What about this New Orleans Malakoff Bitters?

Posted on 21 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

MalakofTC_F

What about this New Orleans Malakoff Bitters?

Malakoff Russian Stomach Bitters

21 September 2013 (updated 22 Sept 2013) (updated 25 September 2013) (R•060614) (R•o72314) (R•022219) (R•030419)

An ebony and aged Ganymede, however, appeared with coffee, and told me “the Captn wants ask weder you take some bitters, Sar;” and, indeed, “the Captain” did compound some amazing preparation for the judges and colonel present on deck and below that met the approval of them all, and was recommending it for its fortifying qualities in making a Redan and Malakoff of the stomach.

AFFAIRS AT FORT PICKENS.; Interesting Details of the Condition of Both Camps. Letter from Mr. W.H. Russell, Special Correspondent of the London Times., MOBILE, Thursday, May 16, 1861.

Apple-Touch-IconAYesterday I posted on Dr. Leon Hershberg’s Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters and even referenced the Russian Imperial Tonic Bitters in Friday’s Daily Dose. I guess it is a RED day as I am reminded of a rather outrageous trade card in my collection for a *Malakoff Russian Stomach Bitters. I hope I do not offend anyone. It is what it is. The illustration does get the point across though.

*Malakof misspelled on Trade Card

14. “N. KIEFFER – MALAKOFF BITTERS (five pointed star) – PATENTED SEPT. 18TH 1866”, (Ring/Ham, M-15), Louisiana, ca. 1965 – 1875, deep reddish amber, 11 5/8”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth. A 1/4” chip/bruise is off the edge of the base, also a 1” area of roughness. Extremely rare, having only one auction record. Purchased from a construction worker who brought it to a New Orleans Bottle Show. Sidney Genius Collection. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction #128

The Malakoff (sometimes spelled incorrectly with one ‘f’) brand spans 10-15 years or so and I do not have a bottle. Very strange, as I have been looking since I obtained the trade card a number of years ago.

I believe ‘Malakoff’ in this case comes from the Battle of Malakoff which was a major battle during the Crimean War, fought between French-British forces against Russia on 7 September 1855 as a part of the Siege of Sevastopol.

Most information about the owner of this brand leads us to a Nicholas Kieffer (parents Nicholas Kieffer and Elizabeth Fual) who was born in 1796 in Alsace, France. Nicholas eventually came to the United States and settled in New Orleans, Louisiana. Kieffer may have served as a Private 2nd Company in the 4th Regiment French Brigade, Louisiana Militia and was reported in business in 1866 as a manufacturer of wholesale liquors. That same year, on 18 September 1866, he received a patent for Malakoff Bitters. In the mid to late 1870s, after Kieffer’s death, the brand was represented by Alphonse Walz of New Orleans and A. E. Neuberg of Chicago, which I find odd. The brand also moved into Texas and was marketed out of San Antonio in 1882.

MolakofTC_R

There are three listing in Bitters Bottles and Bitters Bottles Supplement that reference this New Orleans bitters. This trade card will be referenced in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

M.14  MALAKOFF BITTERS / N. KIEFFER ( au ) / N. O. // PATENTED SEPT. 18TH 1866 //
11 1/2 x 3 (7 1/2)
Round, Amber, LTC and LTCR, Applied mouth. Extremely rare
(New Number) M.14.5  // MALAKOFF BITTERS (motif of star) // PATENTED SEPT. 18TH 1866 //
11 3/8 x 3 (7 1/2)
Round, Amber, LTCR, Applied mouth. Extremely rare, Embossed vertically bottom to shoulder.
M.15  MALAKOFF BITTERS / N. KIEFFER ( au ) // PATENTED SEPT. 18TH 1866 //
11 1/2 x 3 (7 1/4)
Round, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Rare
Chicago Directory 1876, A. E. Neuberg Co., Sole agent in the U.S.
Trade Mark No. 5,936, dated April, 1878 by Alphonse Walz, New Orleans
M.15.5  MALAKOFF BITTERS (star) // c // s //  N. KIEFFER // PATENTED SEPT. 18TH 1866 //
11 1/2 x 3 (7 1/4)
Round, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Metallic pontil mark, Very rare
MalakoffStar

M 14.5 Malakoff Bitters (Star) / Patented Sept. 18th 1866 (Notice that this example is not either of the three bottles listed in Ring in Ham noted above) From Wayne Loschen – Just saw your article about the Malakoff Bitters and thought you might like to see one dug by my sons and me in Shreveport, La. It was uncovered at the site of the new Millenium movie studios during the early construction stages. Unfortunately the excavator separated the top from the bottom of the bottle. We managed to find the top a few days later and glued it back on.

United States Patent Office

N. KIEFFER, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVED MEDICINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5,806, dated September 18, 1866.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, N. KIEFFER, of New Orleans, in the Parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and Improved Medical Compound; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a new and improved medical compound or bitters which is in the form of a liquid.

This compound or bitters is composed of the following ingredients mixed together in or about the porportions named, and in a manner to be hereinafter explained four ounces lemon-peel, four ounces cinnamon, two ounces orange, two ounces galanga root, two ounces calamus-root, two ounces angelica-root, two ounces zedoary, four ounces cloves, five ounces anise-green, two ounces anise-star, one pound coriander, one-half pound chamomile-flowers, one-fourth pound cassia buds or flowers, one pound juniper-berries, one-half pound gentian root, one pound licorice root, one fourth pound laurel or bay berries, one pound caraway seeds, one-half pound peppermint herb, two pounds burnt coffee, three pounds sugar, cooked or boiled to syrup, and twenty-five gallons of whisky.

Each herb above mentioned is first soaked or steeped for about forty-eight hours in natural spirit or alcohol, and then severally distilled in a copper alembic, after which the several products of distillation thus obtained are mixed together, and, being diluted with a sufficient quantity of water to render the compound palatable and potable, the three pounds of sugar previously cooked or reduced to a syrup is then added, by which the desired color is produced, and a compound or bitters obtained which, as a beverage, is most healthy, invigorating, and beneficial.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The medical compound composed of the ingredients herein named and mixed togetherin or about the proportions named.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 30th day of May, 1866.

N. KIEFFER.

Witnesses JOHN HENRY GROTE, J. GRAEFF.

MalakoffTower

Malakoff Tower, Crimea – Jean-Charles Langlois

Battle of Malakoff

The Battle of Malakoff was a major battle during the Crimean War, fought between French-British forces against Russia on 7 September 1855 as a part of the Siege of Sevastopol. The French army under General MacMahon successfully stormed the Malakoff redoubt, whereas a simultaneous British attack on the Redan to the south of the Malakoff was repulsed. In one of the war’s defining moments, the French zouave Eugène Libaut raised the French flag on the top of the Russian redoubt. The Battle of Malakoff resulted in the fall of Sevastopol on 9 September, bringing the 11-month siege to an end. [Wikipedia]

1855_sevastopol_malakhoff

1855 Sevastopol Malakhoff Tower

Read about another bitters related to Crimea: “In Hoc Vinces” – Romaine’s Crimean Bitters

The Duke of Malakoff

OBITUARY; The Duke of Malakoff. Published: June 7, 1864, New York Times

By the European arrivals yesterday, we have intelligence of the death of the Duke of Malakoff, more widely known as General and Marshai PELLISSIER, the Commander-in-Chief of the French army in the siege of Sebastopol. Marshal PELISSIER was in his 70th year at the time of his death, having been born near Rouen, in 1794. After completing his military studies at St. Cyr, he was gazetted a Sal-Lieutenant in 1815. Subsequently he saw service in Spain in 1823, achieved the rank of Captain in 1828, served in Greece and afterward in Algeria up to 1832, when he returned to France for the recruitment of his health. In 1839 he returned to Algeria, where he remained in active service for a period of 16 years, and it was during this period of his career that his name was first given to the world, and in a character which was long regarded as infamous. A viciously hostile tribe of Arabs made themselves conspicuous in their resistance to French authority during the insurrection of 1845. Occupying mountain fastnesses almost impenetrable to the foreign soldier, these tribes were enabled for a long time to harrass the French troops, and to openly defy effective chastisement in return. An expedient — of which it is not known whether PILLISSIER was the actual author — was devised to smoke the Arabs out of their caves, or burn them alive in their retreats if they refused to surrender. Defiance was the only answer of the mountain chiefs to the threat of the French commanding officer, although it is said a large portion of the mountain warriors were willing to surrender. Be this as it may, their delay in listening to the summons determined their fate. PELLESSIER ordered the faggots to be applied to the mouths of the Cauerus, and 600 of the wretched Arabs were thus consigned to a horrible and barbarous death. Various have been the palliations offered for the act, and it may be hoped there were reasons for it sufficient to relieve the perpetrators, at least, of the charge of wanton murder. The act was condemned by the French Minister of War. PELISSIER, however, was not removed from his post in Algeria, but remained there till after the outbreak of the Crimean war, when he was appointed second in command to Gen. CANROBERT. On the 19th of May, 1855, he became Commander-in-Chief of the French force in the Crimea, and his successful storming of the Malakoff, led to the evacuation of the main Sebastopol forts be the Russians, and ultimately to negotiations which ended in peace. Gen. PELESSIER became a Marshal of France and Duke of Malakoff, with a high pension, as the reward of his services, by his own government. At the hands of her Britanic Majesty he received the decoration of a Knight’s Grand Cross; and was subsequently for a short time Minister to England in 1858.

MalakoffBitters_Frioux

Super dark Malakoff Bitters – Courtney Frioux Collection

Select Listings:

Kieffer, N., Pvt. 2nd Co. 4th Regt. French Brig. La. Mil. On Roll not dated, ordered into the service of the State of Louisiana. (no date)
1861: (see top of post) AFFAIRS AT FORT PICKENS.; Interesting Details of the Condition of Both Camps. Letter from Mr. W.H. Russell – Special Correspondent of the London Times., Mobile, Thursday, May 16, 1861.
An ebony and aged Ganymede, however, appeared with coffee, and told me “the Captn wants ask weder you take some bitters, Sar;” and, indeed, “the Captain” did compound some amazing preparation for the judges and colonel present on deck and below that met the approval of them all, and was recommending it for its fortifying qualities in making a Redan and Malakoff of the stomach.
1866: N. Kieffer & Co. and Nicolas Kieffer, wholesale liquors, manufacturer, 255 Poydras –  Special IRS Tax Assessment, 1866

1867: Kieffer, N. (Nicholas), wines and liquors, Poydras, b Rampart and Basin –  New Orleans City Directory
1867: Newspaper advertisement (below) The Malakoff Bitters testimonials to Messrs. N. Kieffer & Hollander, No. 255 Poydras Street, Manufacturers of “Malakoff Bitters” – New Orleans Commercial Bulletin , November 30, 1867

1868: Kieffer N. & Co., (F. Hollander), liquor dealers, 255 Poydras – New Orleans City Directory
1870: Kieffer N. mnfr. of Patent Malakof Bitters, importer and dealer of Wines, Liquors, Ale and Lager Beer, 11 Rampart, 1st dist. res. same – New Orleans City Directory
1871: Kieffer & Hollander, (N. Kieffer and F. Hollander), mnfrs. Malakoff bitters, Western lager beer, ale and porter, 196 Canal, and 11 Rampart, 1st dist. – New Orleans City Directory
1872: Kieffer N. mnfr. of Malakoff Bitters, 72 Chartres, r. 11 Rampart, 1st dist.-New Orleans City Directory
1874-1876: A. E NEUBERG & CO., Chicago, IL. (1874-1876) “Sole agents in the US for Malakoff bitters” (1876). Business continues as Ferdinand Neuberger. Business name timeline: A. E. Neuberg & Co.
1878: Trademark (see below): The word ‘Malakof‘ (note spelling) and the engraving representing the Malakof tower. patent 5,936 by Alphonse Walz, February 18, 1878

1878: Newspaper advertisement (below) Malakoff Bitters, The Best Stomachic and Tonic, Alf. Walz, Sole Manufacturer – The Morning Star and Catholic Messenger (New Orleans), November 24, 1878

1880: Nicholas Keeffer [Kieffer], Retail Grocer, Age: 57, Birth Date: Abt 1823, Birthplace: Germany, Home in 1880: New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, Street: Bunville Street, House Number: 42, Dwelling Number: 148, Marital status: Married, Spouse’s name: Rachel Keeffer, Father’s Birthplace: Germany, Mother’s Birthplace: Germany, Household Members: Nicholas Keeffer 57, Rachel Keeffer 57, August Keeffer 16, Charles Keeffer 14 – 1880 United States Federal Census
1882: Newspaper advertisement (below) Malakoff Bitters, Alph. Walz, Sole Proprietor & Manufacturer, New Orleans – The Times Picayune, Tuesday, April 4, 1882

1882: Newspaper advertisement (below) Malakoff Bitters Under the direct management of N. Kiefer advertisement. F. Krisch & Bro. selling Malakoff and Universal Bitters – The San Antonio Light, Saturday, June 3, 1882 (see below)

1883: The Stamp Tax on Bitters, A Decision of Interest to Proprietors Made Two Years Ago mentions Malakoff Bitters – The New York Times, August 21st, 1883

1893: Advertisement (below) A. Walz Co., Limited Wholesale Dealers in Cordials, Sole Proprietors and Manufacturers of the Celebrated Orleans Aromatic Bitters and Malakoff, Malakoff Bitters, 91 Decatur Street, New Orleans – Minutes of the … Annual Meeting of the Louisiana State Pharmaceutical Association, Volume 11, 1893

1894: Directory listing (below) for A. Walz & Co., 415 Decatur Street, Orleans ReDistilled Aromatic and Malakoff Bitters and Cordials – New Orleans City Directory

Posted in Ales & Ciders, Bitters, History, Humor - Lighter Side, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Tax Stamps, Trade Cards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Downieville Antique Bottle Show Dinner Party

Posted on 20 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
DV13_House

Rick and Cherry Simi’s historic house and patio, location for the dinner and wine tasting event.

Downieville Antique Bottle Show Dinner Party

Downieville Trip | Part 3

20 September 2013 

Apple-Touch-IconAThis third post from Downieville is a grouping of some nice photography from Scott Selenak (FOHBC Photographer) at Rick and Cherry Simi’s house this past Friday night prior to the Downieville Antique Bottle Show. This event is held each year by the Downieville show hosts and includes appetizers, a wine tasting, the barbecue, tons of side dishes, a bottle cake, a real saloon and a mine shaft. The weather was great and the turn-out was as big as expected. Coco had a super time too working the crowd. The fourth and final post will be some of Scotts show photography.

ScottSelenak

Scott Selenak transferring images to my laptop.

Read Part 1: 2013 Downieville Sabbatical – “just us two dogs”

Read Part 2: Downieville – Goodyears Bar Excursion

G A L L E R Y

“I want to thank you and ALL the folks that attended our bottle show and wine tasting/BBQ event. We had right at 100 guests for our Friday night event and plenty of traffic all day Saturday during the bottle show.

Once again thanks to all of you that support our annual Downieville bottle show and hope to see all of you next year”

Rick & Cherry Simi

DV13_Crowd

One of the many patio tables earlier in the evening.

DV13_Ken&Jerry

Ken Edward and Jerry Forbes converse.

DV13_LookingDown

Looking down on the patio as the crowd gathers.

DV13_PorchLights

Dinner serving.

DV13_Coco

Charlie Holt, Coco and moi.

DV13_BeerIce

Ice cold Buds

DV13_Wine

Chilled white wine to go along with the various reds.

DV13_WineTastingWill

Will Clark, the wine (and ice-cream) town merchant and bottle friend held the wine tasting.

DV13_Beef

Rick Simi carving.

DV13_Dinner3

Friends eating as darkness sets.

DV13_RickMeat

Another of host, Rick Simi carving his slow cooked meat.

DV13_DownTable

Nice looking down shot.

DV13_FoodLine

Soooo much great food.

DV13_FoodLine2

Food serving.

DV13_LineBack

The line forms.

DV13_LouLongTable

Lou Lambert (left) probably talking about digging.

DV13_TableAngle

Warm candle lit tables add to the charm.

DV13_BottleCake

Bottle cake

DV13_MineShaftCar

Waiting in line next to the Simi’s mine shaft. Left to right, Henry Guillen, Bob Franconi, Doug Hansen. Seated, Randy Taylor.

DV13_MineShaftRick

Rick Simi (left) keeping an eye on the crowd. Doug Hansen, Henry Guillen standing. Dwayne Anthony and Randy Taylor seated.

DV13_CaveDetail

Mine shaft winds through to the Simi house.

DV13_MineShaftLong

Opening of the Simi mine shaft.

DV13_MineSkeleton

Bad bottle person

DV13_ShaftWide

Mid shaft to the Simi house

SimiBar

Real saloon out building at the Simi house.

Posted in Bottle Shows, Club News, News, Photography | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Dr. Leon Hershberg’s Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters

Posted on 20 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

RussianBalsamicBittersCrest

Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters

Leon Hershberg & Company

20 September 2013 (R•082519)

DR. LEON HERSHBERG, Of MOSCOW, RUSSIA, begs to inform the inhabitants of Oakland and vicinity, that he has established himself at the CORNER OF EIGHTH AND WASHINGTON STREETS, In this city, where he will keep a constant supply of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters.

RussianBalsamicBillheadDetail

Apple-Touch-IconAThere is an interesting letterhead for Russian Black Balsam and Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters on ebay that caught my attention. The listing reads for the most part:

You are bidding on an old and authentic 1882 dated RUSSIAN BALSAMIC BITTERS and RUSSIAN BLACK BALSAM fancy advertising billhead, from LEON HERSHBERG & CO., dealer in WINES LIQUORS etc, from OAKLAND (CALIFORNIA). This rare and desirable billhead measures 8 1/2″ by 7″ in size. A great go-with to any Bitters bottle collection. (thebottlevault/100%) See Listing

RussianBalsamicBittersBillhead

A quick look-see in Bitters Bottles shows a listing for:

R 132  RUSSIAN BLACK BALSAM BITTERS
Leon Hershberg & Company, Proprietor, Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma City Directory, 1885

The Oakland, California address may want to replace the sole Tacoma address above which came in the mis 1880s. Dr. Leon Hershberg and Isaac D. Ryttenberg partners. 1877 – 1887

We also need a full update in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2 based on two distinct bitters products being noted.

Billhead
R 131.5 RUSSIAN BALSAMIC BITTERS, Bought of Leon Hershberg & Co. Importers and Jobbers of Foreign and Native Wines and Liquors, Proprietors and Manufacturers of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters and Russian Black Balsam. Leon Hershberg, I. D. Ryttenberg, 851 and 853 Washington Street, Near Seventh, Oakland (California), Nov. 30, 1881. See s R 132.
Advertisement
R 132 RUSSIAN BLACK BALSAM BITTERS, Trade Mark Russian Yellow Balsam and Russian Balsamic Bitters, Leon Hershberg & Co., Foreign and Native Wines and Liquors. 851 & 854 Washington Street, Near Seventh, Oakland. Proprietors and Manufacturer of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic and Russian Black Balsamic Bitters. Oakland, California City Directory, 1887.
See R 132 and s2R 131.5

HershbergBillhead2

Few Equal, none Excel ! Try it ! Try it ! Try it ! As we stake our reputation on this Bitters.

It looks as though no bottle has surfaced either embossed, labeled or both. The information on Leon Hershberg & Company is as follows:

Leon Hershberg & Co., Oakland, (California), Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters, 1881, 1882 (Billheads above) *Also 1877, 1880, 1884, 1887
Dr. Leon Hershberg, 1877 Oakland Directory (see advertisement below)
Hershberg Leon & Co (Leon Hershberg and Isaac D. Ryttenberg), wholesale liquors, 853 Washington, 1877 Oakland Directory
HershbergListing1877

Listing Oakland Directory, 1877

Leon Hershberg & Company, Proprietor, Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma City Directory, 1885 (Ring & Ham)
Leon Hershberg & Co., NE cor 2nd & Yamhill, Portland, OR., 1885 (Directory note Pre-Pro.com)
Leon Hershberg & Co., Oakland, (California), Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters and Russian Black Balsam Bitters, Oakland City Directory, 1887 (see advertisement below)
RussianBalsamicBittersAd_1877Oakland

Listing here as a Dr. Leon Hershberg promoting his Russian Balsamic Bitters, Oakland Directory, 1877

RussianBalsamicBittersAd

Russian Yellow Balsam and Russian Balsamic Bitters advertisement, Oakland Directory, 1887 (Notice mention of Russian Black Balsam Bitters)

DR. LEON HERSHBERG,

Of MOSCOW, RUSSIA, begs to inform the inhabitants of Oakland and vicinity, that he has established himself at the CORNER OF EIGHTH AND WASHINGTON STREETS, In this city, where he will keep a constant supply of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters.

This Bitters is a pure compound of herbs, roots and flowers, that grow in the great
steppes in the Russian Empire and in Italy. It has gained a vast renown for its merits and good qiialities through the whole empire; and is the best remedy fof Headache, Biliousness, Loss of Appetite, Dyspepsia, General Debility, Liver Complaint, Purities the Blood, produces a Tender and Smooth Skin, instantly relieves all kinds of Colics, Cramps of the Stomach or Bowels, will stop Diarrhoea or Dysentery immediately. Costiveness will be regulated by it in a natural way. Will stop all kinds of Fevers, as Fever and Ague, Intermittent, etc., and will restore rest to those who are sleepless and nervous. No Family should be without it. Few Equal, none Excel ! Try it ! Try it ! Try it ! As we stake our reputation on this Bitters. Call and sample the same. Also we keep a full line of Pure Choice Imported and Native AVines, Liquors, Ales, etc., for Medicinal aud Family Use, to which we cordially invite the attention of the public. We guarantee our goods all we claim for them, and ask only a trial to prove the same. Respectfully,

Oakland, Cal., May, 1877. LEON HERSHBERG & CO.,

Sole Proprietors of the Russian Balsamic Bitters.

P. S.- All goods delivered to any part of the city Free. Druggists and the Trade supplied at reasonable rates.

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, eBay, History, Medicines & Cures, Spirits, Wine & Champagne | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Downieville – Goodyears Bar Excursion

Posted on 18 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

GoodyearSchoolhouseBell

Goodyears Bar Excursion

Downieville Trip | Part 2

18 September 2013 

Apple-Touch-IconAThe first post from Downieville centered around my trip up here with my running companion Coco (Read: 2013 Downieville Sabbatical – “just us two dogs”) (See: Downieville Antique Bottle Show Dinner Party). This second post deals with a side trip that Jerry Forbes, Steve Bird, Coco and myself took this past Sunday to Goodyears Bar.

The Goodyear boys built a sturdy cabin and before long the rich deposits attracted a number of miners to their camp, which was given the name Goodyears Bar in honor of its founders.

GoodyearsBarHotel

Goodyears Bar Hotel, around 1891

Goodyears Bar in this case, does not mean a bar as in a saloon, nor a bar as in gold bar. It means bar as in a shoal or sandbar. This would be a linear landform within or extending into a body of water, typically composed of sand, silt or small pebbles.

GoodyearsBarIllus

Early Goodyears Bar Illustration

According to Wikipedia, Goodyears Bar, known as Slaughter’s Bar before 1851, is a census-designated place in Sierra County, California. Goodyears Bar is located along the North Yuba River and California State Route 49, 3.25 miles west-southwest of Downieville. The post office opened in 1851. The 2010 United States Census reported that Goodyears Bar had a population of 68.

AckerlyAd

O. F. Ackerly advertisement. Established 1854

GoodyearsBar Advertising Cover

1880s Goodyears Bar advertising cover for National Horse Liniment at O.F. Ackerly – ebay

Goodyears Bar Town History

[from the California Gold Country]

The brothers Miles and Andrew Goodyear, along with a Dr. Vaughan and a Mr. Morrison, prospected here in the summer of 1849 and found gold enough for their liking to settle down at this crossing of the Yuba River. The Goodyear boys built a sturdy cabin and before long the rich deposits attracted a number of miners to their camp, which was given the name Goodyears Bar in honor of its founders.

Miles Goodyear, a native of Connecticut, had come west with a missionary party led by Dr. Marcus Whitman who was on his way to establish a mission along the Columbia River. After a falling out with the good doctor, Miles headed off into the wilderness and eventually settled down in Utah Territory, building a cabin of cottonwood logs in either 1844 or 1845 on the site of the future town of Ogden. When the Mormons arrived a couple of years later, Miles left and joined his brother in California and began prospecting. Shortly after settling down at Goodyears Bar, Miles took ill, and after lingering on for a few months, died on November 12 of 1849. Andrew wrapped his brother in a buffalo robe and buried him in an old rocker on a point opposite the bar, where he remained until his brother took his bones to Benicia, his final resting place.

Goodyears Creek was incredibly rich along its entire length, having been literally fed gold for thousands of years as it chewed through gold-bearing ledges and the beds of ancient rivers and streams.

Goodyears Creek was incredibly rich along its entire length, having been literally fed gold for thousands of years as it chewed through gold-bearing ledges and the beds of ancient rivers and streams. At one spot near the upper end of the bar, a group of men cleaned up $2,000 in gold from a single wheelbarrow of dirt. Finds such as this spurred the miners to prospect every bar on the river, resulting in some of the most interesting named camps in the Gold Country. Cut-Throat Bar, so named because a sick German cut his own throat there. Hoodoo Bar, named for the peculiar manner in which the local Indians said How-dye-do, Nigger Slide, St. Joe’s Bar, and Ranty Doodler Bar were all rich camps in the vicinity.

Cut-Throat Bar, so named because a sick German cut his own throat there. Hoodoo Bar, named for the peculiar manner in which the local Indians said How-dye-do, Nigger Slide, St. Joe’s Bar, and Ranty Doodler Bar were all rich camps in the vicinity.

The camp suffered great hardships during the winter of 1849/50 as snowfalls came earlier and in greater depths than usual. Food became terribly scarce as supply trains could no longer reach the town. When parties from the outlying camps came in with the hopes of purchasing supplies, they found what little there was to buy food, tools, or blankets sold for the same price: $4 a pound. Many left for lower ground to wait out the winter. Some of those who remained were forced to dine on beef bones from a dead animal found lying on the bar before supplies finally arrived.

Good fortune returned to the bar with the arrival of spring. In fact, the area grew so rapidly between the years of 1850 and 1852 that the claims staked along the Yuba, Goodyears Creek, Woodruff and Rock creeks formed an unbroken chain which rivaled Downieville in importance. Goodyears Bar had all the trappings of civilization; express office, saloons, stores, hotels, bakeries, restaurants, churches, and many cabins and dwellings. The post office was established on October 7 of 1851, with Mr. Woodruff as the first Postmaster and by 1852 the camp polled more than six hundred votes. Mining was being carried on extensively, mostly with flumes erected to divert the waters of the Yuba so the rich bed could be worked thoroughly.

The towns first school was a private one begun in 1856 with a Mrs. Massey as the first teacher. The money needed for the erection of the schoolhouse and for the teachers salary came from donations made by the townsfolk. If additional monies were needed for books or furnishings, a fund raiser would be held, generally raising the amount needed.

With a good number of kids in town, it is no wonder there were also a bunch of dogs. In fact, there were apparently too many dogs at one time, for early in the town is history the following notice was posted:

NOTICE TO DOGS

All dogs within the limits of Goodyears Bar will please take notice, that by the laws of said town, you are required to call immediately to the marshalls office and obtain a tag. On and after four days all dogs found within said limits without a tag will be impounded at their own expense, and after imprisonment for three days will be shot until they are dead.

Records fail to show if the dogs heeded the notice.

Nothing much from the mining days remains in Goodyears Bar, but the beautiful setting of this historic gold camp more than makes up for any lack of Gold Rush remains. Situated at an elevation of 2,700 feet, the town rests on a small flat on the south side of the Yuba River, almost upon the abandoned diggings themselves. Towering mountains surround the old river camp Saddle Back, Monte Cristo, Fur Cap, Grizzly Peak, and others cloaked with a thick green mantle of pines, oaks, maple and dogwood, except for spots where the granite rock of the Sierra remains uncovered.

Read More: Sierra County History Goodyears Bar

GOODYEARS BAR

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Goodyears Bar Bridge at North Fork Yuba River

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Goodyears Bar Schoolhouse

GoodyearSign

Historical sign for Goodyears Bar School and Community Hall – Built in 1862

GoodyearPlaque

Goodyears Bar Schoolhouse Commerative Plaque

GoodyearMuseumYard

Schoolhouse yard is now a museum of mining relics

GoodyearSluce

Another picture of the schoolhouse yard. Look at the bark tee-pee.

GoodyearWaterCanons

Water canons for blasting the mountains to loosen the soil.

GoodyearWheel

Early Pelton Wheel

GoodyearCart

Loaded mining car

GoodyearChimes

Nice wine glass wind chimes on a abandoned house.

GOODYEARS BAR DIG

While we were looking around Goodyears Bar, Jerry and Steve remembered an old town dump that they had discovered during a previous outing. It happens that the dump is over two abandoned and closed off mines, one being a Chinese mine due to the labor used. It seemes that the path far above the mines was a great spot to throw trash. So here you have about 160 years or more of trash.

The claim holder for the area and his black dog (fun for Coco) joined us and helped dig bottles. He seemed to know a lot about the history of the mines. He said most bottles have already been picked over the years. According to this fellow, we are talking tens of thousands of bottles if you can believe him. As we climbed up the hill, you could see a ledge with bottles beneath in the dirt. The rocks and debris field was littered with sharp glass.

After a dangerous climb up the hill, Jerry and the claim fellow were puling a bottle every thirty seconds or so. Unfortunately, most of these bottles were 1930’s era though wee a few corkers. I can only imaging what is beneath or what was pulled before. The amount of broken glass and plates is staggering.

Here are a few pictures I took.

GoodyearChineseMine

The Chinese mine entrance, long since closed off. Jerry Forbes pokes around.

GoodyearWorkingLedge

The dangerous ledge. Dozens of bottles underneath the overhang. The mine entrances are down hill.

GoodyearCloseLedge

Closer-up shot of the ledge. The plastic bin is full of newly uncovered bottles.

GoodyearJerryCave

Searching for bottles beneath the overhang ledge in the dump.

GoodyearJerryHill2

The lower dump debris field had lots of old plates and glass shards. Some looked rather old.

GoodyearRakeBottle

Honing in on a bottle. I kept thinking the ledge would cave in.

GoodyearDirtLedge

Lots and lots of glass pieces. We did not have gloves. Problem!

GoodyearMysteryOwner

Mystery claim holder joins the hunt.

GoodyearBottles

A few of our finds.

GoodyearVial

Jerry found this cool vial, probably worn around the neck with a perfume.

GoodyearCoco

Coco played the whole time. I had to keep her away from all the broken glass.

GoodyearBlackDog

The black dog. Kept Coco occupied.

Posted in Digging and Finding, History, Museums, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2013 Downieville Sabbatical – “just us two dogs”

Posted on 16 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

DownievilleValley

2013 Downieville Sabbatical

“just us two dogs”

16 September 2013 | Part 1

HoustonToDownieville

Apple-Touch-IconAAs some of you might know, I decided to take a long weekend, actually a week off sabbatical, to visit the historic town of Downieville, California with my Weimeraner, Coco. You know, a sabbatical is a “break from work” and I just kinda’ needed it. Elizabeth has all her horse events, our five other dogs and the junior pops this weekend so it just did not work out for her. It has also been a long, hot summer in Houston and I wanted to be “one with nature” as someone wise, maybe Confucious, once said. Downieville was just what the spiritual bottle Doc ordered as it is such an incredible, unspoiled place.

The trip was centered around the Downieville Antique Bottle Show and the wonderful dinner and wine tasting event the night before put on by Rick and Cherry Simi and their friends. You can’t beat that.

Downieville2013sign

I have been here twice before and really enjoyed running through the various mountain trails and dreamed of doing it with Coco. She has trained with me for my last marathon and loves to run, as I do. She is my constant running companion. That is Coco exploring in the brush along one of the mountain paths. So far we have had six super runs along different mountain trails.

CocoDV1

CocoPath

A couple of weeks ago, I finally took the leap, bought a dog crate for shipping, took Coco to the vet, and re-learned about flying with a dog cross country. This was only my second dog trip and first for Coco. Obviously both of us taking one of Elizabeth’s horses would take too long.

DogtoDownieville

As I write this, we are here now at the River House and my roommates (Jerry Forbes and Steve Bird) have moved on and it is just us two dogs until Thursday. This house over looks two rivers merging together to make one. That would be the confluence of the Downie and North Yuba Rivers. You constantly hear the rushing water as we keep our windows open with the weather so nice. I was even cold this morning during our run. You also can watch swimmers, trout fisherman and gold panners from our porch. The second picture below is Dave Hall and his wife trying some luck. The top picture was taken from the middle of the one-lane bridge next to our house. One time Coco jumped in the water and gave me her dog, “what the f***!” look, as the mountain water is freezing. She is used to jumping in the warmer Houston bayous.

DownievilleRivers

DSC02438

While we are at the house, we typically take our bottles out and set them on the porch railing which makes a great shot. Here you can see a few of Jerry’s including three US Hospital Dept bottles. One night, Jerry even made a spaghetti dinner for us including guests, Pam, Randy and Scott Selenak. The whole time, we had bottle friends stopping by for a glass of wine, bottle talk and picture taking.

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SpaghettiDinner

TsaSingDownieville

OldSachemDownieville

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I forgot to mention that Coco and I could not find a direct flight to Reno so we flew in to Sacramento and secured our rental car for the trip through the mountains to Downieville. On our way, we had the opportunity to stop by and see Jeff Wichmann and Chi Chi at American Bottle Auctions as they had moved recently and I had not seen their new shop. I did see these great forms below, all highly prized by Jeff. Coco seemed ‘undazzled’ by some of Jeff’s toys and just took a nap in Jeff’s bottle room.

3BarrelsJeff

JeffsCar

CocoatJeffs

On our third outing, on the Saturday morning before the show, Scott Selenak joined us for a run on a trail that we had not been on before. We even found an old abandoned gold mine that Scott said had been shown to him the year before. Scott actually found three old bottles deep in the mine.

ScottMine

The night before, as mentioned above, we all attended the dinner and wine tasting at the Simi’s. Here are a few shots that exclude the event which I hope to cover later when Scott’s pictures come in. Scott is the FOHBC photographer and like any good photographer, always has his camera.

The top picture is the bottle cake, while the others are the ‘saloon’ next to their house and a few of us jawing.

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SimiBarExt

SimiBar

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Stay tuned for:

Part 2: Downieville – Goodyears Bar Excursion

Part 3: Downieville Antique Bottle Show Dinner Party Pictures

Posted in Advice, Bottle Shows, Collectors & Collections, Digging and Finding, History, Humor - Lighter Side, News, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters – New York

Posted on 16 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters 

New York

16 September 2013 (R•21 Sep 2013) (R•01Oct13) (R•050914) (R•021815)

Apple-Touch-IconAI was able to pick up a ‘peachie puce’ (how do you like that for a color description?) Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters at the Downieville Bottle Show this past Saturday to add to my three other examples in yellow, green and strawberry puce. This whittled example (pictured above left) has an extraordinary peach coloration when held in front of a light. I will try to capture this color when I return to Houston.

The little bee sucks the flower,
The big bee gets the honey,
The poor man does the work,
The smart man gets the money.

Try Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters.

Trade Card

I have mentioned the Russ name before (Read: Russ’ Stomach Bitters – A New York Lady’s Leg) as I wanted to try to tie together a number of Russ names on bottles. Well, I think I may have found out who Russ was and linked the brands together.

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

R125drawing

R 125  RUSS’ ST. DOMINGO BITTERS
RUSS’ / ST. DOMINGO / BITTERS // sp // NEW YORK // f //
St. Domingo Manufacturing Co. 34 Dey Street New York
9 7/8 x 2 3/4 (7 1/2) 3/8
Square, LTC, Applied mouth, 3 sp, Amber – Common; Puce, Yellow
and Green – Rare

ShaferBottles

It was nice to see that Frank Wicker over at BottlePickers.com had found an advertisement putting a J. Calvin Shafer (also represented as “I. Calvin Shafer” which most likely is correct) as Proprietor and Manufacturer of the Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters. This was new information to me that allowed an expanded search for information. It appears now that Shafer had a major business selling fruit syrups, cordials, bitters, brandies etc. He even won an award for his Raspberry Syrup which was “Commended for good taste, fine fruit flavor; is one of the choicest syrups” by the United States Centennial Commission in 1876.

The Shafer products were also represented by the well known, Weeks & Potter in Boston, Massachusetts as you can see by the advertisements at the bottom of this post.

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1876 J. Calvin Shafer advertisement, Proprietor and Manufacturer of Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters – ad from BottlePickers.com

Further searching finds this 1874 New York Directory advertisement below which lists a John A. Russ, Jr. as the President of Shafer Manufacturing Co., J. Calvin Shafer is listed as secretary and treasurer. In 1875, Shafer is listed as President without mention of John A. Russ. Without a doubt, this would be the “Russ” of Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters. Note that Shafer Manufacturing Co., was a successor to P. Gordon & Russ & Co.

John A. Russ Jr. is listed as a liquor merchant in New York City as early as 1857 at 42 Water Street and 94 Pearl Street in 1859. Russ & Co. shows up as importers as early as 1861. John A. Russ is also listed as a clerk as early as 1853.

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Listing for John A. Russ jr., liquors, 42 Water – 1857 Trow’s NYC Directory

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Listing for John A. Russ jr., liquors, 94 Pearl – 1859 NYC Directory

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Very early Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters advertisement along with other Russ products – The Wilmington (NC) Herald, 23 December 1865

What we have done now is link John A. Russ at 94 Pearl Street to the Russ & Hinman letterhead below (from Bitters Bottles Supplement), also 94 Pearl Street. This letterhead notes Russ’ Stomach Bitters and Aromatic Schnapps.

Russ&HinmanLetterhead

Letterhead: Bought of Russ & Hinman, No. 94 Pearl Street, New York, Sept 23, 1857, Also agents for Russ’ Improved Aromatic Schnapps and RUSS’ STOMACH BITTERS (for Steamer South America)

JohnARusswithShafer

1873 and 1874 New York Directory advertisement which lists a John A. Russ, Jr. as the President of Shafer Manufacturing Co.

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Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters Trade Card (boy) – Meyer Collection

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Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters Trade Card (girl) – Gourd Collection

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Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters in a medium yellow with olive tone – Meyer Collection

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Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters in a deep strawberry puce – Meyer Collection

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Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters in a bright yellow green – Meyer Collection

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Russ’ St. Domingo Bitters in a vivid grass green. Bottle acquired through Jim Hagenbach’s Auction in early 1990s. This bottle has a 60 year pedigree. 1960s & 70s Tip Boyd, Leavittsville, Ohio. Elvin Moody, Wellington, Ohio 70 & 80s. Chris Batdorf, Manastee, Michigan 80s. Howard Crowe, Gold Hill, NC., 90s until 2015. – Gary Beatty Collection

Weeks&PotterBuilding

I. Calvin Shafer products sold at Weeks & Potter, Boston Mass. (see advertisements below) – 1879

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I. Calvin Shafer advertisement – Revised Catalogue of Foreign and Domestic Drugs, selected Powders, fine Essential Oils, Waters and Extracts, chemical Reagents, pharmaceutical Preparations, wines and Liquors, etc – 1879

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I. Calvin Shafer advertisement – Revised Catalogue of Foreign and Domestic Drugs, selected Powders, fine Essential Oils, Waters and Extracts, chemical Reagents, pharmaceutical Preparations, wines and Liquors, etc – 1879

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I. Calvin Shafer advertisement – Revised Catalogue of Foreign and Domestic Drugs, selected Powders, fine Essential Oils, Waters and Extracts, chemical Reagents, pharmaceutical Preparations, wines and Liquors, etc – 1879

ShaferAd4

I. Calvin Shafer advertisement – Revised Catalogue of Foreign and Domestic Drugs, selected Powders, fine Essential Oils, Waters and Extracts, chemical Reagents, pharmaceutical Preparations, wines and Liquors, etc – 1879

ShaferCover

Advertising cover of I. Calvin Shafer, maker of fruit brandies, juices, syrups & cordials, 76 Cortlandt Street, New York. – ebay

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Cordial, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Schnapps, Syrup | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A few of us Bottle Collectors got together in Manchester

Posted on 15 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

A few of us Bottle Collectors got together in Manchester

by Brian P. Wolff

15 September 2013

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ManchesterDeclaration_Key

Posted in Art & Architecture, History, Humor - Lighter Side, News | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Determining bottle color standards with Peachridge 6-Log Drakes

Posted on 14 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

6LogDrakesStudy

Determining bottle color standards with Peachridge 6-Log Drakes

14 September 2013

MikeAtHouse

Apple-Touch-IconAMichael Seeliger (Brooklyn, Wisconsin) recently visited us at Peach Ridge where Mike took exacting color measurements of my 6-log Drakes Plantation Bitters run and various other bottles using a color spectrophotometer that he designed. The device, which is pictured below, is carefully lowered into each bottle and a color reading is taken. This is only after it has been carefully calibrated using pieces of stained glass.

The eventual goal will be to measure enough bottles to get a standard chart of bottle and glass colors. So down the road you might have the following for some of the greens. Two amber readings are also listed.

3138 – Teal Green

3646 – Forest Green

3845 – Grass Green

4146 – Citron Green

4547 – Moss Green

5344 – Light Amber

5544 – Amber

This is pretty exciting work as color is subjective and is seen differently by each person. Having a standard might help a person understand a bottle color before it is added to a collection. Of course nothing will ever replace seeing a bottle color with your own eyes under various lighting conditions. I believe Mike is headed to Jeff Burkhardts to do the same process with his wonderful Drakes.

Read More: Color Measurement – Latest from Michael Seeliger

ColorMsmtsPR

That is Mike on the right reading a color graph from a greenish Drakes in front of me on the left. We set up in a dark, back hallway to the laundry room as to not have any other natural light influence.

DrakesPRGNumbers

Arbitrary numbers were assigned to each 6-log Drakes for recording purposes.

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Chart showing the arbitrary bottle numbers and the ‘X’ ‘Y’ coordinates from the color spectrophotometer

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Reading for a yellow-green Drake’s Plantation Bitters

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Approximation of points on palette corresponding to Meyer collection of 6-log Drake’s Plantation Bitters

Posted in Bitters, Color, Color Runs, Figural Bottles, Technology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

C. T. Hughes & Co. Sauce Bottle – Where is it from?

Posted on 13 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

DigStory_CT_Hughes

C. T. Hughes & Co. Sauce Bottle

Where is it from?

13 September 2013

Apple-Touch-IconAThe other day we read about the dig with all of the pontiled bottles. Read: The One We Have Waited For, Privy Heaven!!!! The bottle that really caught my attention, not only because it was a nice photograph, was the C. T. HUGHES & CO. What a great shape for a sauce bottle. It reminded me of the Wells, Miller & Provost cathedral sauce bottles.

The information with the Privy Heaven post did not list a locale, city or even the diggers names. I can understand that. After looking at the pictures, I started blowing up the logos on the shirts and hats, looking at street signs and other clues that might give me some support info to aid in a search. Just searching C. T. Hughes & Co. was pulling up no leads. I started guessing Charleston, Memphis, Philadelphia and some of the other usual suspects. When I asked about information on the bottle on facebook I got a few hits:

“I had one of the Hughes like this that was embossed Cincinnati”- Joe Hardin

“That C.T. HUGHES peppersauce is probably the rarest bottle those guys dug, unlisted and I have never seen or heard of this one! I do have a C.T. HUGHES large cylinder pickle (missing top) that is also unlisted” – Dennis Rogers

“My understanding is that this was dug in Indiana and the food bottle may be from Cincinnatti, Ohio” – Andy Goldfrank

Andy even provided a link for the following listing:

CT_HughesListing

Listing for C. T. Hughes, & Co., Sketches and Statistics of Cincinnati in 1851 – Charles Cist

Once getting the Cincinnati information, the rest came together in rather short order. It looks as though Charles T. Hughes was only in business for one or two years after coming from a family grocery business.

Hughes & Glenn, grocers, s. s. 5th, b. Vine and Race, Cincinnati Directory 1849-50

Hughes Charles T. clk. e.s. Plum b. 4th and 5th, Cincinnati Directory 1849-50

Hughes Wm. P. (H. & Glenn) e.s. Plum b. 4th and 5th, Cincinnati Directory 1849-50, 1850-51

Glenn John G. (Huges & G), n. s. 4th. b. Lawrence and Pike, also 128 e. 4th, Cincinnati Directory 1849-50, 1850-51

C. T. Hughes, & Co. 1 Hopple’s Alley, put up pickles, preserves, sauces, catsups, and hermetically sealed articles, warranted to keep in all climates. Their customers are in every part of the south and south-west, Sketches and Statistics of Cincinnati in 1851

Pickles, Vinegar Maufacturers, Hughes Charles T. 1 and 4 Hopple’s alley, Cincinnati Directory 1851-52 

HUGHES CHARLES T, manuf. pickles, catsups, sauces, &c. 1 & 4 Hopples alley, h.e.s. Plum b. 4th & 5th, , Cincinnati Directory 1851-52

Hughes, C T, 166 Plum, Cincinnati Directory 1853

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Listing for Pickles – Charles T. Hughes – Cincinnati Directory 1851-52

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C. T. Hughes advertisement, Manufacturers and Wholesale Dealer in Pickles, Preserves, Pepper Sauce, Catsups, Pure Cider, Vinegar, &c. – Cincinnati Directory, 1851-52

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Charles T. Hughes listing – Cincinnati Directory, 1851-52

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Hughes & Glenn, grocers – Cincinnati Directory, 1849 – 50

Cincinnati 1853

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Lou Pellegrini Sauce Display – 2012 Reno Expo

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Posted in Digging and Finding, Facebook, History, Pepper Sauce, Pickle Jars, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Dowesburgh/Albany Glass House 1785-1815

Posted on 11 September 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

DowesburghHeader

The Dowesburgh | Albany Glass House

1785 – 1815

Part 4 of a Series

by Stephen Atkinson

11 September 2013

Leaving the town of Albany, New York, heading west on Route 20, you will arrive in Guilderland, about six miles west of Albany. Not much remains from the colonial era however, just after the Revolutionary War, Leenert De’Nuefville, who had raised a half million pounds towards the Colonists cause against England, was in need of cash again.

Leeenert was of Dutch origon and knew that the only way early villages could survive was to establish manufactories.

Leeenert was of Dutch origon and knew that the only way early villages could survive was to establish manufactories. Leenert was contacted by a Dutchman, Johannes Heefke, who earlier in the year of 1782, wrote John Adams the following letter from the archives of the Library of Congress in the Adams family papers:

Johannes Heefke to John Adams, Amsterdam, 7 June 1782

Distinguished Sir!

For a long time I have had an ardent and avid desire to be in North America, but never did my wish come true: for three long months it seemed as if I would be able to get there; I asked Mr. Willem Hooft (who knows me) whether this honorable gentleman might help me. This particular gentleman sent me to Mr. Jean de Neufville, who did not only allow me this favor graciously but also promised to help me once I got there. Nonetheless I had to wait two more months before a ship of this honorable gentleman left thereto. But alas! When the two months had gone by he notified me that he had neither ship nor opportunity to help me. So I pondered my problem and tried to think of a solution. In the meantime I found out that there is a gentleman here who has a considerable amount of vacant and uncultivated land in North America for sale, both in Canada and north of Albany on the river which leads to New York, but so far he has not sold anything yet. Part of these lands could well be used by glassblowers.

Sadly, I lack the means, for if I had them I would be able in a few years to turn thousands of acres of fallow land into fertile land. I have run a strong business in my country around Mecklenburg, but I had to discontinue it because of a lack of wood; I could run the most beautiful business if only I knew of a way to help my lack of means. Great minister, do not be angry with a man who begs you for a favor. I know that your excellency has a charitable disposition and that you like to make people happy; and I would be greatly helped by your mediation and distinction, and I would be one of the happiest people in the world; I would show that I would know how to get the most from such a piece of land. Thus your excellency would not have to be ashamed of your charity, but you would have nothing but pleasure from it. You can help me in the following way: by mediating, and through your distinction I would be able to pay off in the next few years the gentleman who has his land for sale. It will be good business for him, too. And he could give me a loan, which I would pay off the next two years with ease.

The piece of land by the big river that is cut through by a small river would be very suitable for such an enterprise. It amounts to 15,000 acres and would cost f12,000 plus the money that would be required for such an enterprise, which would amount to 7,000. Because I would need more than thirty glassblowers of whom the tools and transport would be the biggest burden. However, once they would get to work, they would be able to produce 1,000 to 1,200 cases of glass in four years. With the exception of the many thousands of bottles that would be counted as wages, I could in this way (if I charged 10 for every case) save 10,000, which I would use to pay off the land in four years. I would be such a happy man if I could do that! All because of your excellency! I do not need more than upwards of 2,000 florins in hand, and with this I can buy several pieces of decent land, which would be sincere proof of my honest and decent livelihood and existence.

The rest could, if you agree with this, be sent or be delivered by an emissary. The same person could henceforth inspect my enterprise. An honest man is not afraid of such inspections. Honorable great minister! Of a happy country! It would be easy for your honorable excellency to help me because you are a man with so much distinction (and you are a man who has been here twelve years and has wrestled with all imaginable adversity). I will not lack in vigilance. With good reason I can flatter myself that I know the economy and the particularities of the land and the cultivation of the land; in addition I understand the various arts. Once again, great minister, I beg you to make my wish come true. I will accept your decision with resignation. I am your humble servant. Please, your excellency, you can send me your decision in a few words. I beg you to forgive me for these liberties I took. Your excellency, In case your excellency honors me with a letter, my address is in care of widow Altinaa at the Achter Burchwal at the Emder or Frisian post office.

Your humble servant,
Jan Heefke

No help from John Adams was forth coming, however this did not stop the plan to establish a glasshouse. In May 1785, Heefke and his partner Ferdinand Walfahrt signed a contract on May 12th, 1785 with Leendert de Neufville, Jean de Neufville’s son, to establish a glasshouse at Dowesburgh (now Guilderland), New York, about eight miles from Albany.

The glass house was located near the banks of the Hungerskill River just south of the stage road leading eastward towards Albany.

Experienced glass workmen had been brought from Germany, and the building of the new factory had begun in the winter of 1786. The glass house was located near the banks of the Hungerskill River just south of the stage road leading eastward towards Albany. Heefke named these early works the Dowesburgh Glass House. The blowing of glass commensed in the spring of 1786 as the glass blowers from the Palatinate region from Germany began to produce glass. They made hollow ware (utility bottles) but the main output was window glass. Guilderland, in the mid 1700’s, was still a wilderness and was chosen for glass-making rather than a location nearer to Albany, where civilization and transportation were close at hand. The reason is quite simple, for the present town of Guilderland had all the raw material necessary for the manufacture of glass along with the necessary wood for the furnaces and potash for the making of the glass. Waterpower from the Hungerskill, and an abundant supply of sandy soil were all the ingredients needed for this venture.

The aerial photo below from Google earth shows the exact location of the colonial glass works in present day Guilderland, New York, just 8 miles west of Albany New York.

DowesburghGlassHouseAerial

Site of the 1785 Glass House of Dowesburgh located at the Hungerskill River and Foundry Road.

The works survived for two years but soon Heefke and his partner Walfahrt were running out of capital to run the factory. They along with de’Nuefville, appealed to the State of New York for 30,000 pounds in order to keep the glass works going. Their initial appeal was rejected by the state. However, in 1789, Leenert de Neufville again solicited the legislature for funds, and on March 3, 1789, both the Senate and the Assembly granted him a loan of 1,500 pounds to carry on the glass works. As was the case with so many glass houses before them, they soon began to experience additional monetary problems and in 1791, the glass works were bankrupt and out of business. Leenert de Neufville ultimately became depressed and abandoned his interests in the glass works. He died in 1796 in Albany, leaving his widow destitute.

as the state of New York realized it was very important to have this manufactory located near the capitol city

This was not the end of the venture as the state of New York realized it was very important to have this manufactory located near the capitol city and soon a company was formed. In 1793, a petition for state aid for the Glass House was submitted in the name of McClallen, McGregor & Company and the principals were James Caldwell and Christopher Batterman, later Sheriff Batterman of Anti-Rent War fame. The State granted a loan of 3,000 pounds for eight years; three interest free, and five years at five percent. In the year 1795, the Glass House was twice reorganized, first as McGregor & Co., and then as Thomas Mather & Co.

Below is an advertisement from the June 1st 1793 edition of The United States Gazette Newspaper out of Philadelphia from my collection.

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AlbanyGlassHouseArticle

I am sure that Demijohns like the ones pictured below, were made at this factory.

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In 1796, the state Legislature passed an act that exempted the company and the workers from all taxes for five years as encouragement for consolidating the glass works into a permanent manufacturing town. It was named Hamilton, in honor of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasurer, who was influential in obtaining a $3,000 grant for the widow de Neufville. In 1797, the company was again reorganized under the name of of the Hamilton Manufacturing Society. The directors of this new company were the following gentleman; Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, John Sanders, Abraham Staats, and Thomas Mather of future Connecticut glass house fame.

By 1813, the glass works were producing 500,000 feet of window glass annually, along with utility bottles and demijohns.

The glass works were run successfully for 17 years by this firm which changed from time to time. By 1813, the glass works were producing 500,000 feet of window glass annually, along with utility bottles and demijohns. The factory employed over 50 workers, whom were living in company houses, of which two can be seen today along Route 20, then known as the Great Western Turnpike. Company housing was typical of the times when people lived as close to work as possible. In addition to the company housing, the glass works also operated a company store, where all necessities, such as food and clothing, were purchased at a premium price with company script. In 1815, due to the lack of wood which had been depleted and the sand deposits which were running out, glass-making in Guilderland factory had ceased.

The success of these glass works inspired glass making throughout the State of New York

Glass fragments found in the Hungerskill stream show that the color of glass that was being produced at the factory was dark green for hollow ware but pale green in color for the flat crown window glass which was also found in abundance. The type of glassware and bottles made here was very utilitarian in nature but I am sure offhand pieces were also made at these works just as they were at others before and after them. Window glass was the mainstay of production as their glass was shipped away as far as Baltimore to the south and all of New England to the East and North. These glass works were the last of the 18th century incorporated manufactories in the State of New York. The success of these glass works inspired glass making throughout the State of New York and the nineteenth century would see over 30 additional glass works constructed in all regions of the state.

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About Stephen Atkinson

Stephen Atkinson, from Sewell, New Jersey has been collecting bottles and glass since he was 12 years old. He once dug an original EG Booz figural cabin bottle on Norris Street in Mantua, New Jersey in 1972 at 12 years old and traded it for six bitters bottles. Fast forward to 2012 and Stephen bought the exact bottle back at an estate auction in New Jersey!

His passion is for pre-1880 glass, as the majority of his collection consists of historical flasks, colonial era chestnut bottles, and whimsical end of day pieces of glass. He also has three rare T.W. Dyott bottles, an original Dr. Robertson’s family medicine; one of the rarest collectable American bottles, a T.W. Dyott vial bottle dug by Chris Rowell and a paper labeled T.W. Dyott bottle. He has researched many southern New Jersey glass works first hand by locating the original factory sites. The best piece in his collection is the Wistarburgh Glass Company ledger showing monies paid out to Caspar Wistar’s Children and their husbands and wives.

Read more Stephen Atkinson articles in this series:

The New York State Glass Factories | Preface to a Series

Newburgh (Glass House Co.) 1751-1759 | Part 1

Brooklyn (Glass House Co.) 1754-1758 | Part 2

Glass House Farm (Glass House Co) 1758-1772 | Part 3

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