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Jack Stecher and his John Moffat Phoenix Bitters

15 December 2012

Hi Ferd,

Wishing you and all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I’m sending you 22 candid (window shots mostly) photos of my group of Phoenix Bitters to use at your discretion (please feel to cull any). I finally completed my run of eight only (see above) recently, by adding a M-108 from eBay and the allusive M-111 at the Reno show last July.

Page 68 fron the Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham Bitters Bottle Supplement

My inspiration was the group photo from page 168 of the Ring/Ham Bitters Bottle Supplement (see above). Of course, that page also shows the J-38, Jewett’s Bitters (see below), which I have had in my collection for 20 years. My first Phoenix, M-112 was added in 1992. I was most excited to buy the rare M-109, 2 dollar version 13 years ago from a contractor-builder in downstate New York. It was found between the rafters of an old Federal style house.

DR. JEWETT”S BITTERS flanked by JOHN MOFFAT PHOENIX BITTERS – Stecher Collection

It is noted that Bill Ham published a great article on Phoenix bitters in the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector bottle magazine back in April 2006. As Bill stated, “some of the variants are quite rare, but with patience and time all the variants can be assembled.” I might add that it’s not getting any easier! Being one of the rarest variants, I have included several shots of the M-111, including the open pontil. I also like the amber and green variants of the M-113. I believe there are some other color variations of some of the smaller size Phoenix bottles other than what I have shown here. Anyway, I’ll keep looking.

My best,

Jack (Stecher)

Read More: John Moffat Phoenix Bitters Support

I was most excited to buy the rare M-109, 2 dollar version 13 years ago from a contractor-builder in downstate New York. It was found between the rafters of an old Federal style house.

M 108  JOHN MOFFAT NEW-YORK PHOENIX BITTERS

JOHN (au) MOFFAT // NEW-YORK // PHOENIX / BITTERS // PRICE $2,00 //
7 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4 (5 3/8) 7/8
Rectangular, Olive green, Olive amber, and Aqua, STC and CM, Applied mouth, Rough pontil mark, Very Rare
Lettering reads base to shoulder, the number 2 has been altered from a 1
Embossed letters are sans-serif style

M 108 JOHN MOFFAT NEW-YORK PHOENIX BITTERS – PRICE $2,00 – Stecher Collection

M 108 JOHN MOFFAT NEW-YORK PHOENIX BITTERS – PRICE $2,00 – Stecher Collection

M 109  JOHN MOFFAT NEW YORK PHOENIX BITTERS PRICE 2 DOLLARS

JOHN MOFFAT // NEW YORK // PHOENIX / BITTERS // PRICE 2 DOLLARS //
7 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4 (5 3/8) 7/8
Rectangular, Olive green and Olive Amber, CM, Applied mouth, Rough pontil mark, Extremely Rare
Lettering reads base to shoulder, The embossed letters are serif style. Area between second F and A in MOFFAT has an irregular shaped blob. PRICE 2 DOLLARS is weakly embossed.

M 109 JOHN MOFFAT NEW YORK PHOENIX BITTERS PRICE 2 DOLLARS – Stecher Collection

M 109 JOHN MOFFAT NEW YORK PHOENIX BITTERS PRICE 2 DOLLARS – Stecher Collection

M 109 JOHN MOFFAT NEW YORK PHOENIX BITTERS PRICE 2 DOLLARS – Stecher Collection

M 108  JOHN MOFFAT NEW-YORK PHOENIX BITTERS

M 109  JOHN MOFFAT NEW YORK PHOENIX BITTERS PRICE 2 DOLLARS

M 108 and M-109 (see above) JOHN MOFFAT NEW YORK PHOENIX BITTERS photograph comparing price embossings together – Stecher Collection

M 110  JNO MOFFAT PRICE $ 1 PHOENIX BITTERS NEW YORK

JNO. MOFFAT // PRICE $ 1 // PHOENIX / BITTERS // NEW YORK //
5 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 3/4 (4 1/4) 5/8
Rectangular, STC and CM, Applied mouth
Olive green, Olive yellow, and Olive amber, Rough pontil mark, Scarce
Aqua, Rough pontil mark and smooth base, Common
Lettering reads base to shoulder, letters are sans-serif and usually very high relief

M 110 JNO MOFFAT PRICE $ 1 PHOENIX BITTERS NEW YORK – Stecher Collection

M 110 JNO MOFFAT PRICE $ 1 PHOENIX BITTERS NEW YORK – Stecher Collection

M 111  JNO MOFFAT PRICE 1 $ PHOENIX BITTERS NEW-YORK

JNO MOFFAT // PRICE 1 $ // PHOENIX BITTERS // NEW-YORK //
5 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 3/4 (4 1/4) 9/16 & 11/16
Rectangular, Dark amber, STC and Rolled collar, Applied mouth, Rough pontil mark, Extremely rare
Lettering reads base to shoulder. Bevels are two sizes. 9/16 and 11/16. Letters are very crude and very high in relief. The 1 and $ are in reverse order. The $ has only one vertical line. This is the rarest of the John Moffat Phoenix Bitters bottles.

M 111 JNO MOFFAT PRICE 1 $ PHOENIX BITTERS NEW-YORK – Stecher Collection

M 111 JNO MOFFAT PRICE 1 $ PHOENIX BITTERS NEW-YORK – Stecher Collection

M 111 JNO MOFFAT PRICE 1 $ PHOENIX BITTERS NEW-YORK – Stecher Collection

M 111 JNO MOFFAT PRICE 1 $ PHOENIX BITTERS NEW-YORK – Stecher Collection

M 111 Open pontil on a JNO MOFFAT PRICE 1 $ PHOENIX BITTERS NEW-YORK – Stecher Collection

M 112  JOHN MOFFAT PHOENIX BITTERS, Circa 1840 – 1860

JOHN ( au ) / MOFFAT // PRICE $1,00 // PHOENIX / BITTERS // NEW YORK //
L…Moffat’s Celebrated Phoenix Bitters
5 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 5/8 (4 3/8) 5/8
Rectangular, Applied mouth; Rough pontil mark, Olive green, Olive yellow and Olive amber, STC, Rolled lip and RC, Common; Aqua, CM and STC, Smooth base and Rough pontil mark, Common
Olive colored bottles exhibits older glass manufacturing techniques and are more crude than Aqua examples. Lettering reads base to shoulder.

Newspaper Advertisement 1840: When taken at night they promote insensitive perspiration and relieve the system of feberile action and feculent obstructions as to produce delightful convalescence in the morning.

Drug Catalogs: 1872 Melliers, 1874 VS&R, 1876-7 Goodwin, 1878 CB&Co., 1882 VS&R, 1883 M&R, Schieffelin, 1885 Goodwin, 1887 MP (also Moffat’s Life Pills), 1894 M&R, 1896-7 and 1901-2 JP&K Co.

Patent No. 271, dated December 29, 1862: Moffat & Co’s Genuine Phoenix Bitters

M 112 JOHN MOFFAT PHOENIX BITTERS – Stecher Collection

M 112 JOHN MOFFAT PHOENIX BITTERS – Stecher Collection

M 113  JOHN MOFFAT PRICE 1 DOLLAR PHOENIX BITTERS NEW YORK

JOHN MOFFAT // PRICE 1 DOLLAR // PHOENIX / BITTERS // NEW YORK //
5 3/8 x 2 1/2 x 1 3/4 (4 1/4) 5/8
Rectangular, RC, STC. and Rolled collar. Applied mouth, off-center Rough pontil mark, Olive green – Scarce; Green – Extremely rare,  Amber – Extremely rare
Lettering reads base to shoulder and has serif style letters. This bottle found in many color variations.

M 113 JOHN MOFFAT PRICE 1 DOLLAR PHOENIX BITTERS – Stecher Collection

M 113 JOHN MOFFAT PRICE 1 DOLLAR PHOENIX BITTERS – Stecher Collection

M 113 JOHN MOFFAT PRICE 1 DOLLAR PHOENIX BITTERS – Stecher Collection

M 113 JOHN MOFFAT PRICE 1 DOLLAR PHOENIX BITTERS – Stecher Collection