Xavier Bazin, Steam Fancy Soap Works and Perfumery

Posted on 30 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

X Bazin flint glass1

Hello Ferdinand:

Have enclosed some pictures of an interesting bottle that I dug in St. Louis. I dug this large flint glass pictured hair bottle from a pontiled era privy. It is a large bottle 8 1/2″ tall and 4″ wide. It is embossed – X. BAZIN – and below the picture it is embossed – PHILADa. The sides of the bottle has five fancy ribs on each side. The bottle is not pontiled but it appears to be made in the 1850’s as all the other bottles were pontiled. I have never seen a bottle quite like this. I wonder if you are any of your fellow collectors have?

Tom Feltman

X Bazin flint glass2

Apple-Touch-IconAWhat an interesting bottle and name. A little researching online reveals some pretty amazing material. To me this looks like a pretty fancy perfume or hair bottle. Let’s hear what our readers think. First a little on Xavier Bazin.

Xavier Bazin, Steam Fancy Soap Works and Perfumery 

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V & Tom Feltman
X_BazinFacade

Xavier Bazin Manufacturer & Importer of Perfumery Store, 318 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA. – Philadelphia Architects and Buildings

Xavier Bazin established a soap and perfumery business in Philadelphia sometime before 1850. Bazin initially served as the lab director for perfumer Eugene Roussel from circa 1840 to circa 1849 when he assumed proprietorship of the business. Eugene Roussel came to Philadelphia in 1838. He immediatly set up a perfumery where he made fancy soaps and stuff and had a mineral water fountain there too. Bazin bought the perfumery business from Roussel because Roussel wanted to focus on his mineral water venture. Bazin continued to use Roussel’s name until circa 1853. The Bazin family owned the business until 1884.

By 1857, Bazin had moved to a new address at 17 S. 5th Street. There he continued to very successful with his Perfumeries, especially his Shaving Creams. These Bazin products were put up in ornately decorated pots, the lids of which are very valuable to collectors now.

He manufactured X. Bazin’s Celebrated Toilet Soaps, Shaving Creams, Bandoline, Philocome Pomade, Toilet Waters, Cosmetics, Bulk Extracts, Cologne, etc. He was the sole proprietor until the mid 1870s when his sons joined the business. In 1875, he formed a partnership with Robert O. Kilduffe, forming X. Bazin & Co. In 1877, Hall and Ruckel of New York became sole agents for his products.

One of Bazin’s products, Egyptian Hair Dye, also known as Egyptian Hair Coloring was for sale in the 1872 John F. Henry catalog, and later in the 1885 McKesson & Robbins catalog. Cristiani listed the formula for “Egyptian Hair Dye” as 2 ounces of fresh slaked lime, 1 ounce of litharge, 1 ounce of carbonate of lead, 1/2 ounce of hydrated oxide of bismuth, and 1 pint of distilled water. He said the ingredients were well mixed, then allowed to stand for a while, and finally the larger portion of the water was poured off.  In 1856, Bazin advertised Eau Lustrale, Egyptian Hair Dye, pomades, hair oils, etc. (View ad) In 1880, Bazin advertised the following hair products: Philocome, Pomatum, Hair Oils, Eau Lustrale, Hair Dye. [above paragraph Hair Raising Stories]

Bazin_Rousselspremiumperfumery

Roussel’s premium perfumery: Manufactured by X. Bazin, successor to E. Roussel. Philadelphia. / C. Schuessele delt. Advertisement containing advertising text surrounded by an ornate flowery border. Border includes garlands of flowers in which classical female figures, an eagle, and wingless cherubs are intertwined. The female figures are partially clad in Roman garb and one represents a messenger through the embellishments of wings and a trumpet. The cherubs hold tubes of cream and ribbons adorned with the medallions of the “seven silver and two gold medals awarded by the institutes of Philadelphia New York and Boston.” The eagle holds a medallion in his beak. Also contains four images of medals in the corners. Bazin served as the lab director for perfumer Eugene Roussel from circa 1840 to circa 1849 when he assumed proprietorship of the business. Bazin continued to use Roussel’s name until circa 1853. The Bazin family owned the business until 1884. – ca 1850 – Historical Society of Pennsylvania

X. Bazinworks

X. Bazin, Steam Fancy Soap Works and Perfumery, 917 Cherry Street, Philadelphia. Advertisement depicting the manufactory and laboratory complex. Also shows crates lining the sidewalks and street and pedestrian traffic, including a horse-drawn wagon hauling crates and departing the complex. Bazin served as the lab director for perfumer Eugene Roussel from circa 1840 to circa 1849 when he assumed proprietorship of the business. Bazin continued to use Roussel’s name until circa 1853. The Bazin family owned the business until 1884. – ca 1870 – Library Company of Philadelphia Print Dept.

X_BazinPerfumebottle

Clear, hand blown, square perfume bottle standing right about 2.5 inches tall. Embossed X. BAZIN PERFUMER PHILADA. – AntiqueBottleShop.com

XBazinEssays

The X. Bazin stamp and essays defy easy categorization – dies were prepared in three values 1¢, 2¢, and 3¢. Read More

BAZIN_1856Ad

Bazin’s Celebrated Premium Perfumery advertisement from Saturday Evening Post – 1865

Bazin, XavierAd

1850 Xavier Bazin advertisement – City Directories for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Posted in Cologne, Ephemera, Hair Tonics, History, Mineral Water, Perfume, Pot Lids, Soda Water, Tax Stamps | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I was a very close friend of Tommy Mitchiner

Posted on 30 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
TommyMitchinerDigging

Picture that Mike Newman took, at least 15 years ago in Augusta, with Tommy down in a bricklined privy while being observed by the late Stanley Gwinnett.

I was a very close friend of Tommy Mitchiner

30 August 2013 | By Mike Newman

MikeNewmanI was a very close friend of Tommy Mitchiner, as our relationship went back 32 years. I was just a newlywed with no money when we met in 1981, but Tommy started selling me colored sodas on credit. I sent him $25 a week for several years, and still have all the notes and letters that we exchanged. He would often copy pictures of his current Savannah digging exploits, and include them with the letters. We have shovel dug privies and back-hoed dumpsites together in Augusta on several occasions, but his passion was for Savannah and his close bottle digging buddies there – Gene Autry, Mike Brewer, the late Stanley Gwinnett, Ken Nease, the late John Davis, and others that I regretfully cannot currently recall.

Read: Rare Hutchinson’s enthuse Georgia collector

TommyMitchiner

Tommy Mitchiner with only a small part of his fabulous collection.

Tommy had been sick for several years, with ailments including autoimmune disease, sores that would not heal, Staph infection, a number of small heart attacks, and more. He nearly lost his leg on several occasions, something that had happened to his father shortly before his own death. Hospice was eventually brought in several weeks ago, and I have been able to spend several days with him since that time. Instead of worrying about himself, he focused on cleaning bottles for others and selling some of his collection to financially assist his wife Sherry, and son Ryan. He was actually excited because he could finally smoke without having to hide the fact from others.

As a Christian believer, I had wondered about Tommy’s salvation but never been bold enough to discuss it with him (shame on me). Several months ago while Tommy was in the hospital with what the physicians had diagnosed as Sepsis, I went down for a visit determined to cross that bridge. We had a blast that day reminiscing about old time digging and I even read him some of the early letters that we had exchanged. He wasn’t expected to survive this illness, so Sherry left the room to allow us to speak on a very personal level. I asked him if he was confident in where he was going after death, and he said that he wasn’t sure. Wondering why, I asked if he believed fully in his heart and soul that Jesus Christ was his Lord and Savior. He said that he surely did, and even quoted me some scripture. I asked why then was he unsure, and he said because he had occasional periods of extreme and spoken anger towards God. I told him that God was an understanding and forgiving God that surely understood his frustration at his suffering in recent years. He said that he always was remorseful after these outbursts and asked forgiveness. I then reassured him that he was indeed saved and should have confidence and faith in that fact. My point in the above comments is not for any self glory, but to let you be assured that Tommy is now at peace in heaven. And, to also ask anyone in a similar position to spread the good word to take that bold step even if uncomfortable.

My last visit with Tommy was the day before his passing. He had been heavily sedated for several days, but the drugs had worn off due to his his liver shutting down and the tolerance that his system had built up over years of pain medication. I hated to see him in so much pain, but selfishly like the fact that I could have some sort of final dialog with him (me speaking and him responding with a head nod or shake and occasional smile). When you see someone you love hurting, all “manly” instincts are gone and you are comfortable in massaging their shoulder or leg, helping a hospice nurse with changing clothes, even a kiss to the forehead. Sherry and Ryan later told Tommy that they were going to be ok, and gave him “permission” to go to his Lord. He unselfishly chose to do that the next day after they announced that they would be leaving for awhile. What we now know is that Tommy had confided to a social worker with Hospice that he loved Sherry and Ryan too much for them to have to witness his passing. You can imagine this sacrificial decision, as it is certainly human nature to want to have your loved ones comforting you until the very end.

I believe that visitation for Tommy will be from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Saturday, August 31 at:

Williams-White Columns Funeral Home
179 Milledgeville Road
Gordon, Georgia 31031
478.628.2200
Fax: 478.628.3435
E-mail: wcfh2@alltel.net

The funeral service will begin at 2:00 pm on Sunday, September 1st at:

First Baptist Church
101 Elam Street
Gordon, Georgia 31031

I will not attend the visitation, but will be at the funeral service. Please verify these places and addresses as I am not 100% sure that they are accurate.

Posted in Collectors & Collections, Digging and Finding, News, Soda Water | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters – Constantly on Draught at The Gem Saloon

Posted on 30 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
Prindles Texas Tonic Bitters - The Daily Mercury Houston Tex - Feb 24 1874

Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters advertisement – The Daily Mercury Houston, Texas – February 24, 1874

Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters

Constantly on Draught at The Gem Saloon

I want to be a Texan,
And with the Texans stand,
A spur upon our boot heel –
Prindle’s Bitters in our hand!

Ferdinand Meyer V & Jame Viguerie

30 August 2013

Apple-Touch-IconAThe Prindle’s is the second Texas Tonic Bitters that James Viguerie has uncovered recently while looking for information on Price’s Patent Texas Tonic. The first was the Texas Tonic Bitters, prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote. It looks like T. J. Prindle brought some experience with him from Kentucky and had saloons in Houston and Fort Worth. He had a partner named Oscar F. Holmes. Here is James incoming e-mail:

Ferd,

Here is information about another Texas Tonic I came across. This one was called Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters. I have no idea if it was related to the earlier Texas Tonic. Hopefully they had this one bottled. It does say for sale wholesale and retail as well as being constantly on draught at the Gem Saloon. It looks like T. J. Prindle was in business with Oscar F. Holmes in Houston.

Some interesting background on Holmes and Prindle.

Aunt Mollie (your grandmother) when asked what her husband did for a living would smile and say he was a ‘speculator’. He was all of that because he and Tom Prindle speculated her father Hiram right out of a good deal of money to put in saloons and gambling houses here in Houston, Someone recently told me the story of Aunt Mollie sending one of her visitng nieces down to the saloon each day at noon to get a pitcher of beer for the noonday meal. She must have been quite a character”

One of the Holmes children was name “Oscar Prindle HOLMES”

Find a Grave: T. J. Prindle

Find a Grave: Oscar F. Holmes

It looks like there is more online about both Holmes and Prindle.

James

Bill Ham, author of Bitters Bottles with Carlyn Ring, has assigned the following number:

Advertisement

P  145.5  PRINDLE’S TEXAS TONIC BITTERS

The Gem Saloon, Congress Street, near the post office, Houston, Texas. Also had Saloon in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Daily Mercury, Houston Texas, November 30, 1873 and February 24, 1874 

Prindles texas Tonic Bitters - Houston Daily Mercury - Houston Tex - Nov 30 1873

Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters advertisement – Houston Daily Mercury – Houston, Texas – November 30, 1873

T J Prindle Restaurant - Tri-Weekly Telegraph - Houston Tex - Feb 28 1866

T. J. Prindle Exchange Restaurant advertisement – Tri-Weekly Telegraph – Houston, Texas – February 28, 1866

T J Prindle Westlake and co Restaurant - Tri-Weekly Telegraph - Houston Tex - Dec 13 1865

T. J. Prindle, Westlake & Co., Exchange Restaurant advertisement – Tri-Weekly Telegraph – Houston, Texas – December 13, 1865

Homes&Prindle2

Reference to Holmes & Prindle – Houston Daily Mercury – Houston, Texas – November 30, 1873

Thomas J. Prindle

Born: March, 1849, Kentucky

Died: March 8, 1914, Texas (Hollywood Cemetery, 3506 N. Main), There is no marker for T. J. Prindle.

Confederate Service: Prindle, Thomas J., Jr. 2nd lieutenant, Madison’s Cavalry (Third Regiment, Arizona Brigade; Phillips’ Regiment)

ThomasJPrindleCalvary

Thomas J. Prindle – Madison’s Cavalry (Third Regiment, Arizona Brigade; Phillips’ Regiment)

PrindleDischarge

Madison’s Cavalry (Third Regiment, Arizona Brigade; Phillips’ Regiment) Thomas J. Prindle Disharge Paper due to illness – 1863

Oscar F. Holmes

Born: August 24, 1832 (1831 see below), Herkimer County, New York

Died: October 4, 1881, Willis, Montgomery County, Texas

Note: A Family Bible lists Oscar’s year of birth as 1831. Also in a handmade book of the Homes Family, and believed to be the writing of Sarah Holmes Butler, Oscar’s birth date is listed as August 27, 1831. His tombstone lists 1832. Death: 4 October 1881 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas. Burial: Willis Cemetery, Willis, Montgomery County, Texas. Marker: “Oscar F. Holmes, August 24, 1832 – October 4, 1881.”

Military 25 October 1862 San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The records show that Oscar Holmes served as a private in Company E, (Captain Hall’s Company), Madison’s (also known as Phillips’) Regiment Texas Cavalry, Confederate States Army. He was enlisted October 25, 1862 at San Antonio, Texas and on the muster roll of the company dated December 31, 1862, the last roll on file. He was reported absent with leave from December 24, 1862. No later record of him has been found. His wife, Mary Emily Holmes, filed for a widow’s pension on November 18, 1914. Information from the Adjutant General’s Office of the War Department, May 28, 1914.

Census Residences: Hot Springs, Arkansas 1878. Shown as place of residence in his father’s will. 1880 Union, Garland County, Arkansas. District 72, Page 10. Surname is spelled “Holms” in this census. 1870 Schroeppel Township, Oswego County, New York. Shows to be living with his parents in this census, with occupation as
a cotton buyer. 1850 Danube, Herkimer County, New York

Father: Ezra HOLMES b: 30 July 1791 in Quaker Hill, Dutchess County, New York

Mother: Sally WILCOX b: 11 November 1792 in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island

Marriage: Mary Emily “Mollie” LITTLE, b: 22 December 1850 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas. Married: 7 December 1871 in Houston, Harris County, Texas

Note: At the residence of  T. J. Prindle, Esq. by Rev. Mr. Zealy. (From the Herkimer Democrat; January 10, 1872, Danube, New York). O. F. Holmes – formerly of Danube (New York) this county & Miss Mary E. Little of Houston, Texas.

Children: Oscar Prindle HOLMES b: 3 February 1873 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas, William Fritzallen HOLMES b: 16 November 1876 in Willis, Montgomery County, Texas, Lula HOLMES b: 26 May 1878

Clippings

Fort Worth, Texas – During the 1860s Fort Worth suffered from the effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction. The population dropped as low as 175, and money, food, and supply shortages burdened the residents. Gradually, however, the town began to revive. By 1872 Jacob Samuels, William Jesse Boaz, and William Henry Davis had opened general stores. The next year Khleber M. Van Zandt established Tidball, Van Zandt, and Company, which became Fort Worth National Bank in 1884. Barrooms such as Tom Prindle’s Saloon and Steele’s Tavern welcomed many travelers. – Texas State Historical association.

NEARING MATURITY 1874-1890 89 – Houston gentlemen amused themselves that summer by playing billiards at the hall of Messrs. Prindle and Holmes, sculling on the bayou in the new paired-oar boat of the Andax Rowing Club, or drilling with the Light Guards. Women joined the Dramatic Club, read and discussed Mark Twain s new novel, The Gilded Age, and quoted couplets from the pen of Nettie Bowers Houston, Texas poet.

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

Texas Tonic Bitters, prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote

Posted on 30 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
GAFootePortrait

Dr. Gerard Alexander “G A” Foote (Courtesy of Brian Gerard Foote)

Texas Tonic Bitters

prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote

McKinney, Texas

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V & James Viguerie

Mr. H. C. HERNDON, of the firm of FOOTE & HERNDON, druggists of this place, has presented us with a bottle of Texas Tonic Bitters

Apple-Touch-IconAWith continued research by James Viguerie on Price’s Patent Texas Tonic we now have another reference to a different Texas Tonic Bitters by Dr. G. A. Foote. It is quite odd that in various historical documents that G.A. is referred to as George, Gerald or Gerard. I believe ‘Gerard’ is correct. James has also come across material for a Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters. We will look at that later.

Bill Ham, author of Bitters Bottles with Carlyn Ring, has assigned the following number:

T 14.7  TEXAS TONIC BITTERS, Prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote, McKinney, Texas

Death notice in Collin County Democrat, July 24, 1902

Ferd,

Here is another Texas Tonic Bitters. I am not sure of its connection to the others.

Mr. H. C. HERNDON, of the firm of FOOTE & HERNDON, druggists of this place, has presented us with a bottle of Texas Tonic Bitters, prepared by Dr. G. A. FOOTE. It is claimed for these bitters that they are entirely vegetable, and quite useful in the cure of the various diseases peculiar to a southern climate, such as fever and ague, billious or remittent fevers, dyspepsia, also that they are a positive preventive of all malarial diseases. For sale at FOOTE & HERNDON’S.

McKinney Messenger. June 18, 1870, Vol. 15, No. 4.

Foote & Herndon – Dr. G. A. Foote and Mr. H. C. Herndon – Druggist, Corner of Front Row, Collin Co. TX – McKinney Messenger – 1871 – 1872

Attached is a receipt from Foote and Herndon. – James

Foote&HerndonReceipt

Receipt for Charles B. Moore from Foote and Herndon Retail Druggists, February 17, 1876 – University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History

GAFooteClipping

Gerard Alexander Foote clipping – Ancestry.com

GeorgeAlexanderFoote

Dr. Gerard A. Foote 1823-1902 and Wife Annie B. (Simmons) 1829-1914, Photo C-1900 (photo Herbert Rickards)

Death of Dr. G. A. Foote 

He Was a Pioneer Texan and a Surgeon in Confederate Army.

Birth: Sep. 23, 1823, Oakville, Appomattox County, Virginia

Death: Oct. 24, 1902, McKinney, Collin County, Texas

Dr. Gerald (should be George or Gerard) Alexander Foote died at his home in this city at 9:30 tonight. The deceased was born on Sept 28, 1823, in Farqua County, Virginia. He emigrated to Mississippi in 1832, thense to Collin County in 1845. He practiced medicine in McKinney and surrounding country for over twenty years. During the Civil War he was surgeon in the Confederate Army in Col. William Young’s Eleventh Texas cavalry.

At the close of the war he entered the drug business in McKinney and has been in active business ever since, for many years president of the Collin County National Bank until January last. He was a nephew of Senator H.S. Foote of Mississippi. Nov 11, 1847, he married Miss Eliza Jones McGarrah at Old Fort Buckner, in this county. He was married a second time to Miss Corrine Lee of Clarksville, TX, who survives him. He was elected to the Texas Legislature in 1865 and again in 1874. – The Dallas Morning News – 1902-07-17

FooteObit

Death of G. A. Foote – Collin County Democrat, July 24, 1902

More….

Foote was a distant relative of George Washington, his uncle was a Senator from Mississippi and he came from Mississippi to Collin Co., Texas in 1845. G.A. Foote graduated from Centenary College in Mississippi and graduated from Memphis Medical College in 1856.

The Good Shepherd Montessori School has a rich history from the ground up. The school rests on 4 acres in McKinney, Texas, 1.7 acres of which originally belonged to G.A. Foote. Dr. Foote, in a handwritten deed from 1907, generously sold the land for $1.00 to the small community’s church. Included was a written provision for a portion of the land to be used as a school. This gesture showed a vision of the future for McKinney based on Christian principles with a high value placed on education.

The Collin County Bank, McKinney, Texas. Officers: Dr. G. A. FOOTE, President. H.M. MARKHAM, Vice-Presít. W. L. BOYD, Cashier. Partnership composed of the following persons: W. L. BOYD, Dr. G. A. FOOTE, J. W. THROCKMORTON, J. L. WHITE, Geo. A. WILSON, R. M. BOARD, Thos. B. WILSON, H. M. MARKHAM, Mrs. E. EMBERSON, J. A. ASTON, W. A. RHEA, W. J. ASTON, J. C. RHEA, T. C. GOODNER.

Saint John’s Lodge was granted dispensation November 27, 1848 and was chartered January 24, 1850.   There were eight charter members with Harrison G. Hendricks serving as the lodge’s first Worshipful Master.  The other charter members were Samuel Bogart, Langdon C. Searcy, Joseph M. Bounds, T.T. Berry, G.A. Foote, Leonard Searcy, and William Fitzhugh.

Annie B. Simmons Foote – Wife of Dr. George A. Foote 1823-1902 – Moved with her parents to Texas from Georgia in 1846 She met and Married a young Dr. Foote on June 19th 1850 they has 3 children George Jr. 1852-1930 Annie 1855-1918 Mary 1859-1867. Duing the Civil War her husband was Surgeon for the 11th Texas Cav. CSA After the war they Settled in McKinney Texas and lived there until George’s Death in 1902
She lived with her daughter Annie until her death in 1914 at age 75. She is buried beside her husband.

FootePlot

Foote plot at the Pecan Grove Cemetery, McKinney, Texas

Source for above

Posted in Bitters, Civil War, Druggist & Drugstore, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

G. A. B. – Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters, San Francisco

Posted on 30 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
GermanArmyBitters_NaumanAd

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters and B 148.1 Herman Wolfgang’s Boonekamp Bitters – Daily Alta, California, Volume 24, Number 8196, 4 September 1872

G.A.B

G. A. B. – Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters

San Francisco

“Lightning Strikes Twice”

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V

LightningstrikestwiceART

Apple-Touch-IconAIf you read below, I’m going to repeat a phrase I used yesterday to describe the situation when I came across two unlisted bitters with the same name on the same day. There is not much information on this brand with the exception of a few advertisements and San Francisco directory listings. I would like to thank Bill Ham and Brian Wolff for research assistance.

"It is not often nowadays to come across an unlisted bitters. It does happen and it is somewhat akin, I suppose, to finding a new species in the deep Amazon jungle or an unknown blind fish in the Mariana Trench. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I got an email from Gary Beatty about his new find, that being a German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. While researching this brand I also came across another unlisted Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters from San Francisco, California. Huh. Does lightning strike twice in the same place?

Read: The unlisted German Army Bitters – Ironton, Ohio

They were used in the Sanitary Department of the German army in the late war, and highly recommended as a tonic and also for their anti-dyspeptic qualities.

I am also hoping that Warren Friedrich can chime in on this brand. Obviously this is a German product made for the American western market. Where was the concoction made and bottled? Note that Walter (in various advertisements and listings) is noted as a Sole Agent, Importer, Distiller of Bitters and Wholesale Liquor Dealer for the Pacific Coast.

Where was the concoction made and bottled? Note that Walter (in various advertisements and listings) is noted as a Sole Agent, Importer, Distiller of Bitters and Wholesale Liquor Dealer for the Pacific Coast.

Bill Ham has provided the following number and listing for the Dr. Nauman’s advertisement find. The material will be added to the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

Advertisement (see top of post)
N 15.3  Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters
Daily Alta, Volume 24, Number 8196, September 4, 1872
Walter & Marcuse, Importers. No. 414 Sacramento Street, Between Sansome and Battery, San Francisco
GAB1

1872 Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters – Elevator – San Francisco, California

GAB2

The same advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters with a ‘German’ influence and market projection – 1872 – California Journal und Sonntags-Gast – San Francisco, California

GAB_Ad2

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters – Daily Alta California, Volume 24, Number 8198, 6 September 1872

Walter&Marcuse

Listing for Walter & Marcuse (Max Walter), agents German Army Bitters, 414 Sacramento – San Francisco Directory 1874

Walter&Lieber_Clip

Listing for Walter & Lieber (Max Walter and Leopold Lieber), agents German Army Bitters, 621 Sansome – San Francisco Directory 1878

Walter&CoListing1

M. Walter & Co. (Max Walter) – Langley’s San Francisco Directory – 1894

Walter&Co_1895

M. Walter & Co., 811 Montgomery, San Francisco, Cal. – Pacific Spirit & Wine Review – 1895

Select Listings

1872-1874: Walter & Marcuse – 414 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, California (1872, 1874)
1877-1880: Walter & Lieber, 1877-1880, 621-625 Sansome Street
1881-1901: M. Walter & C0., 621 Sansome Street, San Francisco, California – (1881 – 1901)
1893: Max Walter (M. Walters & Co.), residence 308 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California – (1893)
1894: M. Walters & Co. (Max Walter) – 811 Montgomery, Langley’s San Francisco Directory – (1894)
1902-1906: Walter Distilling Co. (1902-1906)
1909-1911: Walter Distilling Co. Inc., 140 Clay (1909-1911)
Posted in Bitters, Digging and Finding, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The unlisted German Army Bitters – Ironton, Ohio

Posted on 29 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

GermanArmyBitters3_IrontonThe unlisted German Army Bitters

Ironton, Ohio

Ferdinand Meyer V & Gary Beatty

29 August 2013 (R•040919)

Apple-Touch-IconAIt is not often nowadays to come across an unlisted bitters. It does happen and it is somewhat akin, I suppose, to finding a new species in the deep Amazon jungle or an unknown blind fish in the Mariana Trench. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I got an email from Gary Beatty about his new find, that being a German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. While researching this brand I also came across another unlisted Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters (read: G. A. B. – Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters, San Francisco) from San Francisco, California. Huh. Does lightning strike twice in the same place? First, Gary’s email:

Ferd,

I may have discovered an unlisted Bitters? It is not in Ham’s Bitters book or Supplement. It came out of the Ohio River Bank at Ironton, Ohio About 20 years ago. I am excited. Here is some info. It is small, 6 1/8 in. high, amber square, medicine flang top. Embossed in 3 lines on the front. Sloping shoulders, chamfered corners. GERMAN ARMY BITTERS DAVIES & CO IRONTON OHIO. When I clean it I will send you pictures. What you think? Have you heard of it? I never have in 40 years collecting. Also the flange top makes it almost certain it is late 1800s because after 1st World War the Germans were unpopular.

Best Regards, Gary (Beatty)

IrontonTanks

1922 Ironton Tanks – From History of Lawrence County, Volume 1 (Davies is pictured)

Ferd, here is all I can find out about Davies. There were two brothers in the 1880s. One was into Pharmaceuticals the other a teacher. There was also a C. T. Davies that owned a big Dry Goods Store.

There was a T. C. Davies called Shorty who was the son of one of these guys. (Most likely the teacher) who was an Ironton football star.

Now listen to this. There was a T. C. Davies called Shorty who was the son of one of these guys. (Most likely the teacher) who was an Ironton football star. Became Ironton’s head football coach and then finally Ironton High School principal in 1929. He defiantly was related to the Davies on the bottle. It gets better. He played for the Ironton Tanks semi pros. They dissolved and most of the players went over to play for the Portsmouth Ohio Spartans who became the Detroit Lions.

Boy if only these bottles could talk. Shorty elected to stay in education instead of pursuing a football career. The Davies were well respected in Ironton.

The local museum has never heard of this bottle and unless Ted Christ has one it is probably unique. As Gomer Pyle would say “Shazam it measures 6 1/8 in. high. It is mint except for a couple of minor scratches. It was dug by a bottle collector 20 years ago out of the Ohio River Bank at Ironton. He died and I purchased it from his daughter.

Best Regards, Gary

Bottle pictures by Gary Beatty

GeramanArmyBitters_Ironton1

An advertisement from 1872 in San Francisco for Dr. Nauman’s German Celebrated Army Bitters. I will pursue this brand later.

GermanArmyBitters_NaumanAd

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters and B 148.1 Boonekamp Bitters, Herman Wolfgang, Manufacturer, West Cost Agent, San Francisco – Daily Alta, California, Volume 24, Number 8196, 4 September 1872

IrontonKentuckyShore

Ironton, from the Kentucky shore. – Lawrence Barrette, Photo, Ironton, 1887. J. N. Bradford, del., Ohio State University.

Next I wanted to find out about Ironton, Ohio and Davies and Co. Just the name Ironton tells me much and where it is probably located in the state of Ohio. Davies, not Davis, is a little but unusual so that will help.

An old fellow who dwells near Ironton, Ohio has a portable whiskey-shop. It consists of a jackass and two jugs. The jugs are swung across the animal, and thus the proprietor transports them where there is a chance of meeting a demand.

Brooklyn Eagle Newspaper 26 Jan 1870 page one

Ironton, Ohio

[from The City of Ironton, Ohio web site]

The city of Ironton was founded in 1849 and was built in the heart of Hanging Rock Region, once the largest center of pig iron in the world. As a terminal on the Iron Railroad and as a shipping port on the Ohio River, Ironton grew rapidly, becoming the county seat of Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1851.

IrontonSteelMill

Etna Furnace. Largest in the world until 1900. – Ironton, Ohio

The Iron Railway was incorporated in 1849 to haul mineral products from the fields of Lawrence County (Ohio) to the Ohio River city of Ironton.

The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad could trace its history back to the southern point of the railroad at Ironton. The Iron Railway was incorporated in 1849 to haul mineral products from the fields of Lawrence County (Ohio) to the Ohio River city of Ironton. The line opened in late 1851 and is one of the earliest rail lines to operate in the state. It made a northern rail contact later with a predecessor of the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis, a “super system” consisting of many smaller lines. Barge service to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway yard across the river in Russell, Kentucky provided another outlet of interchange for the Iron Railway, as did its connection with the Norfolk & Western at Ironton.

MuleHauling

Mule hauling iron on a tramway in Ironton, Ohio

The Detroit Southern Railway acquired the Iron Railway in 1902. The great success of the iron industry and its allied manufacturing created men of great wealth. The affluence of those early days is reflected in many of Ironton’s homes and churches, attractive reminders of a gracious Victorian life-style.

CigarBox

Workers posing at the Iron Cigar Box Factory

The city is famous for having the longest running (continuous) Memorial Day Parade in the country.

The city is famous for having the longest running (continuous) Memorial Day Parade in the country. 138 years in a row!

Watch: Ironton, The Boom Town of Ohio

Read: Former Ironton Newspaper Man Writes Of Good Old Days During His Time as Chronicler Of Local Events

The Davies name in Ironton, Ohio

I found two likely hits in period directories. Possibly brothers? Also an advertisement.

Drugs – C. B. Egerton, D. C. Peters, T. B. Ball, J. E. Warfield, Dr. Morris (Railroad St.), J. L. Barbour, Thos. C. Davies, D. Linn Goosh, Emil Arnold, J. W. Slater, A. Robinson, A. Winters, Samuel Sample, H. E. Norton, John H. Lucas, Ernest Merrill.

Dry Goods – D. W. Richards, C. Alderman, S. Ward, W. L. Bickmore, Jos. Ward, James Small, J. A. Raine, John Sanford, J. T. Davis, D. C. Davies, Chas. Carpenter, Thos. Kelly, C. H. Harmison, James Grooms.

BothDaviesAdIronton

T. C. Davies Manufacturing Druggist, 87 Second Street, Ironton and Thos. C. Davies, Druggist and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, (looks to be the same address but listed differently) – Ironton, Ohio Business Directory, 1882-83

And manufacturers of Davies’ Celebrated Diarrhea Cordial & Worm Candy

Bill Ham has just issued the following number for the upcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

G 17.7  German Army Bitters
G 17.7  GERMAN ARMY BITTERS / DAVIES & CO / IRONTON, OHIO. // f // f // f //
6 1/8 x 2
Square, Amber, NSC, Tooled lip, Extremely rare
Ironton, Ohio Business Directory, 1882-83
Thomas C. Davies, Manufacturing Druggist; Dealer in Perfumery, Toilet and Fancy Articles, Fine Cigars, Paints, Oils and Window Glass and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, 87 2d Street b Lawrence and Buckhorn, Ironton, Ohio

A German Drug Store reference:

The German Drug Store will pass from existence, and so ends the third drug store project in Ironton. – Ironton Register, March 16, 1871

DC_DaviesStore

D. C. Davies Store – The Lawrence Register

Thomas C. Davies

Thos. C. Davies, Druggist and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, born 1861, died 1895

Thomas C. Davies (druggist), Ironton, O., son of Jas. J. Davies, has been appointed corresponding secretary for Lawrence County of the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. – The Cambrian – 1882

D. C. Davies [father J. T. Davies]

D. C. Davies, Dry Goods and Millinery

The most prominent mercantile establishment in Ironton is the large and complete dry goods and millinery establishment owned by Mr. D. C. Davies. The business practically dates its inception from the establishment of J. T. Davies’ dry goods store in the early fifties. In 1885 Mr. D. C. Davies, who had for twelve years been an able clerk in the store, bought the stock and business. The location of the store was then in a part what was known as the City Hall Block, a handsome three-story building, 60 by 80 feet. Four years after Mr. Davies had bought the store his trade had grown to such proportions that he concluded to buy the whole block and convert the entire space into different departments, completing under one roof one of the best stores in Southern Ohio. Mr. Davies is a thorough man in the business, as his experience would indicate, and his patrons receive the benefit of a large assortment of goods in the different departments, which are bought and sold at the lowest prices consistent with quality.

Ironton Mar. 3, 1904 – Kemp Lands – Which Were Recently Purchased By The Ohio Real Estate Company Will Shortly Be Improved and Placed on the Market for Sale. – Ironton is shortly to witness important movements in the real estate line, to be inaugurated by the Ohio Real Estate Company, the corporation which some weeks ago purchased the well known Kemp property in the Fourth Ward. Several unsuccessful efforts have been made at various times to secure this property, which has long been in demand for residence purposes, and the new owners propose to put it into desirable shape and market the lots without delay. – The active purchasers connected with the deal are C. I. Lirkle, S. H. Bowman, and S. A. Moore, bankers from Philippi, W. Va., who are in the city today, completing arrangements for grading and making other improvements on the property which will be placed in the best of condition. For this purpose a large sum of money will be expended. A number of local gentlemen are associated with the company, among whom are A. H. Mittendorf, Captain J. F. Morgan, J. F. McConnell, F. L. McCauley, F. _. Martin, T. C. Edwards, Jas. I. Gorman, E. J. Merrill, F. C. Tomlinson, D. C. Davies and W. A. Murdock. The property, which is very favorably situated is one of the best in the city.

Samuel B. Davies [sons Benjamin and George B. Davies]

Samuel B. Davies, was said to have come to the United States with two sons, Benjamin and George B. Davies. Possibility that Samuel B. Davies immigrated from either Monmouth or Cardiff, Wales. Supposedly, he was run out of Wales because he wrote a series of pamphlets critical of wage practices.

Possibly, son Benjamin became a labor organizer and head of a union in Indiana. The other son, George B. Davies, apparently settled in Ironton, Ohio, after the Civil War, where he married Sarah Levering. They had 5 children: George, William, Lillian, Jennie, and Carrie. George (2) married Nina Mae Eakins and had 5 children also: Harold, George (3), Ralph (died at 6 mo.), Dorothy, and Nina.

Posted in Bitters, Digging and Finding, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On the shelves of the Corning Museum of Glass

Posted on 29 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Corning Banner

On the shelves of the Corning Museum of Glass

29 August 2013 | Noel Tomas

CMOG_logoFerdinand – On the shelves of the Corning Museum of Glass, these rarities sit among many other bottles on the various shelves in the “Study Room.” – Noel (Tomas)

CMOGbots7 copyRare Keene geometric “aqua” ink with three birds attached to top and a ‘tubular” opening.

CMOGbots10 copy

Pint General Washington, probably GI-6 or 14, and pint Masonic and Eagle probably GI-4 in a striation coloring.

CMOGbots copy

Half of original mold for Lafayette portrait Coventry pint flask & the actual bottle probably GI-85 with the missing “N” in “Coventry.”

Posted in Flasks, Historical Flasks, Inks, Museums | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More on the Harrison Campaign Historical Flask Scam

Posted on 28 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

487RedFlag

More on the Harrison Campaign Historical Flask Scam

28 August 2013

ScamCautionFerd, saw your posting on Peachridge on scams. Thought you’d like to see my version of the Harrison campaign flask, this from late July. I had a ‘wanted’ posting on Craigslist that this guy responded to. This was actually the 2nd time around that I had gotten targeted, the first time was a month prior in June when it came from Velma’s email, but I knew something was up right away then, just too good to be true. I mean why contact me from Kentucky when I’m in New York State?. She wanted $1,000 then, if I’d just send a check. Oh how tempting…but I just ignored it.

Then late July, I get another, same pictures, but this one from this Poorman Collectibles. This is the first of the emails we exchanged over the next day. I knew for sure then, so I tried to call them out a little but they wouldn’t bite. Better deal this time, I could have had the bottle for $800 bucks! Lucky me!

Mike Stephano

—–Original Message—–
From: poorman collectibles <04afdfe35662332590ecb45f1059a6ff@reply.craigslist.org>
To: phbpg-3884641891 <phbpg-3884641891@sale.craigslist.org> Sent: Sat, Jul 27, 2013 2:47 pm
Subject: flask

hello, i was wondering if you would be interested in this flask?

—–Original Message—–
From: Happy Collectibles <happycollectibles@gmail.com>
To: mjsantique <mjsantique@aol.com>
Sent: Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:38 pm
Subject: flask

hello i have this campaign flask for sale if interested? thanks

Apple-Touch-IconAMore on the same flask being scammed: Read: “there’s a customer born every minute” – William Henry Harrison Flask Scam

More: The latest bottle Scams with Velma Craft or Anicia Benson or Reginald Offutt etc.

487

522

599

99

45

Posted in Historical Flasks, News, Scams & Frauds | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Humboldt’s German Bitters – Stephen Deschauer – Chicago, Illinois

Posted on 27 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

HenrySeipStoreART

HUMBOLDT’S GERMAN BITTERS

Stephen Deschauer – Chicago, Illinois

27 August 2013 (New photographs added 03 September 2013)

Apple-Touch-IconAIt must be Octoberfest in August this year because I keep stumbling on extremely rare or unlisted German bitters bottles. My first encounter of late involved the addition of a milk glass, German Balsam Bitters from San Francisco to my collection. Even though I picked it up in late July at the Manchester National Glass Works auction it set the wheels in motion. Next it was news of an unlisted German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. That post will be ready on Thursday when pictures of the newly cleaned bottle arrive from Gary Beatty. While researching that bottle I came across another unlisted, Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters from San Francisco. That post too, will be published this Thursday or Friday.

Humboldts German Bitters1

Yesterday I received yet more news and pictures on a Humboldt’s German Bitters from Mark Newton saying:

Hi Ferd, I purchased this Bitters last week and the tag says “unlisted in Ring and Ham.” It was included in a box of bottles at the local Flea market. There was another German bitters (Dr. Bells ) in the box and eight other bottles and inks. I’m pretty sure it has an applied top but will have to make sure after work today. I don’t have the book but have not found anyone yet who has seen this one before. Would appreciate any info you can give me on it. Thank you! – Mark

Humboldts German Bitters3

Mark also posted this over on Bottle Collectors on facebook and a few of the super sleuths started looking for information. I could see they were having little luck so this piqued my interest even more. Obviously no ‘direct’ hits with searching for “Humboldt’s German Bitters” or “Stephen Deschauer in Chicago“. That’s a strong German name so I thought I would pick up the hunt.

New number issued by Bill Ham:

H 208.3  HUMBOLDT’S GERMAN BITTERS

HUMBOLDT’S / GERMAN BITTERS // f // STEPHEN DESCHAUER / SOLE AGENT / CHICAGO ILLS // f // // b // L& W
Square, Amber, Extremely rare

Humboldts German Bitters2

Looking at Google, Ancestry.com, Fold3 and other sources, I do see the following which is listed in various City of Chicago Directories:

Stephen Deschauer, 1861, 1862 (tinsmith), 79 Blue Island Ave., 1865 (tin and hardware), 1870 age 32 living in Chicago. Born in Austria around 1838, wife Fanny. Later listings: 334 Blue Island Ave. (1875, 1877) Dep, collr, water dept. (1878) (1882, 1885, 1888, 1889, 1904, 1906) Retail Hardware and Cutiery. Why would he be a Sole Agent for a German bitters?

Dr. Joseph Deschauer, (Dentist), 1887. This guy is listed all over the place and is listed in many Chicago directories. He obviously had a well-established Dental practice. He was the son of Matthias and Martha Deschauer from Austria. Interestingly, his fathers brother, Sebastian Deschauer, was Surgeon General of the Austrian Army. I can not find a Stephen in the family.

JosephDeschauer

Dr. Joseph Deschauer (Dentist). Son of Matthias and Martha rom Austria. Fathers brother, Sebastian Deschauer Surgeon General Austrian Army. I can not find a Stephen in the family.

Deschauer Bothers (Lake Zurich, Illinois). Lake Zurich is basically an old, predominately German, neighborhood and area north of Chicago. This is where it gets interesting as the Deschauer name gets co-mingled with Henry Seip who was an early druggist. Look at this except from:

Union Store to Drug Store to Hot Dog Restaurant

Building at Main and Paine has changed hands many times.

Seth Paine came to Lake Zurich in the middle 1800s and settled on the shores of Cedar Lake. Later he changed the name to honor Zurich, Switzerland. He opened a Union Store in 1841, printed the first newspaper in town called the Lake Zurich Banker and built the Stable of Humanity, which was a meeting hall and living quarters for people who needed help.

Paine also built a general store in 1850 on the northeast corner of Paine (Old Rand Road) and Main Sreet (Route 22). The store remained a general store until 1908. Some of the owners were: James Parker, who took it over later and ran it until 1874. Then Henry Seip ran it from 1874 to 1902 and Charlie Schultz had the store from 1902 to 1904. John Fink and William Algrin ran it together from 1904 to 1906. Algrin sold out to Fink and he continued to operate it until 1908.

In 1908 a new type of store was established that sold ice cream, candy and newspapers, this was owned by Emil Frank. Then in 1946 he sold the store to Harold Giese and continued the same business. During the 1920s through the 1950’s this store was a real treat for the young people and others who enjoyed ice cream and candy!

The penny candy counter was a place of wonder. With five pennies you could get a bag of candy – if you selected carefully. The Deschauer Brothers would wait very patiently as you tried to make up your mind.

Irving Deschauer was village attorney and a member of the Lions Club. His brothers owned a corner confectionery.

EraSmallBusiness

Above text from Era of Small Business and Where We Are Today – Lake Zurich, Illinois

Look at these old pictures of a store associated with the Deschauer name. I can only imagine the Humboldt’s German Bitters being sold to the German neighborhood around 1885 or so. Unfortunately imagining is all I can do as the trail runs cold. At least for tonight. This could be a red herring unless the father or grandfather is named Stephen.

FYI: There is an extremely rare, H 208 Humboldt’s German Bitters / C. H. Plantz / Chicago that is listed in Bitters Bottles. I will move here next.

Druggist, Hermann C. Plantz, 519 Milwaukee Ave. (1876)

 1880 United States Federal Census: Hermann Charles Plantz, born 1844 Prussia, wife Minnie. Son Herman W. Plantz, Druggist

1900 United States Federal Census: Hermann C. Plantz, born 1844 Germany, wife Minnie. Son Herman W. Plantz

HenrySeipStore

Henry Seip store at the intersection of Main Street and Old Rand Road, in Lake Zurich, a neighborhood north of Chicago.

If you look carefully at the false storefront you can see the original Seip House in the top picture.

DeschauerBrosStore1

Deschauer Brothers Drug Store to the left of the telephone pole. The small building on the right was also part of the store. If you look carefully at the false storefront you can see the original Henry Seip establishment in the picture above.

Main&OldRandIntersection

Intersection of Main Street and Old Rand Road in Lake Zurich, Illinois – site of original Seip and Deschauer Store. Store in upper left corner.

DeschauerDrugStore

A later picture of persons, Anna Frank and Mayme Hokemeyer Prehm enjoying a soda at the Deschauer’s Brothers Store.

FredSeipSaloon

Fred Seip Saloon – 1914

OriginalLocation

The northeast corner of Main Street and Old Rand Road – site of original Seip and Deschauer Store.

NEW PICTURES

HumboldtsGerman1

Humboldt’s German Bitters – photo Michael George

HumboldtsGerman2

Humboldt’s German Bitters – photo Michael George

HumboldtsGerman3

Humboldt’s German Bitters – photo Michael George

Posted in Bitters, Digging and Finding, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The latest bottle Scams with Velma Craft or Anicia Benson or Reginald Offutt etc.

Posted on 26 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

ScamStamp

The latest bottle Scams with Velma Craft or Anicia Benson or Reginald Offutt etc.

26 August 2013 (Updated 28 August 2013)

*** See Update Steven Dujardin below ***

I’ve been reading the various scam reports and here’s what happened to me.

I received a phone call from a Chris Stevens, who said he lived in Covington, KY, and said he found me online that I bought bottles. He said he had a Anna pottery pig, and a Harrison flask. I declined and said since he lived in Kentucky, that I was looking for Louisville flasks. Without hesitation, he said a friend had one. His name was James Lamb who lived nearby. James and I talked and he was to send pictures. When he did, they were taken right out of Glass Works recent auction of the green quart GII-35.

Eagle_GII-36_GW98

Original green quart GII-35 from Glass Works Auctions

Next time we talked I asked why he sent me those pictures, he said his flask was just like that one. I told him I wanted to see a picture of the flask he had for sale not the one in the GWA auction. Later he sent pictures of the same flask but the background was a blanket with a printed pattern on it. Since the flask was transparent it showed the same background as the GWA flask.

FakedGII-35

The mysterious ‘hovering flask’ GII-35 Scammed image. Look at the blurred trees behind the glass.

He wanted me to send money. I wanted my representative to meet him and look over the flask and he would pay for it, providing it was acceptable. He tried every way to not do that including, saying that he did that before and he got robbed and they took his flask, that his father was in the hospital and might not make it and he didn’t have time. I told him my rep could meet him in a safe place, like the police station where they would have metal detectors to make sure that neither party had weapons. He just kept saying send the money and we will overnight the flask. I stood my ground and said when things quieted down for him to let me know and we could set up a meeting.

I never heard back from them since then.

So here’s my advice: let these people know you have a person in their area that can come over and check out the item for sale. And then just listen to the excuses they roll out, if they bother to get back to you on it.

Richard

Apple-Touch-IconAI thought I would try to keep a ‘running’ list of internet antique bottle scams that have been plagueing our hobby of late. There are more, I just need to track down the images and stories. Please keep me abreast if you have any updates. Education and communication is power!

Education and communication is power!

By posting information online, it makes it easier for a potential target to search information and possibly be tipped off. These type of scams typically rely on a paypal account or you send money first for an item that is not real. Once Velma (or whovever) offers the item; you use PayPal and she sends a fake tracking number; and then never sends any merchandise because she obviously is only using pictures of things she has chosen on the internet.

Some of the names that have been used this year are posted below. Of course these are aliases. It is thought that this is the same person. The url addresses, email addresses and phone numbers are being cross-referenced and the locale has been reduced to a certain area which is being watched.

Steven Dujardin | Alias List

ScamPictoLarge

Steven Dujardin | Clarksville, Indiana | New Albany, Indiana

Jennifer Diefenderfer (partner)

Steven Lamb (partner)

Ripoff Report Complaint Review: Steven Dujardin & Jennifer Diefenderfer

Ripoff Report Complaint Review: Steven Dujardin

Ripoff Report Complaint Review: Steven Dujardin

Facebook: Steven Dujardin

Mugshots: Steven W. Dujardin, Jeffersonville, Indiana

Mylife: Steven Dujardin

Steven Wayne Dujardin

Anicia Benson

Chris Sadler or James Lamb or Chris Stevens

poormancollectibles@gmail.com

Velma Craft

velvel76@aol.com

happycollectibles@gmail.com

Poorman Collectibles (Craigslist)

Reginald Offutt 

kentuckycollectibles@gmail.com

kycollectibles12

502.440.0480

Jeffersonville, Indiana

ScamMap

RedFlagWilliam Henry Harrison Flask Scam

This was an ebay scam that occurred in September 2012. It is thought that at least four persons were taken by this scam which used a seductive blue Photoshop color layered over an previous aqua example of the William Henry Harrison flask. Read: “there’s a customer born every minute” – William Henry Harrison Flask Scam

Read More: More on the Harrison Campaign Historical Flask Scam

photo of P T Barnum by Charles Eisenmann

Falsely colored William Henry Harrison historical flask

RedFlagThe Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters Scam

Another doctored image of a Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters.  This one tugged at me as I wanted it to be true. A color that was unlisted, this too was a scam that occurred in February 2013. Read: Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters Fraud? What was important here, was that many of us were able to see how easy it is to change a bottle color in Photoshop. Notice the slang e-mail language that the trickster is using below. This was a bottle owned by Mark Warne that was used as scam bait.

“do you buy old bottles i found this bottle in my attic don’t know if it has any value or if it worthless i looked on google for it but couldn’t find it thanks it says Curtis Cordial Calisaya The Great Stomach Bitters”

Anicia Benson (Benson Collectibles) – February 2013

VelmaCraftCurtisCalisayaFraud

RedFlagEmerald Green OK Plantation 1840 Scam

An obvious, too-good-to-be-true, doctored image of an OK Plantation 1840 bitters was shopped to numerous collectors throughout the United States during a multi-day period in mid June 2013. All emails came from a Velma Craft. Each email offered a different scenario on how the bottle was found. Read some of them below the images.

OKGreenScam

VelmaCraftSCAM_OKPlantation

[To Ferdinand Meyer] I PURCHASED THIS FROM A CONSTRUCTION WORKER OVER THE WEEKEND WHO SAID HE WAS TEARING DOWN A HOUSE AND FOUND IT DOES IT HAVE ANY VALUE AND DO U KNOW WHERE I COULD SELL IT – Velma Craft

[To Ed Gray] I recently acquired this at auction does it have any value? and do u know anyone interested in it – Velma Craft

[To Dale Mlasko] I PICKED THIS UP OVER THE WEEKEND TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT DOES IT HAVE ANY VALUE AND IF SO WHERE COULD I SELL IT THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – Velma Craft

[To Steve Ketcham] PICKED THIS UP OVER THE WEEKEND I DONT KNOW ALOT ABOUT BOTTLES IS THIS A COMMON ONE AND DOES IT HAVE ANY VALUE AND IF SO DO U KNOW ANYONE INTERESTED IN IT – Velma Craft

RedFlagThe funny green George Washington Flask

Yet another Velma Craft endeavor to push an altered George Washingtom historical flask. This time the picture used an inside background where the flask was set in the picture and colored.

GREETINGS,

I Just found this bottle in a old house that i’m restoring in the crawl space. DOES it have any value and if so do u know anyone that would be interested in buying it thanks!!!

Velma Craft

VelmaCraftFlaskScam

RedFlagLange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters Scam

No false coloring here on this scam that occurred last week. This is actually one of my bottles that was lifted from the Peachridge Glass web site and positioned on the background. Look how poor the photoshop crop job is on the upper left corner.

I just got a email from a guy yesterday about a Lange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters, It appears he stole the pictures from your website where you have them listed as the Meyer Collection. I looked at the pictures of the bottle and I knew it did not look right. I forwarded you a copy of it so you could see. Thanks…

EagleREDFLAG

CelebratedEagleTrio

RedFlagPittsburgh Double Eagle Flask Scam

This scam occurred at the same time as the Lange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters scam above. Same background. Some clipping of someone’s else’s image and transferring it into a new setting.

1170786_195536113955014_1481343345_nHi Ferdinand, Just wanted to let you and the collecting community know that the Pittsburgh double eagle picture was swiped from my website. www.antiquebottlesales.com. It can be found under the “sold items” at the bottom of the flask category on my page. Thanks,

Matt Lacy

RedFlagP. W. Seaton / Louisville, Ky. umbrella (ink) Scam

[From Lucy Faulkner] Scam alert: We just got an email with a picture of a J. P. W. Seaton / Louisville, Ky. umbrella (ink) asking if it was worth anything and if we knew anyone who would want it. She supposely found it in an attic! Something didn’t look right, so I checked several websites. The picture was copied directly from Antique Bottles (Reggie’s site). I asked for more pictures. We will see what happens.

RedFlagMini Stoneware Scratch Jug Scam

MiniJugScam

On ebay today, 27 August 2013 – Hello, You are bidding on a Nice Compliments Of The Ruby Saloon Yuma Ariz 1900 Mini Stoneware Scratch Jug,It Has No Chips,Cracks, Or Repairs.I acquired this collection from my grandfather and don’t know anything about them so i am selling with NO GUARANTEES!!!!!!!!.

Looks like the same writing on the same jug. Same background as Lange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters Scam (see above).  kentuckycollectibles@gmail.com and kycollectibles12.

I have seen hundreds of mini jugs, and NEVER seen that form. Terrible fakes. Also the glaze is wrong, and the font is too similar. The snake just is just terrible.

BS – Texas

 

Posted in Bitters, Historical Flasks, News, Pottery, Questions, Scams & Frauds, Stoneware | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment