The two other Plantation Bitters + another
05 September 2015
Just about all of us are familiar with the Drake’s Plantations Bitters figural log cabin bottle. Besides Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters, you probably see more Drake’s at shows, at auctions and online than any other bitters. Both the Hostetters and Drake’s are great bottles as there are just so many variants and colors. Some of us even specialize in collecting these bottles such as Brian Shultis with the Drakes and Richard Siri and James Campiglia with the Hostetters, to name a few. Turning my neck I count 23 different colored Drake’s on one window bank at the house. Heck, I have even posted about the Drakes at least a dozen times as you can see below!
Read: Log Cabin Series – Drake’s Plantation Bitters
Read: Information on the Drake’s Plantation Bitters Variants
Read: Will the real Drake’s Please Stand Up?
Read: The unembossed Drake’s Style Bottle
Read: Drake’s Plantation Bitters and other Reproductions out in the market
Read: Drake’s Plantation Bitters Label Question
Read: Drakes Plantation Bitters on 1874 Stereoview Mock Medical Scene
Read: A Quite Different Un-embossed Drakes
Read: Determining bottle color standards with Peachridge 6-Log Drakes
Read: The “Blue-Green” Drakes Mystery
Read: I brought a few of my Drakes to the Houston Show
Read: What is an Arabesque Drakes Plantation Bitters?
Read: Drakes Plantation Bitters – Encased Postage
Read: One of the Crudest Drakes You Will Ever See
Read: Froggy adds a Pink Drakes to his line-up!
This post is to remind us of two more EXTREME variants. Both have made appearances this year and are shaking up the bitters world.
The first variant to show up is the P 108 – PLANTATION BITTERS which does not have the “DRAKE’S” embossing. It is also rectangular rather than square. I have handled one example in California last year and seen a second example at the 2015 Baltimore Antique Bottle Show with Jim Hagenbuch. The third example resides in a private collection in Oregon. It is pictured below.
P 108 – Plantation Bitters – Bitters Bottles Supplement
The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:
P 108 PLANTATION BITTERS
// s // XX / PLANTATION / BITTERS / 1862 // 3 tiers of thatching // PAN’T. / SECURED / 1863 // 3 tiers of thatching //
9 1/2 x 3 x 2 3/8
Rectangular, Amber, LTC, 6 logs over label panels, Extremely rare
Drake patented a rectangular 15 log bottle in 1862.
The second Plantation Bitters to show up this year is the PRAIRIE & PLANTATION BITTERS put out C. Frank & Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. This figural cabin is square and it is oh so rare. Like I have NEVER seen an example. One was found in a house earlier in the year as I received an e-mail but before I could respond, it ended up with Norm Heckler and is presently represented in his Premier Auction 128. The bottle is distinguished by a 5 pointed star, the metallic pontil, the alternating log sizes and the C. Frank & Co. embossing.
The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:
P 132 PRAIRIE & PLANTATION BITTERS
// s // motif 5 pointed star / PRAIRIE (au) / & / PLANTATION (au) / BITTERS // motif 5 pointed star / f / f // motif – 5 pointed star //
9 3/4 x 3 (6 1/8)
Square cabin, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Metallic pontil mark, Extremely rare
Logs alternate wide and narrow 5/8 and 3/8
Lettered sides have 3 logs over label panels
Unlettered sides have 12 logs
“Prairie / & / Plantation / Bitters” – “C. Frank / & Co / Cincinnati / O.” Figural Bitters Bottle, America, 1845-1860. Square tall log cabin form, bright yellow amber, applied sloping collared mouth – large 1 7/8 inch dia. iron pontil scar, ht. 10 1/4 inches. – Heckler Premier Auction 128
“Prairie / & / Plantation / Bitters” – “C. Frank / & Co / Cincinnati / O.” Figural Bitters Bottle, America, 1845-1860. Square tall log cabin form, bright yellow amber, applied sloping collared mouth – large 1 7/8 inch dia. iron pontil scar, ht. 10 1/4 inches. – Heckler Premier Auction 128
Lou Holis just reminder me of another Plantation Bitters, that being the O 14 square OK Pantation Bitters. I haver never seen an example though I have quite a few of the triangular OK Plantations.
Read: OK Plantation Bitters – the “Big Boys”
The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:
