out how Alan knew I was the underbidder.

Currently there are three examples extant. The Sweetland example now resides in a Connecticut Bitters collection. I do not know where the third example is. An extreme rarity, the bottles are very desirable for their form, iron pontils and good early character and color.

Historic significance perhaps overshadowing the glass itself, this bottle precedes the Drake’s cabin, thus it is the FIRST of a long line of the coveted and highly collectible Drake’s Plantation Bitters figural cabins. Thus it could be seen as the cornerstone of a Drakes collection; at least that’s how I view mine!

Feel free to post and use this information as you wish to further bottle and bitters collecting!

Regards,
Jeff (froggy) Burkhardt

Jeff, please read the post below (link to Bill Ham visit) to see where the third example resides.

Bill Ham Visit – Some Extraordinary Pontiled Bottles

Brown & Drake’s Catawba Bitters – Patrick Henry Drake – Binghamton, N.Y.

Looking at newspaper advertising, we can see that Brown & Drake’s Catawba Bitters was sold from 1858 to 1860. That’s a pretty short run. Patrick Henry Drake was the proprietor when he lived in Binghamton, New York. He was born in Ithaca, New York in 1827. This of course, is the same P.H. Drake who put out Drake’s Plantation Bitters and Sazearac Aromatic Bitters.

Drake would sell his first bitters through various agents and merchants in the region. Advertising said that the bitters was “From the juice of the Grape; designed for hotels and restaurants. The best Bar Bitters in the world.”

Interesting that the ads I found say “Prepared exclusively by Drake & Co., Binghamton, N.Y.” There is no mention of a “Brown.”

Here is an advertisement below for J.B. Brown & Co.’s Catawba Wine Bitters, Binghamton, N.Y., in April 1859. This would most likely be the Brown in the name. Looking in the Binghamton directory in 1860, you see two other possible candidates. The first being Charles Brown who was a liquor dealer. The second possibility is T. L. Brown who was listed as a homeopathic physician.

In the mid 1800s, wine-making was in its infancy in America and there were many pioneers in grape-growing in New York, Ohio, Missouri and other States leading in a line to California. The Catawba Grape and Isabella Grapes in particular were being found to make wine that rivaled the best wines of Europe. Putting their wine or brandy in bitters was just the next step.

Read: Nicholas Longworth – Catawba Wine Bitters, Cincinnati, Ohio

Read: Missouri IXL Bitters – Isidor Bush

Read: Could this bottle be for the Celebrated Tobias’s Wine Bitters?

Read: Use Dr. Henley’s Celebrated California IXL Bitters

More on Drake’s Plantation Bitters:

More on Lady’s Leg Bitters:

Select Listings:

1827: Patrick Henry Drake, Birth Date: 22 Feb 1827, Birth Place: Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York – U.S. Find a Grave Index

1849: Patrick Henry Drake, First Marriage Date: 10 June 1849, Father: Benjamin Drake, Spouse: Jane Eldridge Lewis, Child: Virginia Maria Drake, Julia Randall Drake – North American Family Histories

1850: P H Drake, [Patrick Henry Drake] Age:23, Birth Year: abt 1827, Birthplace: New York, Home in 1850: Ithaca, Tompkins, New York, Family Number: 556, Household Members: Maria Drake 53, P H Drake 23, Jane Drake 23, Mary Drake 24 – 1850 United States Federal Census

1854: Benjamin Drake [father], Physician, 151 E. Broadway – New York City Directory

1858: Newspaper advertisement (below) George Gilbert, New Wine and Liquor Store selling Brown & Drake’s Catawba Bitters, in cases or bottles – The Buffalo Daily Republic, Tuesday, June 15, 1858

1859: Newspaper advertisement (below) J.B. Brown & Co.’s Catawba Wine Bitters, Binghamton, N.Y., sold by Thomas H. Belden, Sole Agentfor Hartford County. – Hartford Courant, Wednesday, April 13, 1859

1859: Newspaper advertisement (below) George Gilbert selling Drake & Co’s Catawba Bitters “Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters” – The Daily Empire (Dayton, Ohio), Friday, December 2, 1859

1860: Newspaper advertisement (below) Brown & Drake’s Celebrated Catawba Bitters, From there juice of the Grape; designed for hotels and restaurants. The best Bar Bitters in the world. Prepared exclusively by Drake & Co., Binghampton, N.Y. For sale by D.A. Enyart, Sole Agent and Wholesale Liquor Merchant, 48 Public Landing, Cincinnati – The Cincinnati Enquirer, Wednesday, February 15, 1860

186o: Patrick H Drake, Manufacturer, Age: 31, Birth Year: abt 1829, Birth Place: New York, Home in 1860: Binghampton Ward 3, Broome, New York, Post Office: Binghamton, Dwelling Number: 456, Family Number: 487, Real Estate Value: 5,000, Personal Estate Value: 1,500, Household Members: Patrick H Drake 31, Jane E Drake 31, Virginia N Drake 10, Julia R Drake 3 – 1860 United States Federal Census

1861: Patrick Henry Drake and Demas S. Barnes formed a partnership in 1860 in New York City to manufacture and market Drake’s Plantation Bitters, initially called Plantation Toddy – History of Drug Containers and Their Labels By George B. Griffenhagen, Mary Bogard

1862: Bottle Patent – P. H. Drake of Binghamton, New York. Design for a Bottle (Drake’s Plantation Bitters) – Specification forming part of a design No. 1538 dated February 18, 1862 – United States Patent Office

1862: P H Drake and Co., Manufacturer, 47 Dey, Tax Year: 1862, State: New York – U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918

1863: P H Drake and Co., Manufacturer, 105 Liberty, Tax Year: 1863, State: New York – U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918

1867: Demas Barnes and Patrick Henry Drake dissolved their partnership and Plantation Bitters was transferred to P.H. Drake & Company

1867: P. H. Drake, Plantation Bitters, 21 Park Row, N.Y. – Brooklyn New York City Directory

1868: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Bitters, 21 Park Row, 105 Liberty – New York City Directory

1869: January 1st, 1869, P.H. Drake & Co., New York, sole right to manufacture and sell “Sazerac” Aromatic Bitters – Bitters Bottles

1870: P H Drake [Patrick Henry Drake], Age in 1870: 43, Manufacturer Of Bitters, Birth Year: abt 1827, Birthplace: New York, Dwelling Number: 117, Home in 1870: New York, Ward 21, District 16 (2nd Enum), New York, New York, Inferred Spouse: J E Drake [Jane Eldridge Lewis], Inferred Children: Mary E Drake , Virginia Drake, J E Drake, Household Members: Mary E Drake 25, Virginia Drake 19, J E Drake 14, P H Drake 43, J E Drake 42 – 1870 United States Federal Census

1870: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Bitters, 55 Park Place – New York City Directory

1872: P. H. Drake & Co., Bitters, 53 Park Place – Goulding’s Business Directory of New York

1877: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Patent Medicines, 53 Park Place – New York City Directory

1878: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Bitters, 53 Park Place – New York City Directory

1880: Patrick H. Drake, Chemist, Age: 57, Birth Date: Abt 1823, Birthplace: New York, Home in 1880: New York City, New York, New York, USA, Street: West 56th St, House Number: 38, Dwelling Number: 122, Relation to Head of House: Self (Head), Marital Status: Married, Spouse’s Name: Jane E. Drake, Father’s Birthplace: New York, Mother’s Birthplace: New York, Household Members: Patrick H. Drake 57, Jane E. Drake 51, Virginia Drake 28, Julia Drake 22 – 1880 United States Federal Census

1882: Patrick Henry Drake, Death 4 Nov 1882, Death Place: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Cemetery: Spring Forest Cemetery, Burial or Cremation Place: Binghamton, Broome County, New York – U.S. Find a Grave Index

1882: Patrick H Drake, Merchant, Age: 55, Birth Date: abt 1827, Birth Place: Ithaca, New York, Death Date: 4 Nov 1882, Death Place: Boston, Massachusetts, Hotel Brunswick, Cause: Acute Pericarditis, Father: Benjamin Drake, Mother: Maud Drake – Massachusetts Death Records

1883: After Drakes death business operated by William P. Ward, Proprietor

1884: P. H. Drake & Co., Patent Medicines, 81 Beekman – New York City Directory

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Figural Bottles, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Wine & Champagne | Tagged Alan Spear, Binghamton, Brown & Drake's, Catawba, Chebala, Corning Journal, Figural, Jeff Burkhardt, Jimmy Chebalo, lady's leg, New York, P.H. Drake, Patrick Henry Drake, Roger Sweetland, Wine | 2 Comments

Milwaukee Antique Bottle & Advertising Club Rises Again!

Posted on 25 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Steve’s excitement and enthusiasm have convinced me to re-join this club after being a 30+ year dropout.

Ferdinand –

As of today the MILWAUKEE ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND ADVERTISING CLUB has a new, exciting website. Thanks to “mover and shaker” president, Steve Libby, this site puts the club into the 21st century and is a major step into breathing new life into a declining, old- school club…that is before Steve took over the helm. Steve’s excitement and enthusiasm have convinced me to re-join this club after being a 30+ year dropout.

Arguably the website’s most appealing features are member profile pages which each member creates on his or her own and can include items for sale or wants with contact information. Steve owns a Milwaukee-area computer store and like yourself, has the vision and energy to make things happen for our hobby. By copy of this email I strongly recommend that Steve makes sure the Club is a Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) member for the visibility and benefits so consistent with his goals for the club.

Check it out – Milwaukee Antique Bottle & Advertising Club

Note further, he has his own website, Mr. Bottles, an exhaustive resource for Milwaukee area bottles.

JEFF (FROGGY) BURKHARDT

Posted in Advice, Club News, FOHBC News, News | Tagged club, Jeff Burkhardt, milwaukee, Steve Libby | Leave a comment

Gorgeous blue GII-118 Double Eagle Historical Flask on ebay

Posted on 23 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

There are a few stunning blue bottles on ebay right now of high calibre; one being the blue double eagle historical flask which is reported on in this post. The pictures are real nice and the color is drop-dead gorgeous. Not sure I would call it cobalt blue, but who cares, huh? I see that Norman C. Heckler has sold one previously (see small picture below). I wonder if it is the same flask? Norm suggests a Pittsburgh glass house while the ebay listing suggests Zanesville, Ohio.

A Double Eagle historical pint flask in sapphire blue, possibly Pittsburgh, circa 1865. Image courtesy of Norman C. Heckler & Co.

The ebay listing reads:

Cobalt Blue Double Eagle/Crude Applied Ring Top/Highly Whittled/C.1860’s/GII-118

Up for your consideration is a beautiful cobalt blue banner double eagle with a crude applied ring top and smooth base. The bottle is in mint condition, no, cracks, chips, dings, nicks, flea bites, repairs, etc. The bottle has some very light staining on the inside as well as some high point wear on both eagles. I thought about cleaning the stains out but I chose not to for obvious reasons. The bottle is highly whittled throughout, with a bold strike on both sides. It is 7.5″ tall by just under 4″ at it’s widest point. For further reference, you can find this same flask under, (GII-118) in numerous bottle price guides. Out of all the double eagles (out) there, there may only be two or three without the embossed circle below. For that reason and the color of this flask, makes this bottle exceedingly rare. I will be posting more bottles soon. Thanks for looking.

No reserve

shawnds129

On Jan-23-13 at 08:07:07 PST, seller added the following information:

From what I’ve been told by numerous collectors, this flask was most likely blown (at) White Glass Works in Zanesville, Ohio. There are only around 6 of the cobalt, “Zanesville” and 4 in citron.

WHITE GLASS WORKS: This factory was started in 1815 at Zanesville, Ohio, by Isaac Van Horn, and continued under various managers until 1851. They made bottles, flasks and domestic hollow ware, turning out much of the fine early glass which is to be found in Ohio. Of their production, the best known are the Masonic and reverse Eagle flasks, and their bulbous bottles in various colors. (Encyclopedia of Antiques)

Posted in Advice, Color, Early American Glass, eBay, Historical Flasks | Tagged Double Eagle, Historical Flask, Norman C. Heckler, Pittsburgh | Leave a comment

Some Nice Congress & Empire Spring Bottles – Shags to Riches

Posted on 23 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

SHAGS TO RICHES (not by far)

When Elizabeth and I first moved into the long vacant house on property we now affectionately call Peach Ridge, it had shag carpet (see above), an old decrepit boat in the garage and had been taken over by mold, bugs and mice. The pool was green with slime and was a frogs dream. Somehow we both saw something with this lump of coal. I had been living in a high-rise in downtown Houston for years and this seemed like a fun challenge. Plus Elizabeth all but demanded we get some property away from the hustle and bustle of the city where my office is located.

After renovating the house and finding the original Saltillo tile beneath (see above) the olive carpet we decided to turn the wasp and mosquito-infested, 2-car garage into a family room with shelves for my large, old metal toy trucks (see below). This left the wall where the garage doors were for us to put in windows, big windows. This was the style of the house and we wanted to maintain the look on this side.

I wanted to put bottles in these windows so I called my father in Delaware and asked him to send me some ‘Old Bottles’. The Bitters bottle bug had not bitten yet and would not until the DELMARVA Antique Bottle Show in late 2002. You can read that story here: Glass Passion and Color Part I : Life Transformation

Anyway, two boxes came and a few were broken. I remember how excited I was to have those bottles in the window. I added a few that I had gathered over the years as I was just a general collector of old stuff. The windows were VERY sparse. Two bottles that stood out were dark green and looked really ‘pretty’ in the window. They were Empire Congress Waters that are pictured above. My notes say I sold the larger one in Memphis in June 2011. I think the other is put away somewhere as other types of bottles now dominate the windows (see below). If you look closely in the mirror reflection, you can see a small portion of the toy shelves.

I still look for these Mineral Water bottles though I don’t buy. I did however see a few exciting lots in the Glass Works Auction #96 that closed this past Monday night that brought back these memories and prompted this post.

Glass Works Auction #96 Mineral Waters

76. “CONGRESS & EMPIRE SPRING CO / E / SARATOGA. N.Y.”, (E-6-A), New York, ca. 1865 – 1875, olive amber quart, “2” on smooth base, applied mouth. Pristine perfect, plenty of bubbles and in a hard to find color, not listed in Tucker’s book. – Glass Works Auction #96

77. “CONGRESS SPRING CO. S.S. N.Y.” (on the base), (C-22 variant), New York, ca. 1870 – 1880, blue green, 8 3/8”h, smooth base, sheared and tooled lip was been expanded out to create a drinking vessel, perfect condition and with crude whittled glass. An extremely rare end-of-day glass blowers whimsy that fits so perfectly in the hand one could easily imagine an 1870’s glass blower at home drinking a porter from it. Early glass blowers whimsies are very rare and this one is exceptional! – Glass Works Auction #96

78. “CONGRESS & EMPIRE SPRING CO. / COLUMBIAN / WATER / SARATOGA, N.Y.”, (S-15-B), New York, ca. 1865 – 1875, emerald green pint, “5” smooth base, applied mouth, about perfect. A seldom offered spring water bottle. When passing through Saratoga Springs, New York, visit the Congress Park where you can still take a sip of the same water from the spring that this bottle was filled with. – Glass Works Auction #96

79. “EMPIRE SPRING CO / E / SARATOGA. N.Y. – EMPIRE / WATER”, (E-11 type 1), New York, ca. 1865 – 1875, blue green slopped shoulder quart, smooth base, applied mouth, 95% original wrapper, the bottle is perfect. Only a very few exist with the original wrapper. – Glass Works Auction #96

Posted in Advice, Art & Architecture, Article Publications, Auction News, Collectors & Collections, Humor - Lighter Side, Mineral Water, Peachridge Glass, Water, Whimsies, Windows | Tagged Buddy L, Columbian, Congress, Congress Park, delmarva, Drinking, Elizabeth, Empire, Glass Works Auctions, Houston, Mineral, New York, Peach Ridge, Saltillo, Saratoga, shag, Springs, water, Whimsie | Leave a comment

1970’s Suffolk Pig reproductions, but way cool…

Posted on 22 January 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

AMERICA’S / SUFFOLK BITTERS / LIFE PRESERVER

1970’s Suffolk Pig reproductions, but way cool…

22 January 2013

Eric Matthew Richter posted these rather nice pictures of the reproduction SUFFOLK BITTERS figural pig over at Bottle Collectors on facebook. Nice color runs and pictures. I suspect these are embossed AMERICA’S / SUFFOLK BITTERS / LIFE PRESERVER. Eric thinks that these were made in Murano?

I always wondered who made these reproductions myself and scratch my head that the original Suffolk Bitters, which are embossed SUFFOLK BITTERS | PHILBROOK & TUCKER BOSTON, only come in amber, yellow amber and fortunately a gorgeous lemon yellow? (pictured below from my collection)

Early American Glass authority Noel Tomas says that these reproductions pictured in this post are made in Taiwan, which doesn’t really sound to good. These are still collectible to some and down the road somewhere may have a broader appeal. Noel even mentioned that he collected them himself a number of years ago.

Eric does go on to say that they are getting harder and harder to find and they are being snapped up on ebay rather quickly.

Eric — With as many facsimiles and repros that I have, the first pig copy of what your are showing I had purchased when they first started flooding the market. At the time, there was a sticker on the bottle “Made In Taiwan.” Did the ones you are showing have some ID to Murano?

NOEL TOMAS

Eric also asks…

“Anybody have the Cobalt one for sale?”

Read More: More Reproductions by Digger Odell

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Figural Bottles, Reproductions | Tagged Eric Richter, Figural, life, Noel Tomas, Pig, Preserver, Suffolk Bitters | Leave a comment

“While its not the focus on the show, the collector should be comfortable with having our host estimate its total value.”

WASHINGTON TAYLOR PORTRAIT FLASKS

27 January 2013 (R•061717) (R•031719-AGG) (R•040418-Heckler Aprill)

The McKearin Historical Flask Groups

Group I – Portrait Flasks

G A L L E R Y

Although it’s hard to know what New England factory they were blown in, every example that I’ve seen is crafted with great skill, well blown in the pattern mold to give good definition to both fine swirls and ribs, and the glass itself has good clarity.

The New Bedford Museum of Glass

BROWN & DRAKE CATAWBA BITTERS

The old but sexy, Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters lady’s leg

25 January 2013 (R•030319)

C 81 Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters

BROWN & DRAKE ( cu ) / CATAWBA BITTERS ( cu ) / BINGHAMTON ( cd ) / N.Y. // c // P.H. Drake and Company New York 11 1/2 x 3 3/8 (5) Round Lady’s Leg, Puce and Amber, ARM, Applied mouth, Metallic pontil mark The Corning (New York) Journal May 19, 1859

*Listing required for J.B. Brown & Co.’s Catawba Wine Bitters, Binghamton, N.Y. (see. further below)

Brown & Drake’s Catawba Bitters – Patrick Henry Drake – Binghamton, N.Y.

More on Drake’s Plantation Bitters:

More on Lady’s Leg Bitters:

Select Listings:

1827: Patrick Henry Drake, Birth Date: 22 Feb 1827, Birth Place: Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York – U.S. Find a Grave Index

1849: Patrick Henry Drake, First Marriage Date: 10 June 1849, Father: Benjamin Drake, Spouse: Jane Eldridge Lewis, Child: Virginia Maria Drake, Julia Randall Drake – North American Family Histories

1850: P H Drake, [Patrick Henry Drake] Age:23, Birth Year: abt 1827, Birthplace: New York, Home in 1850: Ithaca, Tompkins, New York, Family Number: 556, Household Members: Maria Drake 53, P H Drake 23, Jane Drake 23, Mary Drake 24 – 1850 United States Federal Census

1854: Benjamin Drake [father], Physician, 151 E. Broadway – New York City Directory

1858: Newspaper advertisement (below) George Gilbert, New Wine and Liquor Store selling Brown & Drake’s Catawba Bitters, in cases or bottles – The Buffalo Daily Republic, Tuesday, June 15, 1858

1859: Newspaper advertisement (below) J.B. Brown & Co.’s Catawba Wine Bitters, Binghamton, N.Y., sold by Thomas H. Belden, Sole Agentfor Hartford County. – Hartford Courant, Wednesday, April 13, 1859

1859: Newspaper advertisement (below) George Gilbert selling Drake & Co’s Catawba Bitters “Brown & Drake Catawba Bitters” – The Daily Empire (Dayton, Ohio), Friday, December 2, 1859

1861: Patrick Henry Drake and Demas S. Barnes formed a partnership in 1860 in New York City to manufacture and market Drake’s Plantation Bitters, initially called Plantation Toddy – History of Drug Containers and Their Labels By George B. Griffenhagen, Mary Bogard

1862: Bottle Patent – P. H. Drake of Binghamton, New York. Design for a Bottle (Drake’s Plantation Bitters) – Specification forming part of a design No. 1538 dated February 18, 1862 – United States Patent Office

1862: P H Drake and Co., Manufacturer, 47 Dey, Tax Year: 1862, State: New York – U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918

1863: P H Drake and Co., Manufacturer, 105 Liberty, Tax Year: 1863, State: New York – U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Lists, 1862-1918

1867: Demas Barnes and Patrick Henry Drake dissolved their partnership and Plantation Bitters was transferred to P.H. Drake & Company

1867: P. H. Drake, Plantation Bitters, 21 Park Row, N.Y. – Brooklyn New York City Directory

1868: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Bitters, 21 Park Row, 105 Liberty – New York City Directory

1869: January 1st, 1869, P.H. Drake & Co., New York, sole right to manufacture and sell “Sazerac” Aromatic Bitters – Bitters Bottles

1870: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Bitters, 55 Park Place – New York City Directory

1872: P. H. Drake & Co., Bitters, 53 Park Place – Goulding’s Business Directory of New York

1877: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Patent Medicines, 53 Park Place – New York City Directory

1878: P. H. Drake & Co. [Patrick Henry Drake], Bitters, 53 Park Place – New York City Directory

1882: Patrick Henry Drake, Death 4 Nov 1882, Death Place: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Cemetery: Spring Forest Cemetery, Burial or Cremation Place: Binghamton, Broome County, New York – U.S. Find a Grave Index

1882: Patrick H Drake, Merchant, Age: 55, Birth Date: abt 1827, Birth Place: Ithaca, New York, Death Date: 4 Nov 1882, Death Place: Boston, Massachusetts, Hotel Brunswick, Cause: Acute Pericarditis, Father: Benjamin Drake, Mother: Maud Drake – Massachusetts Death Records

1883: After Drakes death business operated by William P. Ward, Proprietor

1884: P. H. Drake & Co., Patent Medicines, 81 Beekman – New York City Directory

Steve’s excitement and enthusiasm have convinced me to re-join this club after being a 30+ year dropout.

Cobalt Blue Double Eagle/Crude Applied Ring Top/Highly Whittled/C.1860’s/GII-118

SHAGS TO RICHES (not by far)

Glass Works Auction #96 Mineral Waters

AMERICA’S / SUFFOLK BITTERS / LIFE PRESERVER

1970’s Suffolk Pig reproductions, but way cool…

22 January 2013

Eric — With as many facsimiles and repros that I have, the first pig copy of what your are showing I had purchased when they first started flooding the market. At the time, there was a sticker on the bottle “Made In Taiwan.” Did the ones you are showing have some ID to Murano?

NOEL TOMAS

“Anybody have the Cobalt one for sale?”

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BROWN & DRAKE ( cu ) / CATAWBA BITTERS ( cu ) / BINGHAMTON ( cd ) / N.Y. // c //
P.H. Drake and Company New York
11 1/2 x 3 3/8 (5)
Round Lady’s Leg, Puce and Amber, ARM, Applied mouth, Metallic pontil mark
The Corning (New York) Journal May 19, 1859