Old Home Bitters – Wheeling, West Virginia
THE PRIDE OF VIRGINIA
05 June 2011 (R•052815) (R•082918)
A question in from bitters bottle authority Bill Ham regarding the so-called semi-cabin Old Home Bitters from Wheeling, West Virginia. Top image of Old Home Bitters (O 36) from Bitters Bottles Supplement.
Ferdinand: Did you see the Old Home Bitters that showed up at Mansfield a few weeks ago? Do you know if it was the O35 Laughlin’s & Bushfield or the O 36 Laughlin, Smith & Co. variant? I understand that it was olive green and may or may not have had remnants of a metallic pontil. Do you know anyuthing about it?
Bill
[PRG] Well I had heard about this bottle in Mansfield from some of the big bitters guys who were there such as Burkhardt, Ferraro and Taylor. I can not answer Bill but I suspect someone can help with his question.
[PRG] I have a perfect example (pictured) of an O 36 which is a light smoky yellow amber w/olive tone. It is a strange color and you can see a slug plate remnant of the earlier Laughlin & Bushfield relationship.
Read: The Nicest 1970’s Old Home Bitters Bottle Lamp
The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:
O 35 OLD HOME BITTERS
OLD HOME / BITTERS // WHEELING. W. VA // sp // LAUGHLIN / & BUSHFIELD //
10 x 2 3/4 (5 3/4) 1/4
Square, Amber, LTCR, 4 sp, Rare,
The older business. (circa 1863-66). The firm later became Laughlin, Smith & Co.
O 36 OLD HOME BITTERS
OLD HOME / BITTERS // WHEELING. W. VA // sp // LAUGHLIN / SMITH & CO //
9 3/4 x 2 5/8 (5 3/4) 1/4
Square, Amber, LTCR, 4 sp, Rare,
Very crude letters…especially G & C. The newer business. (circa 1867) The firm was previously Laughlin & Bushfield.
O 36 Old Home Bitters – Meyer Collection
***** POST ADDITION *****
Lot: 1 “Old Home / Bitters / Laughlin / Smith & Co / Wheeling. W. VA.” Figural Bitters Bottle, America, 1860-1870. Modified cabin form with all panels indented even the tapering roof panels, olive yellow, applied sloping collared mouth with ring – smooth base, ht. 9 3/4 inches; (professionally cleaned to original luster with some minor wear remaining). R/H #O36 Beautiful rare color, lots of bold embossing, fine condition. Estimate: $4,000 – $8,000 Minimum bid: $2,000 (Sold $9,650.00 + 15%) March 2012
Select Listings:
1852: William Laughlin, Box of Cigars notice – The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
1853: W. Laughlin, Spanish Cigars advertisement – The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
1855: Laughlins & Bushfield advertisement for Cod Liver Oil et al. – The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
1857: Laughlins & Bushfield advertisement for Frey’s Vermifuge – The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
1863-1866: Typical Laughlin’s Old Home Bitters advertisement (Laughlins & Bushfield) – The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, Friday, January 26, 1866
1867-68: Typical Laughlin’s Old Home Bitters advertisement (Laughlin, Smith & Co.) – The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, Wednesday, March 27, 1867
I saw this OLD HOME but at a distance(10′) as it changed hands. It appeared to be OLIVE-YELLOW with a strong green tone and was said to be iron pontiled. I did not see which variant it was. It was sold by a digger to, I believe another digger, for an undisclosed amount of cash.