Arabian Bitters – One Thousand and One Nights

Posted on 8 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Did you know that there is an Arabian Bitters from Savannah?

ArabianNightsPoster

I wonder what the product name was inspired from? Arabian Nights?

ArabianHorseCardPainting

Or maybe from a horse or some mystical place?

OneArabianNight

Maybe from a dance or Aladdin’s Lamp?

ArabianDancingVintage

Let’s see if we can find out?

Arabian Bitters – One Thousand and One Nights

Savannah, New Orleans, Charleston and Washington D.C.

08 April 2013 (R•013119)

Apple-Touch-IconAI was first reminded of the elusive and mystical Arabian Bitters when I started the Houston series of posts (Read Part IIA) and found an interesting little advertisement (pictured below) for 25 Boxes of Arabian Bitters that was being advertised by Fernandez, Alvarez & Co. in the Houston Weekly Telegraph in 1860. They had just received the bitters that were “superior to any other Bitters.” So, who sent these 25 boxes of Arabian Bitters? 1860 is fairly early for a bitters in this part of the country.

"Example was found in 1937 in Fort Pulaski, now at the Museum in Savannah, Beach.

What caught my attention was the product name. They must be talking about the Arabian Bitters from Savannah, Georgia right? That bottle is pictured below. The Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham listing in Bitters Bottle Supplement is:

A 80   Arabian Bitters
ARABIAN BITTERS // sp  // LAWRENCE & WEICHSELBAUM / SAVANNAH GA // f //
9 3/4 x 2 3/4 (7) 1/2
Square, Amber, LTC and LTCR, 3 sp, Applied mouth, Rare
Example was found in 1937 in Fort Pulaski, now at the Museum in Savannah, Beach.
savannah-circa-1838

Savannah painting, circa 1838

The Savannah Arabian Bitters

Lawrence & Weichselbaum

ArabianBittersSavannah

"What can you tell me about this bitters bottle? It is embossed ARABIAN BITTERS on one panel and LAWRENCE & WEICHSELBAUM / SAVANNAH, GA on the opposite panel. It has a smooth base. It is one of the first bottles I ever recovered. I have never seen one for sale. Any info is appreciated. I found this bottle (actually, two of them) on private property not too many miles from the mouth of the Suwannee River. They may have been from an early logging camp, or they may have been tossed onto the bank from a steamboat tied up for the night. Harry

Question on Antique-Bottles.net in 2004

ArabianBitters_GWA

“ARABIAN BITTERS – LAWRENCE & WEICHSELBAUM / SAVANNAH GA”, (A-80), Georgia, ca. 1870 – 1880, yellow amber, 9 1/2”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth. A 1/2” open bubble exists on one shoulder corner. A scarce Southern bitters bottle! – Glass Works Auctions February 2013

ArabianBittersHinelySide&Bottom

Arabian Bitters ex: Charles Gardner – Hinely Collection

Lawrence & Weichselbaum

In 1871, Joseph S. Lawrence was the proprietor of J.S. Lawrence & Co., family groceries, located at 198 Broughton, in Savannah, Georgia. He was also listed as a salesman with Lippman & Bro. who put out Lippman’s Great German Bitters. I have a really nice yellow example myself. Jacob Weeks Weichselbaum was born about 1848 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1867. He first clerked in 1871 with Lippman & Brother where he presumably knew Joseph S. Lawrence.  Jacob and Lewis Lippman had previously opened offices at 71 New Street in New York, in 1871 and closed the same year. They also operated out of Savanah and remained in business until 1875.

Lawrence & Weichselbaum are the names embossed on the Arabian Bitters bottle from Savannah. They were located on Market Square. It looks like they were partners only in 1874 and 1875 which would be the date for the bitters. They had plenty of legal problems relating to unpaid debts so this probably led to their downfall. Lawrence moved on to other endeavors where Weichselbaum would work as a druggist and physician. Weichselbaum would eventually get a higher degree from the Savannah Medical College in 1880 and practiced medicine for many decades. He died in October 1926 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Savannah, Georgia.

WeichselbaumBottleDug

Lawrence & Weichselbaum, Druggists, Savannah, Ga. Several of these bottles were found in Vault 2, Unit 2. – Cluskey Archaeology Project Timeline – GSU Field Day, March 8, 2013

The Washington D.C. Arabian Bitters

Arabian Manufacturing Co.

A 79.9. Arabian Bitters
ARABIAN BITTERS / AN OLD AND RELIABLE TONIC /
ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS IN 1874 //
ARABIAN MANUFACTURING CO. / WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S.A.
9 1/2
Square, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip, Extremely rare, Unlisted

Arabian Bitters, Arabian Manufacturing Co., Washington, D.C. – Meyer Collection

Other Arabian Bitters

At first I was fairly certain the Lawrence & Weichselbaum Arabian Bitters from Savannah was the brand being advertised in Houston in 1860. Unfortunately, I was wrong and this is a dead end as those Arabian Bitters bottles were only sold in 1874 and 1875 only, the years Lawrence & Weichselbaum were partners.

There are no other Arabian Bitters right? There is certainly not another one listed in Bitters Bottles or Bitters Bottles Supplement. Well, wait a minute… I possess an Arabian Bitters from Washington, D.C. of all places. It is pictured above. An unlisted example that will be listed in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2. It is a later 1895, tooled lip example, made by the Arabian Manufacturing Co., so that pretty much rules out the Washington D.C. Arabian Bitters. They priced their bitters at $1 and reduced it for a brief time to 50 cts.

I can not find any other advertising related to the 1860 Houston example. I can only surmise that the name ‘Arabian’ was used for its mystical and middle eastern reference, such as in the material at the top of this post. Maybe this is a reference to One Thousand and One Nights which is a collection of West and South Asian stories and folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as the Arabian Nights, from the first English language edition (1706), which rendered the title as The Arabian Nights’ Entertainment. The next advertisement below uses some of this exotic wording. Read: How the Arabian Nights Inspired the American Dream, 1790-1935

In 1865, I see some advertising (below) in the Charleston Daily News that I missed before for The Genuine Arabian Bitters or Salah-Adin being sold by Von Holten, Tamsen & Company located at No. 190 King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. They said it was “The Greatest Discovery of Medical Science” and noted that they were selling it in the city both retail and wholesale. Again too late for the 1860 Houston advertisement.

I also found the newspaper advertisement below for an Arabian Bitters being sold at Depot, 65 Decatur Street in New Orleans in 1877. Maybe this was the Savannah or Charleston brand. Hard to tell. Maybe it was their own brand though no proprietor is listed.

Here is another amusing ad from new Orleans in 1873. Amusing because they think “Bitters de Arabes” is Oriental. Editor probably had an office in the French Quarters. It could be the same bitters as the one noted in the advertising above, or is it a clue to yet another Arabian Bitters?

So again, who was making this Arabian Bitters being sold in Houston in 1860? I seem to be no further along in solving the problem. Case is still open.

Select Listings:

1848: Jacob Weichselbaum, Birth Date: abt 1848, Birth Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
1860: Newspaper advertisement (below) Just received in Houston, 25 Boxes of Arabian Bitters that was being advertised by Fernandez, Alvarez & Co. in the Houston Weekly Telegraph in 1860.

1865: Newspaper advertisement (above in post) The Greatest Discovery Medical Science – The Genuine Arabian Bitters being sold by Von Holten, Tamsen & Co., No. 190 King Street, Charleston, South Carolina. – The Charleston Daily News, Thursday, November 2, 1865
1867: Jacob Weichselbaum Education: Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, 1867 – Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929
1867: Jacob Weichselbaum, Ph.G., This., Xanthoxylum Fraxineum, Physician and pharmacist. Ad. Savannah, Ga. – The First century of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, 1821-1921
1870: Joseph Lawrence, Clerk, 73 W Broad, Savannah, Georgia – Savannah, Georgia, City Directory, 1870
1871: Directory Listing (below): Joseph S. Lawrence, J.S. Lawrence & Co., family groceries, 198 Broughton, Salesman with Jacob Lippman & Bro. – Savannah, Georgia, City Directory, 1871

1871: Directory Listing (below): Jacob Weichselbaum practiced in Savannah, Georgia and clerked in 1871 with the Lippman & Brother who put out Lippman’s Great German Bitters. – Savannah City Directory, 1871

1873: Newspaper advertisement (in post above) “Bitters de Arabes” is Oriental. – The Times, Tuesday, August 12, 1873
1874: Directory Listing (below): Jacob Weichselbaum (Lawrence & Weichselbaum) – Savannah City Directory, 1874

1875: Lawrence & Weichselbaum, Market Square – Bonfort’s Wine and Liquor Trade Directory for the United States, 1875
1875: Lawrence & Weichselbaum court case papers. Example.

1877-1879: Typical Newspaper advertisement (above in post) Arabian Bitters, Depot, 65 Decatur Street, New Orleans – Pioneer of Assumption, Saturday, May 10, 1879
1880: Jacob Weichselbaum Birth Date: 1848, Birth Place: Philadelphia, PA, Type Practice: Allopath, Practice Specialities: Savannah, GA, 1880, Licenses: GA, 1880, Practice Dates Places: Savannah, GA, 1880, Hospital: St. Joseph’s Hospital, Medical School: Savannah Medical College, 1880, (G), Education: Philadelphia College Pharm., 1867, public school – Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929
1880: Jacob Weichselbaum, Agt, Druggist, 108 Barnard, Savannah, Georgia  – Savannah, Georgia, City Directory, 1880
1895: Newspaper advertisement (above in post) Arabian Bitters, Price $1, Reduced this week to 50 cts., Arabian Manufacturing Co., 1009 H Street, Washington, D.C. – Alexandria Gazette, Wednesday, June 19, 1895
1900: Jacob Weichselbaum, Physician, Age: 50, Birth Date: Aug 1849, Birthplace: Pennsylvania, Home in 1900: Savannah, Chatham, Georgia, Ward of City: Chatham, Street: Gordon Street, House Number: 102, Sheet Number: 12, Marital status: Married, Spouse’s name: Jessie Weichselbaum, Marriage Year: 1875, Father’s Birthplace: Germany, Mother’s Birthplace: Germany, Household Members: Jacob Weichselbaum 50, Jessie Weichselbaum 49, William Weichselbaum 22, Lillie Weichselbaum 14 – 1900 United States Federal Census
1926: Dr Jacob Weichselbaum, Death, Cause of Death: surgery, complications, hernia, intestinal obstruction; Date: 4 Oct 1926, Cemetery: Laurel Grove Cemetery (North), Burial or Cremation Place: Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, Spouse: Jessie Weichselbaum, Children: Lily Levy – U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
1937: Arabian Bitters – Lawrence & Weichselbaum (Savannah, Georgia) example was found in 1937 in Fort Pulaski, now at the Museum in Savannah, Beach. – Bitters Bottles Supplement
Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Digging and Finding, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Argyle Bitters – Adapted for a warm climate!

Posted on 7 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

ArgyleBittersPair_Meyer

A R G Y L E   B I T T E R S

E. B. Wheelock  – New Orleans

07 April 2013 (R•120913-Time Picayune Ad)

"These elegant Bitters are peculiarly adapted for a warm climate”

Apple-Touch-IconAGood grief, I love this outlandish marketing stuff. The female ‘fact’ posted below is one of the most preposterous marketing claims that I have come across recently. Maybe I should get some of this juice for my wife. I recognize some of her symptoms during football season when she is not moving quickly enough to keep us guys in the right ‘frame of mind’. Hopefully she won’t read this.

vintage_housewife_tired

"It is a well-established fact, that fully one-half of the female portion of our population are seldom in the enjoyment of good health, or, to use their own expression, “never feel well”.

This phrase alone is worth placement in “The Baloney Hall of Fame”

It a well-established fact, that fully one-half of the female portion of our population are seldom in the enjoyment of good health, or, to use their own expression, “never feel well”. They are languid, devoid of all energy, extremely nervous, and have no appetite. To this class of invalids, these Bitters are especially recommended.

I first started reading more about Argyle Bitters last week during my series of Houston posts. It seems like this product was specifically developed in Pittsburgh and marketed for the warmer, humid climates such as New Orleans and Houston. I am fortunate to possess two rather different examples that are interesting to compare (see above).

ArgyleBitters_1860Houston

Advertisement from The Houston Telegraph – 1860

ArgyleBitters_TimesPicayune_NOLA1860

Advertisement from The Times Picayune (New Orleans) – 1860

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

A 83  ARGYLE BITTERS, circa 1871

ARGYLE BITTERS / E.B. WHEELOCK / N.O. // f // f // f // // b // C I & SONS
9 3/4 x 2 5/8 (7 1/4) 3/8
Square, LTC, Amber, Green and Yellow olive, Applied mouth, Rare
Bottle also known with an unmarked base.
C I & Sons are C. Ihmsen & Sons of Pittsburgh (see below) in business 1867-1885. (In business much earlier, probable starting 1836 or sooner)

A 83.5  ARGYLE BITTERS, circa 1859

ARGYLE BITTERS / E.B. WHEELOCK / N.O // f // f // f //
9 3/4 x 2 3/4 (7 1/4) 3/8
Square, LTC, Amber, Green and Yellow olive, Applied mouth, Rare
Similar to A 83 except N.O embossing on third line is the same size as other embossing and there is no period after the O. The embossing is lower on the panel, and there is no base marking.

C_Ihmsen_1837_Ad

C. Ihmsen & Co. 1836 Advertisement

Read More: Glasshouses and Glass Manufacturers of the Pittsburgh Region: 1795 – 1910 By Jay W. Hawkins (Page 272 onwards)

New: Christian Ihmsen, Charles I. Ihmsen, Charles T. Ihmsen and William Ihmsen

The Daily Picayune (New Orleans): May 31, 1860. A sure remedy for dyspepsia, fever, ague, etc.

Drug Catalogs: 1878 CB & Co., 1896-7 and 1901-2 JP&K Co.

Trademark 28,089 Medicinal Bitters. Lucien N. Brunswig. New Orleans, La. Filed April 9, 1895. Registered April 7, 1896. Essential feature; the word ‘Argyle’ in block letters. Used since 1871.

Brunswig Patents

Various Lucien N. Brunswig patents – Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents By United States. Patent Office

Lucien Napoleon Brunswig was born in Montmedy, France, in 1854, and was educated at the College of Etain. Apparently Brunswig thought his future lay in the United States and he came to the U.S. in 1871. He found work as an apprentice to a U.S druggist. In 1875 Brunswig opened his own drug store in Atchison, Kansas. After a year of business he sold his drug store and moved to Fort Worth, Texas.

In Fort Worth Brunswig opened a new drug store that not only sold retail but also dealt with wholesale pharmaceuticals. Within 5 years the business was producing $350,000 in annual sales. Business took Lucien to many places and one of those places was Independence, Missouri. There he met and married Annie Mercer. The newly married couple made their home in Fort Worth and they soon added children.

In 1882, George Finlay, the owner of a well-established wholesale drug firm in New Orleans invited Brunswig to join him as a partner. Brunswig sold his Fort Worth business and joined Finlay in the firm of Finlay and Brunswig. In 1885 Finlay died and Lucien Brunswig took over the entire wholesale drug firm which then became L. N. Brunswig and Company. In 1887 he took on a partner by the name of F.W. Braun. [The Southerly Flow]

IhmsenBaseMark

C. Ihmsen & Son Pittsburgh base mark – www.sodasandbeers.com

IhmsenGlassWorks

Allegheny County’s Hundred Years By George Henry Thurston

IhmsenDirectoryListings

Ihmsen City Directory listings in Pittsburgh – Glasshouses and Glass Manufacturers of the Pittsburgh Region: 1795 – 1910 By Jay W. Hawkins

IhmsenMap

1872 map showing the location of the glassworks of C. Ihmsen & Sons on the south side adjacent to the Monongahela River. – Glasshouses and Glass Manufacturers of the Pittsburgh Region: 1795 – 1910 By Jay W. Hawkins

ArgyleBittersAd2

Argyle Bitters advertisement in The Daily True Delta – Sep 17, 1859

ArgyleBittersAd1

The Celebrated Argyle Bitters – Advertisement in New-Orleans Commercial Bulletin – Dec 13, 1867

A83_ArgyleBitters_MeyerAmber

A 83 – Golden amber ARGYLE BITTERS – Meyer Collection

Argyle Bitters_Meyer

A 83.5 – Deep Olive Green ARGYLE BITTERS – Meyer Collection

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

Jacob’s Cordial – Some great typesetting and typography

Posted on 7 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
JacobsCordialPlantersAd

Quite a statement! Portion of a vertical advertisement in The Charleston Mercury – Sep 13, 1859

JACOB’S CORDIAL!

Dysentery and Diarrhea are of such universal prevalence that it behooves every one to be in possession of a remedy that will cure it at once. Jacob’s Cordial will do this, and we wish every family who has occasion for testing any preparation, would give this a trial, for we know this to be a valuable medicine, and if taken early, one dose will be sufficient for a cure.

For sale in New Orleans, wholesale and retail, by T. W. Wright & Co., No 21 Chartres Street, Between Canal and Custom House Streets

The Daily True Delta – Dec 2, 1863

Apple-Touch-IconASearching through some old New Orleans and Charleston, South Carolina newspapers around 1859 – 1863, I was impressed with the typesetting and typography for Jacob’s Cordial. One advertisement (see below) was a single column and took up the entire page space. The use of capital letters and repetition was a great tool to catch your eye. Obviously with no color and few illustrations you needed a gimmick to sell your product and stand out from the crowd on the printed pages.

I can not find a picture of this bottle. Can someone help me out? Who was jacob and where was this cordial made?

Articles Sent Away to Virginia

To Hospital at Charlottesville, Virginia – 

First shipment, five boxes.

Second shipment, seven boxes.

Third shipment, by crate, one bottle port wine, twenty-seven bottles blackberry wine, two bottles medicine, one of plum cordial, one of cherry cordial, two of damson plums, one package of cream tartar, one dozen powders.

First Box—One dozen Jacob’s cordial, one blackberry cordial, one bottle camplior, four pounds coffee, one package sage, one bag sugar, one bag rice, one box salt.

South Carolina Women in the Confederacy – Minutes of the Ladies’ Relief Association of Fairfield.

JacobsCordialAd

Jacob’s Cordial advertisement – The Daily True Delta (New Orleans) – Sep 17, 1859

Posted in Advertising, Cordial, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Brady’s Family Bitters – “Every Body Takes It!”

Posted on 6 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

BradysDetail_B193B_Meyer

David C. Brady

BRADY’S FAMILY BITTERS

Louisville, Kentucky

Brady'SBittersArt

“EVERY BODY TAKES IT!”

06 April 2013 (R•120713-Louisville ads) (R•101918) (R•050319)

Apple-Touch-IconAIt was interesting to find out that Brady’s Family Bitters was being sold in Houston in 1869. Quite a few issues of The Houston Telegraph, which was issued daily, had a really nice advertisement for the product (see below). I suspect is was being shipped right down the Mississippi to New Orleans, where it was then transported to Houston and Allen’s Landing for off-loading. Their Trade Mark slogan was “Every Body Takes It!”

Advertising Trade Card – Ben Swanson

Read: Agents and Distributors of Brady’s Family Bitters

The earliest listing I could find for the Brady’s Family Bitters was in the Louisville Democrat newspaper in 1862. By 1863, David C. Brady was selling Brady’s Celebrated Family Bitters under the moniker, D.C. Brady & Co. and was located at a wholesale warehouse on 226 Main Street in Louisville, Kentucky. Later David C. Brady and Brady’s Family Bitters was advertised in many Louisville directories and regional newspapers up until 1878 or so. He disappears after that though there are listings for a D.C. Brady in the railroad passenger business in the the mid 1880s in Louisville.

I did however find a newspaper notice stating that D.C. Brady & Co. once had property in Louisiana that was sold at public auction to satisfy a state suit. This could have pushed Brady to Louisville if it is the same person. I also see evidence that Brady was from Ireland.

B193Brady'sFamilyBitters

Brady also put out Brady’s Nerve Bitters (pictured below), Brady’s Sarsaparilla & Blood Purifier, Brady’s Ague Tonic, Brady’s Liniment for Man and Beast and Brady’s Dutch Schnapps (image further below)

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

B 193  BRADY’S FAMILY BITTERS, Circa 1865
BRADY’S // FAMILY / BITTERS // f //
10 x 2 3/4 (7 1/4) 1/4
Square, Amber and Yellow-olive, LTC, Applied mouth, 3 sp, Rare
Manufactured by D.C. Brady & Co. No. 226 Main Street, between 2nd and 3rd. (Louisville, Kentucky)
Louisville Kentucky City Directory 1865 Advertisement: “Everybody takes it! Brady’s Family Bitters.”
BradyFamily_1863

1863 Louisville, Kentucky newspaper advertisement for Brady’s Celebrated Family Bitters

BradysNerveBitters_1863

1863 Louisville, Kentucky newspaper advertisement for Brady’s Nerve Bitters

DC_Brady_163

1863 Louisville, Kentucky newspaper advertisement for D. C. Brady & Co.

BradysFamilyBittersAdB

Brady’s Family Bitters advertisement – The Houston Telegraph, Thursday, July 8, 1869

David_C_Brady

Listing for David C. Brady – Brady’s Family Bitters – City Directories for Louisville, Kentucky, 1865

B193_Brady'sFamily _MeyerA

BRADY’S FAMILY BITTERS in a very dark red amber with puce tone – Meyer Collection

B193_Brady'sFamily _MeyerB

BRADY’S FAMILY BITTERS in a very lemony yellow olive (possibly unique color) – Meyer Collection

“BRADY’S – DUTCH / SCHNAPPS – LOUISVILLE. KY”, a Midwest glasshouse, 1865 – 1875. Golden honey coloration, square with beveled corners, applied sloping collar – smooth base, ht. 9 ½”, perfect; (some washable interior content residue). Put out by D.C. Brady, the same company that produced the rare Brady’s Family Bitters. An extremely rare bottle! Found in the basement of an old Indiana drugstore built about 1850. – American Glass Gallery

“BRADY’S / NERVE BITTERS”, (B-196), American, ca. 1865 – 1875, bluish aqua, 9 1/4”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth, Perfect condition. Extremely rare, especially in this attic found condition. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction #98

Select Listings:

1859: Newspaper notice (below) stating that D.C. Brady & Co. property in Louisiana is being sold at public auction to satisfy state suit. – Sugar Planter, Saturday, July 9, 1859

1863: Louisville, Kentucky newspaper advertisement (above) for Brady’s Celebrated Family Bitters, D.C. Brady & Co., Proprietors, Wholesale Warehouse No. 226 Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky
1863: Louisville, Kentucky newspaper advertisement (above) for Brady’s Nerve Bitters, D.C. Brady & Co., Proprietors, Wholesale Warehouse No. 226 Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky
1863: Louisville, Kentucky newspaper advertisement (above) for D.C. Brady & Co., Wholesale Produce, Storage and Commission Merchants, Wine & Liquor Dealers and Manufacturers of Brady’s Family Bitters, 226 Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky
1865: Listing for David C. Brady – Brady’s Family Bitters, 69 W. Main, Louisville, Kentucky – City Directories for Louisville, Kentucky, 1865
1866: Listing for D.C. Brady & Co. (David C. Brady & –), manufacturers of Brady’s Family Bitters and wholesalers in wines, liquors & cigars, 69 W. Main, Louisville, Kentucky – Louisville, Kentucky City Directory
1867: Listing for D.C. Brady & Co. (David C. Brady & –), manufacturers and wholesale dealers, 46 4th Street, Louisville, Kentucky – Louisville, Kentucky City Directory
1869: Newspaper advertisement (above) “Everybody Takes it” Brady’s Family Bitters, Manufactured by D.C. Brady & Co., No. 37 Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky – The Houston Telegraph, Thursday, July 8, 1869
1870-71: Listing for D.C. Brady & Co. (David C. Brady & –), manufacturers of Brady’s Family Bitters and Cocktail Bitters, 37 Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky – Louisville, Kentucky City Directory
1878: Newspaper notice (below) Brady’s Family Bitters – Quad City Times (Davenport, Iowa), Wednesday, January 23, 1878

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

What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part IIA

Posted on 5 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

THeWeeklyTelegraph_1860HoustonMasthead

What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part IIA

05 April 2013

THE WEEKLY TELEGRAPH

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 1860

Apple-Touch-IconAI was able to locate another issue of The Weekly Telegraph in Houston. The day was Tuesday, 20 April 1860. This is nine years prior to the previous issue of The Houston Telegraph that contained the abundant Edward Wilder, Dr. John Bull and others advertisements. I tell you, Houston was swimming in product. It still is.

Read: Allen’s Landing – Houston (not everything is new here) – Part I

Read: What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part II

HoustonWeeklyTelegraph_1860_P1

TelegraphStarLogoX

B I T T E R S

AmericanBitterCordial_1860

American Aromatic Bitter Cordial and Tonic Aromatic Bitters sold by A. A. Peychaud – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

Read: Peychaud’s Cocktail Bitters – L.E. Jung and his Gators

ArgyleBitters_1860Houston

Argyle Bitters sold by A. D. McGowan, W. H. Eliot & Co. A. Sigesmund in Houston – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

Argyle Bitters_Meyer

ARGYLE BITTERS from New Orleans – Meyer Collection

ArabianBitters_Alvarez_1860

Arabian Bitters !!! – Fernandez Alvarez & Co. – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

DrHooflandsGerman_1860

Dr. Hoofland’s Celebrated German Bitters prepared by C.M. Jackson & Co, Philadelphia, For sale by W. H. Eliot & Co, Houston – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

Read: A larger Dr. Hoofland’s German Bitters spotted in the Hayfield

MillsBittersAd_1860

150 cases Mills Bitters – H. J. Trube – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

D R U G S   &   M E D I C I N E S

WH_Eliot_MainStreet_1860

W. Henry Eliot, Main Street – Drugs & Medicines – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

DrSiegisman_Ad_1860

Dr. A. Siegismund, Druggist & Apothecary, Travis Street – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

S C H N A P P S

SchnappsAd_Houston

100 Cases Wolfe’s Genuine Schiedam Schnapps – Henry Sampson Co. – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

Read: Tom Doligale and his Udolpho Wolfe’s Aromatic Schnapps

S P I R I T S   &   W I N E

Bininger&Co_Houston1860Ad

A. M. Bininger & Co. advertisement (note misspelling of Bininger with an ‘e’) Represented by C. Ennis & Co.- Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

See: Bininger Gallery

Daly'sAromaticWhiskey_Houston1860

Daly’s Aromatic Valley Whiskey – For sale in Houston by a number of merchants – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

Read: Looking at Daly’s Aromatic Valley Whisky…with Sandy

WinesBrandiesFernandezAd_Houston

Wines, Brandies, Whiskies, &c., – Fernandez Alvarez & Co. Main Street – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

B E E R   &   A L E

BreweryAdsHouston_1860

Gabel’s Brewery, Schulte’s Brewery and Flock & Bro. advertisements. – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

J_Riordan_Ale_1860Ad

J. Riordan Philadelphia Ale and Porter – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

M I N E R A L   W A T E R

CongressWater_WH_Eliot_1860

Clark & White Saratoga Congress Water on sale by W. Henry Eliot of Houston – Houston Weekly Telegraph Tuesday, April 10, 1860

CongressWater_1860

Received Today, Fresh, Congress Water – A. Siegismund, Travis Street – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

D E M I J O H N S

Houston Weekly Telegraphy, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

100 Demijohns for sale – Fernandez Alvarerez & Co. – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

S A R S A P A R I L L A

SmithsCelebrated_1860

Smith’s Celebrated Sarsaparilla, Soda and Mineral Waters – J. J. C. Smith – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

M I S C .   G O O D S

Henry_J_Trube_Grocer_1860

Just Received – Henry J. Trube, corner of Travis and Franklin Streets – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

MiscGoodsTrube_Houston_1860

New Goods including Baltimore Cove Oysters – H. J. Trube – Houston Weekly Telegraph, Tuesday, April 10, 1860

Posted in Ales & Ciders, Apothecary, Bitters, Cordial, Demijohns, Druggist & Drugstore, Gin, Mineral Water, Sarsaparilla, Schnapps, Spirits, Tonics, Uncategorized, Whiskey, Wine & Champagne | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part II

Posted on 4 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

HoustonEarly

What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part II

04 April 2013

U N D E R   M Y   F E E T

Apple-Touch-IconAYesterday I started a series about ‘looking in my own back yard’ for Texas history relating to the bottles we collect. You see, I live in Houston, aka “Bayou City”. Read: Allen’s Landing – Houston (not everything is new here) – Part I I know I am not going to discover a Houston Glass Works or rows of  houses and privies from the late 18th or early to mid 19th century but I want to see what is, in reality, under my feet. I mean, somewhere here downtown, there had to have been recycling plants, warehouses and dumps for the medicine and liquor that was available to the early Houston settlers, railroad workers, cotton exporters and wheelers and dealers. Houston is now a city on an old city. Everything, just about, has been covered up.

Read Part IIA – What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part IIA

EllerWagonWorks I have lived and worked downtown since 1983 and know quite a bit about how to navigate the complex roadways, pathways, railroad right-of-ways and bayou paths. That is the great thing about being a runner (actually jogger as I get older) and a dog walker. We have eight dogs here at our office on the corner of Crawford and Commerce Streets. The building pictured above is a historical photograph of the Eller Wagon Works Building where we have about 5,000 sq ft of studio space on the dock level, first floor. My space is the three windows on each side of the corner behind the workers. Read more about FMG.

S H O C K E R   U P   T H E   S T R E E T

Last year I did a post on St. Nicholas Stomach Bitters and was surprised to find out that cases of the stuff were, at some much earlier time, sitting close to my office. Probably off-loaded right at Allen’s Landing. This led me today to look at what else was being pushed and sold in early Houston. That is the topic of today’s post.

"Bitters –  200 cases of St. Nicholas Stomach Bitters, 50 cases Stouten’s | 50 cases Hostetters, 49 Turners Forest Wine”

St Nicholas_X

The large and small size of the pontiled ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS (These bitters were being sold in Houston) – Meyer Colection

GentryAd

Here is an advertisement from the Southern Democrat. (Waco, Texas), Vol. 1, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 18, 1858. Wow…200 cases of ST. NICHOLAS STOMACH BITTERS and 50 cases of HOSTETTER’S STOMACH BITTERS sitting blocks from where I am sitting now.

J U L Y  8,  1 8 6 9  –  H O U S T O N

HoustonTelegraph1869Masthead

"the issue for April 14 was being readied when publication was again interrupted by the Mexicans, who captured the printers and threw the press into Buffalo Bayou.

TELEGRAPH AND TEXAS REGISTER

The Telegraph and Texas Register, later variously known as the weekly, tri-weekly, or daily Telegraph, was the first newspaper in Texas to achieve a degree of permanence. The paper was begun on October 10, 1835, at San Felipe de Austin by Gail Borden, Jr., Thomas H. Borden, and Joseph Baker. It became the official organ of the Republic of Texas, which was organized a few months later. By December 14 the paper claimed a circulation of 500. The advance of Antonio López de Santa Anna’s force compelled the publishers to retire after issuing their paper on March 24, 1836. On April 5 Baker withdrew from the firm to join the army. The press was removed to Harrisburg, and the issue for April 14 was being readied when publication was again interrupted by the Mexicans, who captured the printers and threw the press into Buffalo Bayou. Texas State Historical Association

BradysFamilyBittersAd

Brady’s Family Bitters advertisement (see examples below) – The Houston Telegraph, Thursday, July 8, 1869

B193Brady'sFamilyBitters

BRADY’S FAMILY BITTERS in two colors. Product being sold in Houston in 1869 (see advertisement above). – Meyer Collection

HoustonMedAds1869

Three very tall, single column, medicine advertisements in The Houston Telegraph, Thursday, July 8, 1869. Products from W. H. Eliot, Edward Wilder and Dr. John Bull.

EDWARD

EDWARD WILDER’S SARSAPARILLA & POTASH being sold in Houston in 1869 (see advertisement above) – Meyer Collection

Read More: Edward Wilder and his Building Bottles

B254_DrJohnBulls_Meyer

DR. JOHN BULL’S COMPOUND CEDRON BITTERS sold in Houston (see advertisements above and below) – Meyer Collection

BullsCedronBitters

Bull’s Cedron Bitters advertisement for sale by R. F, George Houston and Galveston. (see example above) – The Houston Telegraph,  Thursday, July 8, 1869

LouisHardeAd

Advertisement for Louis Harde Grocer and Commission Merchant, Main Street, Houston – The Houston Telegraph, Thursday, July 8, 1869

Barbaroux&CoAd

Barbaroux & Co bridge builder advertisement. Interesting ad placement in Houston with all of the train bridges over the bayous and rivers. – The Houston Telegraph, Thursday, July 8, 18

T H E   O R I G I N A L   C A S I N O  

S A L O O N

casino saloon

Advertisement for The Original Casino Saloon

CasinoSaloonHouston

Casino Summer Garden Saloon – Congress Street in Houston

WH_EliotDollar

Civil War Era Coupon for Medicine, from documents of W.H. Eliot – Texas Medical History Collections

HostettersGroup_Meyer

Grouping of HOSTETTER’S STOMACH BITTERS – Meyer Collection.

C O N C L U S I O N

As I suspected. This simple exercise tells me that this town was loaded with medicine, bitters and alcohol. I just need to dig deeper. Who knows, maybe some of my Wilder, Hostetter or John Bull bottles were once in Houston! Next in Part III we will deal with clues and paths.

Read more:

Stagecoach Stops and Bartletts Excelsior Bitters

The two embossed TEXAS Bitters

St. Nicholas Stomach Bitters – Gentry & Otis – New, York

F. Stresau – A Texas Bitters (Courtney, Texas)

Texas Window – Some Random Thoughts on a Gray Day

Posted in Bitters, Digging and Finding, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Allen’s Landing – Houston (not everything is new here) – Part I

Posted on 3 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

City of Houston Seal

Allen’s Landing – Houston (not everything is new here) – Part I

03 April 2013

H O U S T O N

On Monday February 17, 1840 at the regular City Council meeting a resolution was passed authorizing Mayor Charles Bigelow “to procure a seal to be styled, the seal for the City of Houston, Texas.”

At the next meeting, February 24th, “On motion of Alderman Stevens, it was resolved, that the seal purchased by F. Moore(e) Jr., Esq., be received as the city seal.”

Dr. Francis Moore, Jr. was a state senator and former mayor of Houston. It was he who had the original seal designed. The top half of the seal bore the words, “City of Houston.” The bottom half was originally empty. Dr. Moore was paid $50 for the seal, and “his honor the Mayor, caused the word ‘Texas’ to be cut on said seal.”

The center of the seal bears “The Lone Star, symbol of the newborn nation of the west…… the ‘Noble locomotive‘, heralding Houston’s spirit of progress; the humble plow, symbol of the agricultural empire of Texas, from which Houston would draw her wealth – by the iron rails.”

The original seal seemed to have disappeared until it was found in December 1939 by assistant city secretary, Mrs. Margaret Westerman, for whom the City Hall Annex is named.

S H I N Y   &   N E W

HoustonPanoramic1921 SONY DSC I have to admit, Elizabeth and I live in a great, huge city somewhat centrally located meaning I can hop on a plane and be almost anywhere in the country and world in short order. Houston has a reputation for being all shiny and new and of course, that is not the case. While it seems that there has been a mentality and mind set to tear something down and make something bigger (see 1921 panoramic above and recent skyline image), there are also areas embedded downtown that are just steeped in history. I see these hidden questions daily on my jogs, dog walks and general moving around. You see, I have lived downtown since 1983. I have been an antique bottle collector since 2002.

Texas Wagon Works before Eller Wagon Works

Texas Wagon Works before becoming Eller Wagon Works (see below). My design offices for FMG Design are located within this building on the first floor. The train tracks are beneath Commerce Street now. The building is on a raised dock platform.

My office here at FMG Design is in the old Texas and Eller Wagon Works Building on Commerce Street (see above illustration). There is actually a picture of Commerce Street further below. The asphalt now covers the old railroad tracks that ran down the street and serviced all the business and warehouses along Buffalo Bayou which connects to the Houston Ship Channel and then the Gulf of Mexico (see map below).

771px-Old_map-Houston-1873

Houston ‘Birds Eye View’ Map – 1873 – Buffalo Bayou runs on the north edge of downtown.

The purpose of this series is reflect back on the beginning of Houston and how Houston relates to antique bottle collecting. We get the history all the time from the New Englanders and the San Francisco Bay area collectors (among many other bottle rich locales) but rarely do we hear of Texas and specifically Houston. Where are the saloons, the groceries, bottlers and liquor merchants. If I was a bottle digger, where would I look? What was under or prior to the newer buildings? In Part I we will look primarily at Allen’s Landing. In Part II we will look at what was happening at and around Allen’s Landing.

TexasBirdsEyeView

Panorama of the Seat of War: Bird’s Eye View of Texas and Part of Mexico. A Perfect Recreation of the tinted lithograph. John Bachman. 1861. If you look carefully in this map, you will see Galveston and Galveston Bay. The Buffalo Bayou runs from Houston downtown to the bay and Houston Ship Channel. – Discovery Edition Maps

T H E   A L L E N   B R O T H E R S

John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen founded Houston on Aug. 30 1836.

John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen founded Houston on Aug. 30 1836.

Houston 1837 plan

Houston 1837 Street plan as envisioned by the Allen Brothers

Houston is the fourth most populous city in the United States, and the most populous city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within a land area of 599.6 square miles. This is huge compared to most cities.

SamuelHouston

General Samuel Houston

G E N E R A L   S A M   H O U S T O N

Houston was founded in 1836 on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou, now known as Allen’s Landing and incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837. The city was named after former General Sam Houston, who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 miles east of where the city was established. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city’s population. In the mid-twentieth century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center—the world’s largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions—and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located.

Zieglar_and_Allen's_Landing

Photograph of a printed engraving illustrating the port of Houston looking north from Allen’s Landing across Buffalo Bayou. A side wheel paddle boat and barges towed by boats are all loaded with cotton. A train, also loaded with cotton bales, is crossing the bridge over White Oak Bayou. The Ziegler Warehouse stands in the top right of the illustration. The picture is labeled “Ziegler & Co.’s Cotton Warehouses.”

A L L E N ‘ S    L A N D I N G

Allen’s Landing is the birthplace of the city of Houston. In August 1836, just months after the Republic of Texas won its independence from Mexico, two brothers (and real estate developers) from New York – John Kirby Allen and Augustus Chapman Allen  – purchased 6,642 acres in the area and settled there on the banks of Buffalo Bayou. The campus of the University of Houston–Downtown sits atop Allen’s Landing. Allen’s Landing is at the confluence of White Oak Bayou and Buffalo Bayou and serves as a natural turning basin. A dock was quickly opened on the site, and the steamer Laura was the first ship to anchor at the landing on January 26, 1837. The landing was officially named a port in 1841 – the original Port of Houston. In 1910, the United States government approved funding for the dredging of a ship channel from the Gulf of Mexico to the present turning basin four miles to the east of Allen’s Landing. [Wikipedia]

“consisted of one dugout canoe, a bottle gourd of whisky and a surveyor’s chain and compass, and was inhabited by four men with an ordinary camping outfit.”

Dilue Rose Harris, in her memoirs recalling the days after the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, wrote of the excitement that the proposed new town of Houston was creating among the people returning to Texas after the defeat of Santa Anna. In early June, 1836, some of the young men from the Stafford Point community (now, modern Stafford) rode over to Buffalo Bayou to check out the new town described in the circulars and handbills distributed by the Allen brothers. What they found there became more of a joke than anything else. The town, which was difficult to locate among the pine woods, “consisted of one dugout canoe, a bottle gourd of whisky and a surveyor’s chain and compass, and was inhabited by four men with an ordinary camping outfit.” That’s where the story takes a ominous turn. To escape the heat and the swarms of mosquitos, the men decided to take a swim in the bayou. No sooner had they all gotten into the water, when the “water was alive with alligators.” Three of the men got out on the south bank of the bayou from whence they entered, but one exited on the other side. Those on the south bank got a canoe and rescued him, bringing the separated man back to the south side. Not only did the man face death at the jaws of the alligators, but, he told his rescuers that while he was waiting for them, a large panther was lurking nearby. The big cat ran off as the canoe approached. By the end of the nineteenth century, Buffalo Bayou as a major shipping lane was on the decline. Ocean going vessels exchanged cargo at docks below the turning basin, and the traffic upstream to Allen’s Landing was primarily that of barges. By the turn of the twentieth century, the bayou has little or no commercial traffic. It is time to return the bayou to the canoes. Buffalo Bayou – An Echo of Houston’s Wilderness Beginnings by Louis F. Aulbach

B U F F A L O   B A Y O U

Houston&CentralDepot

Houston and Texas Central Depot – 1873. You can see Buffalo Bayou

Houdstonmap1891

Houston Map 1981 – Here you see the confluence of White Oak Bayou and Buffalo Bayou that for awhile served as a natural turning basin. Buffalo Bayou leads to the Gulf. Allen’s Landing is pretty much at the confluence.

E A R L Y   A L L E N ‘ S   L A N D I N G  

P H O T O G R A P H S

AllensLandingMainStreet

Allen’s Landing with Main Street running up a few degrees.

CommerceStreetHouston

Commerce Street, 1890, the “heart of produce row.” Photo from the George Fuermann “Texas and Houston” Collection, courtesy of Special Collections, University of Houston Libraries. My office is on Commerce Street.

AllensLanding1

Cargo offloading or onloading on Buffalo Bayou at Allen’s Landing in downtown Houston. Sometime around the turn of the century.

Historic view of Allen’s Landing

Historic Allen’s Landing. Look carefully at the “Liver Pills Tippecanoe” graphics on the fence. I can not read the first word.

Allen's_Landing1900

Allen’s Landing c – 1900

AllensLandingMain1911

Barge traffic at the warft at Allen’s Landing (left) with the White Oak Bayou entering on the right (c. 1911) – Photo courtesy TxDOT

HistoricCoffeeBldg

Historic Houston Coffee Building across Buffalo Bayou on the left

MainStreetTrolleys

Great picture of the prominence of Main Street. Look at the trolley’s.

Read Part II: What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part II

Read Part IIA: What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part IIA

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The Color Yellow – A wide range of shades

Posted on 2 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

XXX

Y E L L O W

Lemon&SuffolkPig

(above) Yellow figural whiskey bottle and Suffolk Bitters from the Meyer Collection

The Color Yellow – A wide range of shades

02 April 2013

YellowColorChartYellow is an important color in bottle collecting but is usually, for some odd reason to some, less desirable than the ‘prettier’ blues and greens. It is actually a very tough color to obtain in many bottle areas such as bitters, medicines, flasks and ink bottles. When I walk my rooms and look at my shelves, many of the yellows have a degree of amber in them, which is probably the most common bottle color besides aqua. It is only when you focus on finding the purer yellow color shades do you really start to see and understand the beauty and range of yellow.

Yellow is the color of gold, butter, or ripe lemons. In the spectrum of visible light, and in the traditional color wheel used by painters, yellow is located between green and orange. Yellow is commonly associated with gold, sunshine, reason, optimism and pleasure, but also with envy, jealousy and betrayal. It plays an important part in Asian culture, particularly in China [Wikipedia]

Yellow is a misunderstood color with a wide range of possibilities. You may hear people describing a yellow bottle as yellow amber, apricot, citron, goldenrod, lime, saffron, lemon yellow, straw, olive yellow, school bus yellow, light yellow, canary, mustard, harvest gold, rye, ginger ale etc. To illustrate my point, I have created a gallery below of the wide range of yellow shades represented in antique bottles and related glass collectibles.

YellowInks_April

Gorgeous picture of a master ink and three umbrella inks in various shades of yellow – John April

Shades of Yellow

ShadesOfColor_Yellow

Yellow in Nature

YellowNature

Pantone Matching System

PantoneYellows

Yellow in Bottles and Glass

YellowGlob_GW

Free-blown Globular bottle in  straw yellow with olive tone – Glass Works Auctions

Spool&BeehiveYellow

Two shades of yellow ‘spool’ and ‘beehive’ insulators. Spool is in the Meyer Collection.

GW92_059_10

Scroll Flask, “LOUISVILLE, KY. – GLASS WORKS“, (GIX-6), Louisville Glass Works, Louisville, Kentucky, ca. 1845 – 1855, olive yellow quart, red iron pontil – Glass Works Auction #92

YellowNationals

Three shades of yellow NATIONAL BITTERS (figural ear of corns) – Meyer Collection

EagleEagleGW92_8

Eagle-Eagle (GII-25) in yellow – Glass Works Auction #92

A&MPB_Grickler

Two yellow beer bottles – ADLER & MAYER PITTSBURG, PA and a W F GRICKLER BATAVIA, NY – Meyer Collection

SuffolkBittersYellow

SUFFOLK BITTERS (figural pig) in lemon yellow – Meyer Collection

LightningFruitJarsYellow

TRADE MARK LIGHTING fruit jars in two shades of yellow – Meyer Collection

YellowOld Sachems_Meyer

Two very different shades of yellow OLD SACHEM BITTERS AND WIGWAM TONIC – Meyer Collection

LRBsYellow_Meyer

Yellow ‘Swirl” and Gold Mercury Raised Quilt Lightning Rod Balls – Meyer Collection

StiegelTypeScents

Stiegel type scent bottle in light straw yellow – Glass Works Auctions

LondonJockeyYellow

LONDON JOCKEY CLUBHOUSE GIN in a bubbly citron – Ex. Meyer Collection

BunkerHill_YO

Two shades of yellow SKILTON FOOTE BUNKER HILL PICKLE bottles – Meyer Collection

Read More: What is Puce or ‘Pooce’ as some call it?

Read More: The Color Purple or Amethyst in Antique Glass

Read More: Not Brown – Old Amber “Harvey’s Prairie Bitters”

Posted in Advice, Bitters, Color, Figural Bottles, Inks, Questions | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Unlisted 2-Headed Indian Queen Found!

Posted on 2 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

IndianQueen2Headed

“A find that has certainly set the figural and bitters world ‘upside down’ rocks the airwaves this morning. I mean, “was it meant to be drunk from two people at once” as Bill Ham questioned? Bitters figural king Bill Taylor from Oregon thinks he might lay the queen on its side if he was fortunate enough to obtain this beauty for his shelves (possibly causing arm base wear). I myself, might start a color run of these two headed queens. Noted bitters collector Jeff Burkhardt seemed puzzled and somewhat worried about the stability of this possibly sitting in his favorite window, even though the lips seemed full and rolled perfect. Bob Ferraro from Boulder City said he might just ‘carry it with him’ or roll it up in a towel. Wow what a find!”

[Posted 01 April 2013 on PRG and PRG facebook]

PRG FB Logo

2HeadedQueen_FB

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Mailbox Letters – April 2013

Posted on 1 April 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

www.studiomathewes.com

Apple-Touch-IconAPlease feel free to send any antique bottle or glass questions to ferdinand@peachridgeglass.com. The information will be posted if relevant or of interest to the readers. I will try to answer or wait for another reader to respond. Quality images are very important. Thanks! If you want to see previous questions,go to “Mailbox Letters” in “Categories” on the right column of each page.

Looking for Andrews & Johnson Bottle

Andrews&Johnson

Hi Ferdinand, I got your name from Matt Lacy, who said you might be able to help us. We are looking into the purchase of one bottle of the attached. It reads ANDREWS & JOHNSTON, PHILADA” on the front and “BRIDGTON GLASS WORKS NJ” on the back. Do you think that is something you might be able to help track down for us? Matt said he has sold out of all of his. Thanks, KIM

Milk Can Questions for History Channel Project

VintageMilkCansSepia

Good Afternoon! My name is Erin and I work for the History Channel show American Restoration. We are currently editing an episode for our fourth season which features antique milk cans. We are looking to add vintage photos or advertisements for milk cans to the episode to help enhance the history. I came across your website and was wondering if you or someone you knew had access to any. I would love to talk to you in more detail about what we are looking for.

I look forward o your reply!

Kind regards,

Erin

PRG: Erin was referred to the National Association of Milk Bottle Collectors

South Florida Bottle Question

Good morning, We were wondering if you could assist us or point us in the right direction. One of our Insured’s broke 3 medicine bottles from Key West & Palm Beach.

1. Key West Medicine 7 1/4 ” clear with slight purple tint embossed with 101 Duval Street, circa 1900 -1910
2. Key West Medicine 7″ clear Cuban embossed Farmacia El Aguila de Oro, Dr. Gabriel Diaz & Co, circa 1900 – 1910
3. Palm Beach Medicine 2 3/4″ clear embossed Doe & Gonya Royal Poinciana Pharmacy

We have been trying to find the values for these bottles and so far have struck out.
Do you know the values or can you refer us to someone who may be able to assist us?

Thank you. Marizena

Blue Barrel Question

Hello, I read with interest your article online about the mysterious blue barrel bitters. The reason I was researching is because I have one of these barrels that I am considering selling. I have had it since about 1970 when it was obtained as part of a collection of a Mrs Stahl in St Joseph, Mo. The collection had many bitters and barber bottles that were top notch. I was a young boy at the time and I had an affection for barrels, Mrs Stahl noticed my fascination with the bottle and rather than include it into the sale of the bottles to my Father she gave it to me. She literally took it out of the group and handed it to me.

I am unsure that I want to sell the bottle but am leaning in that direction. The bottle is actually about 200 miles from where I live and I don’t currently have any pictures of it but I can assure you it is one of the “mysterious” group and fully authentic. But that is neither here nor there. The reason for my email is this; can you recommend a place that I could find a current value? I’m confident that this will be difficult since very few of these bottles sell I am sure. I am out of the bottle collecting loop anymore and don’t even know where to start. Could you direct me to someone who could help me?

Thanks you and highest regards,

Kurt Surber
Kurt Surber-Museum Guest Services
Archery Hall of Fame and Museum

PRG: Kurt, if the bottle is in great condition and doesn’t have any problems such as chips or cracks, you could fetch in the $2k to $3k range depending on how crisp the bottle color is. This bottle is not terribly rare, just a highly desirable color. If it was embossed, that would be a different story. Go to FOHBC.org and check out the Auction houses should you want to move your bottle. You could also try ebay. You will need really good pictures. Good luck.

Please visit PeachridgeBarberShopChair.com

BarberChairRed

I’m trying to get an estimate of my barbers chair and I was hoping you could help. All I have is a picture, it’s fully restored.

New Ink Bottle I Just Purchased

ink 2

ink1

I found what I think is a cone flare top black glass ink bottle. But, I am not sure. On the bottom it is polished and engraved “ol.salv. B. dist.” I’m including some photos. I hope that you can tell me what it is and when it’s from. And if you like it, you are welcome to use the photos. I would appreciage any help. Thank you, – Vita

Later Atlanta’s Gate City Guard bottle knock-off

OddScrewFlask

I have a neat bottle that I would like to try to sell. I am not sure of the worth. Can you folks help me out?

I attached a photo. I wrote to you guys because I found this article. It mentioned Tom Lines as owning one of these bottles. I will attach a copy of the article. I have the same bottle. My bottle does not have the engraving on the front though.

Thanks Craig.

Read: High calibre bottle designed for Atlanta’s Gate City Guard

W J. Reading | Key West Florida Flask and another…

WJ_ReadingFlask

When in Key West last week I was shown 2 different flasks that seem to be pretty rare. The first one I saw 3 of them. One I saw at Alex’s neighbor’s (Ed Harper) house and 2 at Alex’s house. The second one Alex showed me and he had found diving. I told him I would try to find something out about it. The embossing is not very strong probably due to the sand and current. – Pam (Selenak)

Flask1

Flask2

Druggist Bottle Found in Arizona

W-CampbellBottle

Is this bottle worth anything? Clint found in Arizona. – Elizabeth (Meyer)

Vaseline Glass Collection

I have a very large collection of Vaseline glass for sale, I wasn’t sure if you buy it or not. I am located in MD, please email me back.

Thanks, Lauren

[PRG] I have asked Lauren for pictures.

Bottle Collection Headed to an Auction House?

Hi from Rochester, NY. We enjoyed your website very much. The last couple weeks my husband has been going through his bottle collection for auction. The collection is vast, most of which he hasn’t looked at in many years, approx 400 bottles (more or less, no exact count to date), apothecary, medicine/chemist, bitters, flasks, decanters, perfume, barbers, etc. As a young boy he was a runner for a local auction house, learned fast and started his collection over 40 yrs ago.

My husband has asked me to contact you ~ may we plz ask if you can refer a reputable auction house that specializes in antique bottles? We have several local auction houses, however my husband is insistent his collection go to an auctioneer who specializes in bottles with a broad bidder base.

We also are wondering what is customary for auction prep: Should we catalogue each bottle (massive) or would auctioneer do that? Should we plan on delivering this collection comprising many case boxes, or would auctioneer prefer to inspect at our residence?

Thank you in advance for any guidance.

Either myself or my husband (computer illiterate) would appreciate hearing back at your convenience.

Best Regards, Steve

[PRG] I have asked Steve for more information and pictures.

IXL California Bitters Question

CaliIXLI have a Dr. Henley’s IXL California bitters bottle in very good shape…It has a light green blue tint to it…What is the value of a bottle like this?… Thanks Doug Covington

[PRG] I have a really decent example and paid around $700 for it about 5 years ago. Really depends on color and condition.

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