AUGAUER BITTERS – CHICAGO

John H. Gauer – Michael P. Gauer – Nicholas J. Gauer

09 June 2013 (R•020914) (R•110815) (R•013117) (R•062219)

You can always spot an eBay picture (above) from George Waddy (bottleski). In this case it was an Augauer Bitters sitting on his deck in some warm tropical locale. When he says a bottle is perfect you can bet your bottom dollar that bottle is a good specimen. Well I won the bottle back in 2006 and it is on a shelf somewhere in one of my rooms with a series of other rectangular bitters that were made in the late 1880s and 90s.

What got me thinking again about my Augauer Bitters was an email from my friend and bitters collector Jeff Burkhardt (Cedarberg, Wisconsin) asking if I might be interested in an Augauer Bitters oval sign. I said yes immediately as I collect Bitters signs. The sign is pictured below. Pretty cool eh?

Let’s look a little closer at this good-looking bottle that is usually overlooked as it came out so late. The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

A 134 sp // AUGAUER BITTERS // sp // AUGAUER BITTERS CO / CHICAGO //
7 7/8 x 4 1/4 x 2 5/8 (5 1/2) 3/4
Rectangular, Yellowish green, LTC, Tooled lip and ABM, Scarce
Wide bevels have three narrow vertical ribs.

Label: A palatable and wholesome remedy for the mitigation of disorders of the stomach, sleeplessness, loss of appetite, chronic diarrhea and light attacks of dyspepsia or indigestion. Also affords protection against malaria. This valuable compound has been on the market since 1890 (originally known as Dr. Russell’s Pepsin Calisaya Bitters) three-quarter circle with picture of Augustin Gauer and Trade Mark to either side. The ‘Augauer’ having been coined by us and registered as a trade mark – signed N. J. Gauer.

“AUGAUER BITTERS – AUGAUER BITTERS CO. / CHICAGO”, (Ring/Ham, A-134), Illinois, ca. 1890 – 1900, bright yellowish green, 8”h, smooth base, tooled lip, 98% original front and back labels, embossed neck foil and contents. – Glass Works Auctions

“AUGAUER BITTERS – AUGAUER BITTERS CO. / CHICAGO”, (Ring/Ham, A-134), Illinois, ca. 1890 – 1900, bright yellowish green, 8”h, smooth base, tooled lip, 98% original front and back labels, embossed neck foil and contents. – Glass Works Auctions

Augauer Bitters advertisement – The Chicago Tribune, 30 November 1910

Gauer Listings – Augauer Bitters Co. Directory of Directors, City of Chicago – 1906

Note: Pre-Pro.com –  The company is listed from 1913-1918 only but an ad in Fike (p. 17) suggests that they were est. in 1890.

The ad reads” Augauer Bitters. Contains 35% Alcohol. This preparation is offered to the public as a palatable and wholesome remedy for the mitigation of disorders of the stomach sleeplessness, loss of appetite, chronic diarrhoea and light attacks of dyspepsia or indigestion. Also usually affords protection against malaria. Dose: one fourth to half small wine glass full 3 or 4 times a day. Children according to age in sweetened water. Guaranteed under foods and drugs act, June 30, ’06. Manufactured by Augauer Bitters Company, Formerly The Dr. Russell Medicine Co.”

49 W Kinzie (1913-1915), 143 W Austin Ave, 4 th Floor (1916-1918)

Note: Bottle Pickers – The Sun Kidney and Liver Bitters was a product from the Augauer Bitters Co. located in Chicago, Ill. This company was formerly the Dr. Russell Medicine Company (see bottles below) which is thought to be established in 1890. The first listing for the Augauer Bitters Company was not till 1913. The company was located at 49 W. Kinzie Street till 1915 then relocated to 143 W. Austin Ave. 4th floor.

Both companies produced a rectangle green bitters bottle very similar. The Augauer Bitters Company went out of business in 1918 because of prohibition.

Pepsin Calisaya Bitters sample bottles – Dr. Russell Medicine Co. – Meyer Collection

P 51 sp // PEPSIN / CALISAYA BITTERS // sp // DR. RUSSELL MED. CO. //
4 1/8 x 2 ¼ x 1 3/8 (2 ¾) 3/8
Rectangular, Green, Yellow green, Amber and Clear, LTG, Tooled lip, 3 ribs on each bevel, Very rare
UMB 89

Gauer Family

Augustin Gauer – Born 1795 in Budlich, Germany, Died 04 February 1882 in Chicago, Illinois. Father of Nicholas. Pictured on my new sign.

Nicholas J. Gauer – Born 04 August 1836 in Budlich/Malborn, Germany, Died 19 October 1903 in Chicago, Illinois. Son of Augustin.

Nicholas John Jr. Gauer – Born July 1863 in Chicago, Illinois, Died 01 September 1936 in Chicago, Illinois. Son of Nicholas J.

Johann Heronomus Gauer – Born August 1865 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, Died 12 June 1913 in Springfield, Illinois. Son of Nicholas J.

Daily Herald –  Chicago Illinois 1913-06-13

AUTO WRECK KILLS FOUR. PASSENGER TRAIN HITS CAR AT CROSSING. Springfield, Ill., June 12. – Marooned on a railroad track in front of a westbound train, with their automobile engine “dead,” four men met death at Riverton, seven miles east of here, when the train crashed into the machine. The dead are: P. J. CARROLL. E. IVORSON. J. H. GAUER, Chicago. GEORGE BARTEL, Springfield.

Michael Paul Gauer – Born 11 July 1870 in Chicago, Illinois, Died 19 January 1941 in Chicago, Illinois. Son of Nicholas J.

Augauer Bitters – Meyer Collection

Augauer Bitters “Classed as Liquors” – NY Times 1907

Augauer Vital Drops Token – CHICKS COLIC & SICKNESS OF THE STOMACH. STOPS PAIN IN MOST CASES ALMOST INSTANTLY / AUGAUER / VITAL DROPS / FOR STOMACH PAIN / CRAMPS / AND DIARRHOEA
MEMBERSHIP EMBLEM OF THE DONT WORRY CLUB / (swastika, clover, horse shoe, wishbone, runic symbols) / GOOD LUCK

Un-embossed and embossed Augauer Vital Drops. They are both 6 3/4″ tall and 1 7/8″ square. They also sport fluted neck with petals at the shoulder, both numbering 14 each. The embossed one has the unusual embossing reading to the right as opposed to the more common reading to the left.- Jack Klotz Collection