Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters

Leon Hershberg & Company

20 September 2013 (R•082519)

DR. LEON HERSHBERG, Of MOSCOW, RUSSIA, begs to inform the inhabitants of Oakland and vicinity, that he has established himself at the CORNER OF EIGHTH AND WASHINGTON STREETS, In this city, where he will keep a constant supply of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters.

There is an interesting letterhead for Russian Black Balsam and Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters on ebay that caught my attention. The listing reads for the most part:

You are bidding on an old and authentic 1882 dated RUSSIAN BALSAMIC BITTERS and RUSSIAN BLACK BALSAM fancy advertising billhead, from LEON HERSHBERG & CO., dealer in WINES LIQUORS etc, from OAKLAND (CALIFORNIA). This rare and desirable billhead measures 8 1/2″ by 7″ in size. A great go-with to any Bitters bottle collection. (thebottlevault/100%) See Listing

A quick look-see in Bitters Bottles shows a listing for:

R 132  RUSSIAN BLACK BALSAM BITTERS
Leon Hershberg & Company, Proprietor, Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma City Directory, 1885

The Oakland, California address may want to replace the sole Tacoma address above which came in the mis 1880s. Dr. Leon Hershberg and Isaac D. Ryttenberg partners. 1877 – 1887

We also need a full update in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2 based on two distinct bitters products being noted.

Billhead
R 131.5 RUSSIAN BALSAMIC BITTERS, Bought of Leon Hershberg & Co. Importers and Jobbers of Foreign and Native Wines and Liquors, Proprietors and Manufacturers of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters and Russian Black Balsam. Leon Hershberg, I. D. Ryttenberg, 851 and 853 Washington Street, Near Seventh, Oakland (California), Nov. 30, 1881. See s R 132.

Advertisement
R 132 RUSSIAN BLACK BALSAM BITTERS, Trade Mark Russian Yellow Balsam and Russian Balsamic Bitters, Leon Hershberg & Co., Foreign and Native Wines and Liquors. 851 & 854 Washington Street, Near Seventh, Oakland. Proprietors and Manufacturer of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic and Russian Black Balsamic Bitters. Oakland, California City Directory, 1887.
See R 132 and s2R 131.5

Few Equal, none Excel ! Try it ! Try it ! Try it ! As we stake our reputation on this Bitters.

It looks as though no bottle has surfaced either embossed, labeled or both. The information on Leon Hershberg & Company is as follows:

Leon Hershberg & Co., Oakland, (California), Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters, 1881, 1882 (Billheads above) *Also 1877, 1880, 1884, 1887

Dr. Leon Hershberg, 1877 Oakland Directory (see advertisement below)

Hershberg Leon & Co (Leon Hershberg and Isaac D. Ryttenberg), wholesale liquors, 853 Washington, 1877 Oakland Directory

Listing Oakland Directory, 1877

Leon Hershberg & Company, Proprietor, Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma City Directory, 1885 (Ring & Ham)

Leon Hershberg & Co., NE cor 2nd & Yamhill, Portland, OR., 1885 (Directory note Pre-Pro.com)

Leon Hershberg & Co., Oakland, (California), Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters and Russian Black Balsam Bitters, Oakland City Directory, 1887 (see advertisement below)

Listing here as a Dr. Leon Hershberg promoting his Russian Balsamic Bitters, Oakland Directory, 1877

Russian Yellow Balsam and Russian Balsamic Bitters advertisement, Oakland Directory, 1887 (Notice mention of Russian Black Balsam Bitters)

DR. LEON HERSHBERG,

Of MOSCOW, RUSSIA, begs to inform the inhabitants of Oakland and vicinity, that he has established himself at the CORNER OF EIGHTH AND WASHINGTON STREETS, In this city, where he will keep a constant supply of the Celebrated Russian Balsamic Bitters.

This Bitters is a pure compound of herbs, roots and flowers, that grow in the great
steppes in the Russian Empire and in Italy. It has gained a vast renown for its merits and good qiialities through the whole empire; and is the best remedy fof Headache, Biliousness, Loss of Appetite, Dyspepsia, General Debility, Liver Complaint, Purities the Blood, produces a Tender and Smooth Skin, instantly relieves all kinds of Colics, Cramps of the Stomach or Bowels, will stop Diarrhoea or Dysentery immediately. Costiveness will be regulated by it in a natural way. Will stop all kinds of Fevers, as Fever and Ague, Intermittent, etc., and will restore rest to those who are sleepless and nervous. No Family should be without it. Few Equal, none Excel ! Try it ! Try it ! Try it ! As we stake our reputation on this Bitters. Call and sample the same. Also we keep a full line of Pure Choice Imported and Native AVines, Liquors, Ales, etc., for Medicinal aud Family Use, to which we cordially invite the attention of the public. We guarantee our goods all we claim for them, and ask only a trial to prove the same. Respectfully,

Oakland, Cal., May, 1877. LEON HERSHBERG & CO.,

Sole Proprietors of the Russian Balsamic Bitters.

P. S.- All goods delivered to any part of the city Free. Druggists and the Trade supplied at reasonable rates.