HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS without the expected embossed “PHILADELPHIA”

Hentz’s Curative Bitters – Unlisted Variant Found

23 August 2012 (R•040919)

Incoming email and pictures from Bill Ham, author of Bitters Bottles and Bitters Bottles Supplement.

Ferdinand: Here is an unlisted variant of the HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS. It looks like H 88 but doesn’t have PHILADELPHIA embossed.

Bill received the following communication in a previous email:

“Does NOT have any town; only HENTZ’S /CURATIVE BITTERS [on 2 indented panels]. Watson says the color is lime [I call it pale green] and I bought it for a scarce bottle & paid dearly for it, because of it’s clarity & shelf/display appeal. The deceased owner paid in his log $75 for it way back in 1968 and that was pretty big money. I want $300 for it & will send pics to any interested collector as I’m not a bittersman but like minty glass stuff.”

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

H 88  Hentz’s  Curative Bitters Philadelphia

HENTZ’S // CURATIVE / BITTERS // PHILADELPHIA // f //
9 5/8 x 2 3/4 (7 3/8) 3/8
Square, Aqua and Clear, LTCR, Tooled lip, 3 sp, Scarce

The new listing by Bill Ham for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

H 88.5  Hentz’s  Curative Bitters

HENTZ’S // CURATIVE / BITTERS // f // f // b // x
9 x 2 1/2
Square, Aqua, LTC, Applied mouth, 2 sp, Extremely rare
Two sides have embossing peened out

Which Hentz are we talking about?

Looking online, I found the following information for two different Hentz’s which is puzzling. Maybe one of you have some more definitive information so we can confirm which Hentz marketed and sold the HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS.

Henry J. Hentz and Percy Hentz listed with White, Hentz & Co. in Philadelphia. William A. Hentz & Co. also listed in Philadelphia Directory.

WILLIAM A. HENTZ
Philadelphia, PA.
1871-1893

Succeeded by Wm. Wilkinson (Boyd’s). A letterhead from 1885 shows the company to be Wm. A. Hentz and Wm. C. Wilkinson, Importers and wholesale dealers in wines and liquors. Manufacturers of and wholesale depot for Scheetz’s Celebrated Bitter Cordial. Agents for Jules Mumm & Co. Champagnes.

Percy Hentz, son and partner of the firm’s founder must have had a falling out with Wilkinson. He set up next door and claimed to be “The only HENTZ on 3rd St”.
Mida shows the “Stylus Club Pure Rye Whiskey” trademark used since 1/1/1891.

Stylus Club Pure Rye Whiskey paper weight

The company used the brand names: “Stylus Club”, and “W. H. & Co. Rye Est. 1793.”

Business name timeline: William A Hentz (1871-1877), William A Hentz & Co (1878-1893) then became Wm Wilkinson..

Address timeline: 258 N 3 rd (1871-1877), 139 N 3 rd (1878-1893)

Stylus Club Pure Rye Whiskey advertisement

I also found the following listing for another Hentz in Philadelphia:

WHITE, HENTZ & CO.
Philadelphia, PA.
1793-1918

Est. 1793., 1907 letterhead shows J. Henry Hentz Jr. and Wm. R. W. Hentz as proprietors (J = Jacob). 1884 letterheads cite J. Henry Hentz & J. P. Robinett. Represented in NY by D. Lieber, 17 S William Street. Importers and wholesale dealers in wines & liquors.

The business was established in 1793 by Philip Wager. In 1810 it became Van Syckel & Garrison and following the retirement of Mr. Garrison, Van Sykel & Sons. In 1849, Wm. R White and J. Henry Hentz formed the partnership. The name stayed but by 1895, J. Henry Hentz and J. Henry Hentz Jr. were the partners. Hentz senior was born in Philadelphia and traveled extensively in Europe. His son joined the business after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania and became a partner in 1885. Trimble Whiskey was introduced around 1830. The business grew to have branches in New York (at the above address) and also in Washington DC, first at 1200 Pennsylvania Ave (ca. 1892), later in the Glover Building, 1419 F Street, N.W. (1895). The Philadelphia base “extended back to Bread Street, a distance of 200 feet, the receiving and shipping being done in the rear”. 224 2nd St was erected in 1793 and then 222 in 1860. (includes a photo). Mida has the “WHCo – Estbd -1793” in use since 1884. The first electric sign in NY Times square advertised Trimble Whiskey.

The company used the brand names: “Monogram Pennsylvania Rye”, “Pennsylvania Monogram Rye”, “Trimble”, “W. H. & Co.”, and “White Hentz & Co..”

Business name timeline: White, Hentz & Co.

Address timeline: 222-224 N 2nd (1870-1918)

Philadelphia and Popular Philadelphians

HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS without the expected embossed “PHILADELPHIA”

HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS without the expected embossed “PHILADELPHIA”

HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS without the expected embossed “PHILADELPHIA”

HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS (H 88) with embossed ‘PHILADELPHIA’ – Meyer Collection

H 89  HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS (Sample)
FREE SAMPLE / HENTZ’S CURATIVE / BITTERS // f // f // f //
4 1/4 x 1 1/2 (2 7/8) 1/4
Square, Aqua, LTCR, Scarce

Sample size HENTZ’S CURATIVE BITTERS (H 89) – Meyer Collection