DR. HALLS CALIFORNIA PEPSIN WINE BITTERS – eBay picture
A super rare H 11 – Dr. Thos Halls California Pepsin Wine Bitters showed up on eBay the other night. I already had a perfect example from the Grapentine Collection (see pictured). I went after this new one because it had a crude applied top where my existing example had a tooled top. This San Francisco bottle, circa 1875-1880, will be coming from Dale Mlasko in Medford, Oregon. Dale notes that this is only one of two he has seen with an applied top. Possibly only made during one or two years. Can’t wait! See picture Dale took and posted on eBay.
DR. HALLS CALIFORNIA PEPSIN WINE BITTERS – My first example with a tooled top. Ex: Grapentine – Meyer Collection
The Carlyn Ring & W.C Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:
H 11 DR. HALLS CALIFORNIA PEPSIN WINE BITTERS, Circa 1875 – 1880
DR THOS HALL’S / CALIFORNIA / PEPSIN WINE BITTERS // f // f // f //
9 x 2 3/4 (6 3/4) 5/16
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth and Tooled lip, Rare
DR. HALLS CALIFORNIA PEPSIN WINE BITTERS, My new applied top example. Ex: Mlasko – Meyer Collection
According to Bill & Betty Wilson in their book, Western Bitters, Thomas Hall came across the plains in a covered wagon and settled in Sacramento for a number of years. He married a Sacramento girl and for several years studied to become a physician. In 1875 he moved to San Francisco and practiced medicine, as well as formulate a bitters. He retired in 1880 and became a artist.
Dr. Thos. Halls Pepsin Wine Bitters Advertisement
Dr. Thomas Hall’s California Pepsin Wine Bitters is a not so common bottle, but the trade cards from the early 1870’s are very scarce. I happened on this one in a book where it had been stashed years ago. A humorous bit of advertising. – Michael Dolcini
