Diamond’s Improved Swedish Blood Bitters – Buffalo, New York
Diamond’s Blood Bitters
24 May 2015 (R•012918)
Well, I suppose I had to go here now that I posted on the Diamond B Stomach Bitters that referenced the Diamond “M” Bitters. What’s another diamond when you’re having fun? This time we are going to look at the Diamond’s Blood Bitters from Buffalo, New York which was put out by Charles A. Diamond. I guess he felt like he had to improve on the product so he also was the proprietor of Diamond’s Improved Swedish Blood Bitters. Maybe he married a Swedish lass?
Diamond’s Blood Bitters advertisement – Wyoming County Times, Thursday, February 11, 1892
Diamond’s Blood Bitters advertisement. – The Olean Democrat, Thursday April 21 1892
Diamond’s Blood Bitters advertisement, Diamond Medicine Co. – The Olean Democrat, Thursday May 5, 1892
The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listings in Bitters Bottles is as follows:
D 70 DIAMOND’S BLOOD BITTERS
DIAMOND’S / BLOOD BITTERS / BUFFALO N.Y. //f // f // f //
7 3/4 x 2 3/8 (5 1/4) 1/2
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Rare
Label: Bottled by Diamond’s Drug Store on Connecticut Street, Buffalo. Sold over the counter only, no other outlet.
D 71 DIAMOND’S IMPROVED SWEDISH BLOOD BITTERS
DIAMOND’S IMPROVED / SWEDISH / BLOOD BITTERS // f // BUFFALO, N.Y. //f //
10 x 3 (7 1/2) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Extremely rare
Buffalo City Directory: 1881-1921 Charles A. Diamond is listed as a druggist, manufacturing pharmacist, and a partner in Diamond Medicine Co.
“DIAMOND’S / BLOOD BITTERS / BUFFALO N.Y.”, (Ring/Ham, D-70), New York, ca. 1875 – 1885, reddish amber, 7 1/2”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth. A number of scratches exist mostly on a label panel. A rare bitters bottle! – Glass Works Auctions | Auction #114
“DIAMOND’S IMPROVED / SWEDISH / BLOOD BITTERS / BUFFALO N.Y.”, (Ring/Ham, D-71), – eBay
Charles A. Diamond – Druggist
As far as I can tell, Charles A. Diamond was not a business tycoon, a Civil War hero, a politician, civic leader or from a family of American pioneers. He was simply a druggist, and probably a good druggist for many years who had two bitters associated with his name. Now that makes him pretty darn important, at least to us bitters collectors.
Born on 19 April 1849 in New York, he first clerks in a drug store in New York City in 1870 and from about 1872 to 1875 he clerks at a store in Buffalo. The next year he is a partner at Metcalf and Diamond and the following year, he is the proprietor of Diamond’s Drug Store in Buffalo. He is also listed as a manufacturing druggists so he is making and selling his medicines. In 1876, he is also listed as a showcard agent so he must have had time for another business. This might explain why he lists himself as a carpenter in the 1880 Federal Census.
Diamond moves around quite a bit judging by the different addresses in Buffalo directories. He business concern was called The Diamond Medicine Company. I first see listings for his company in 1892 and see it running through 1922. His wife was Margaret Anna Metzger and they were married in 1878. His father John Diamond who was born in New York or England depending on how Charles will fill out his census forms. His mother was from Vermont. Charles A. Diamond died on 4 March 1922 in Buffalo which would explain the demise of Diamond Medicine Company.
Only in 1892, can I find advertising for Diamond’s Blood Bitters in local Buffalo area newspapers. He is selling his Blood Bitters over the counter for 50 cents for a trial bottle. His advertising says his remedy is not a patent medicine and alludes that he is a doctor as it says, “Simply the result of a smart doctor’s investigations of blood troubles and their cures”. The bottle is 7 1/2 inches tall, square and amber. A labeled example exists.
Later or maybe earlier, hard to tell, he puts out Diamond’s Improved Swedish Blood Bitters. This bottle is rated extremely rare, square and is 10 inches tall and amber. Odd that I have not seen examples of either bottle.
