January • March  |  2 0 1 7

20 March 2017

Cool “Ardon” Bitters wallet picked up by Robert Cohen. “I got this exceptionally rare Antique Leather Bitters Advertising Wallet, from Saint Louis.”

Joe Gourd followed up with the paper piece below.

The new listing for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

Coin Purse
A 82 “ARDON” BITTERS IS FINE, H. Gehner Dist’g Co.

Trade Card
A 82 “ARDON” BITTERS For Fevers and Stomach, A Household Remedy

19 March 2017

Wicked Old Sachems Bitters and Wigwam Tonic figural barrel picked up by Jerry Forbes at the at the San Luis Obispo Bottle Society’s 49th Annual Antique Bottle Show and Sale this weekend in Morro Bay, California. Check out that pontil!

Read More: Barrel Series – Old Sachem Bitters and Wigwam Tonic

18 March 2017

Picked up this cool framed Old Homestead Wild Cherry Bitters advertising piece at the San Luis Obispo Bottle Society’s 49th Annual Antique Bottle Show and Sale yesterday in Morro Bay, California.

Read: Log Cabin Series – Old Homestead Wild Cherry Bitters

17 March 2017

Sitting in a house in the mountains in California near Monterey. Big change weather-wise from Baltimore. Working up some energy for a run thru the hills. Everything is so green with all the rain. Speaking of green, arranging some of Gerald Forbes bottles now as I enjoy my coffee. Off to the Morro Bay Show in a few hours.

16 March 2017

Pretty interesting Dr. Rattinger’s Root and Herb Bitters label on a repurposed Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters bottle submitted by Tim and Angie Ebarb up Arkansas way. Corked with contents.

Read: Dr. Rattinger’s Herb & Root Bitters – St. Louis

14 March 2017

Hunkered down in my hotel room on the 25th floor of the inner harbor Baltimore Marriott Waterside. Really cool view. Messy day. Dodged a bullet here but most everyone stayed home downtown. City desolate with a couple inches of snow and ice. Flight to San Francisco tomorrow AM. Connection to San Luis Obispo to meet Jerry Forbes. Looking forward to more agreeable weather, great bottles and fun!

Ben Swanson showed me a pic of this cool Stoudt’s Dandelion Bitters marker. Am holding some images of matches for the same brand. I believe from the Joe Gourd collection. Those two are the best in bitters paper in my mind. Irwin S. Stoudt from Reading, PA.

06 March 2017

New Orleans Open pontil pits ** Hey Ferdinand. I’m digging in New Orleans and hitting open pontil bottles today. Here’s some pics. – Michael Burkett

Reads More: Stock up with Dr. Blake’s Aromatic Bitters

18 February 2017

Hi Ferd, I have an example of the Mishler’s in the same apricot / topaz color as the one in your collection. I know very little about eastern bitters and was hoping you could shed some light on the rarity and value of a Mishler’s in this color. Thanks! – Dale M.

Wow, that sure is a beauty. Tough to find color. Looks lighter than mine but hard to tell. Super character. I would not sell for anything less than $xx.

Read: Mishler’s Herb Bitters and The Mishler Family

15 February 2017

In from Reggie Shoeman: Ferd, ran across this ad for Cutter’s Bourbon Bitters in the Amador Dispatch, Jackson, California paper, dated December 23, 1865. Ad appears to have first appeared on July 15, 1865 as that date appears at the bottom of ad…..That date is missing from the collection of Dispatch paper. Was made with W. T. Cutter Jr. “Fine Old Bourbon Whiskey” and “other ingredients”. Have no other info on this bottle…any background on the product is appreciated.

Thanks, Reg & James

[FM5] Reggie: Here is a picture of the bottle and label that appeared in a recent BOTTLES and EXTRAS article. Cutter’s Bourbon Bitters is listed as C 263 L in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

C 263 L … Cutter’s Bourbon Bitters, Prepared for Medicinal and General Use Under the Direction of Dr. J. B. Cutter, of Newark, N. J. For sale by John M. Carter, 174 Washington St. N. Y. and by Wm. T. Cutter Sr., 111 California St. S. F.
11 ½
Round, Amber, LTCR
Newspaper advertisement: Wm. T. Cutter Jr. Fine Old Bourbon Whisky, Cutter’s Bourbon Bitters – Amador Dispatch, (Jackson, California), December 23, 1865.

In response to my “I don’t have a red bitters” comment below on Valentines Day, ginger authority Ken Previtali sent me the following image for Cupid Club Ginger Ale which I posted on the Facebooks site with lots off likes. Pretty cool! Thanks Ken!

14 February 2017

Valentines day. I don’t have any red bitters. Posted some of my green Drakes on Facebook yesterday. Very kind responses.

09 February 2017

As a color run specialist, I have quite a few “Trade Mark Lightning” fruit jars. They come in great Life Saver candy colors. The picture above is a pint with matching original glass lid and original metal clamp assembly. It is in the current North American Glass auction. Described as whittly and sparkling glass throughout with a strong embossing, base embossed “PUTNAM 11”. Rare pint in this outstanding color.

06 February 2017

Ferdinand…. Some photo’s of some cool labeled bottles that I have collected over the years. All bottles were made by the same company and are from the turn of the century. I thought you would like to see that Bitters even through it is not american.

Robert Biro

Read: A labeled Gordon’s Dry Gin, Gordon’s Pale Orange Bitters and a Tanqueray Fine Gin bottle

04 February 2017

Some of my OS barrels see the light of day, albeit misty, post epic floods. [Old Sachem Bitters and Wigwam Tonic figural barrels]

03 February 2017

A very nice labeled Shasta Bitters on eBay. See Listing. Shasta Bitters Company was located in Sacramento, California. Listed as S 95.5 in Bitters Bottles. The second picture I found online from a previous Bonham Auction. A much later bitters product. Mount Shasta is a potentially active volcano at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California.

01 February 2017

Cool shipping crate I picked up on eBay yesterday for Union Bitters. F.S. Amidon, in Hartford, Connecticut, eventually took over the rather well-known Hopkins Union Stomach Bitters from Dr. A.S. Hopkins. The other side of the crate was used to promote Amidon’s Union Ginger Brandy.

The U 9.5 and U 10 listings probably want to be cleaned up within the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2. This is an Amidon product. There is also a shot glass reading Amidon’s Union Bitters.

The new listing for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

Wooden Box
U 9.3 UNION BITTERS BLOOD PURIFIER, Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. F. S. Amidon, Sole Manfr. & Prop. 138 Windsor Ave., Hartford, Conn. U.S.A.
F.S. Amidon, in Hartford, Connecticut, eventually took over the rather well-known Hopkins Union Stomach Bitters from Dr. A. S. Hopkins. The other side of the crate was used to promote Amidon’s Union Ginger Brandy.

Read: Fully labeled Dr. A. S. Hopkins Union Stomach Bitters

Also on eBay now is this cool risqué ‘peeping-tom’ advertising trade card promoting both of Amidon’s products. See listing.

31 January 2017

Hi Ferdinand, Jack Klotz here in Missouri. I happened upon your article about the Augauer Bitters company yesterday and the trade token caught my eye. I have never found any other reference to the “Vital Drops” after I dug this example about 5 years ago in a dump. I have dug what I believe to be a later label only varient as it is identical in shape and size. 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.

Read: Augauer Bitters and the Gauer Family – Chicago

Also, “Augauer” is embossed on the shoulder of the rear or label side. I have so far only seen one other unembossed example like mine and no other embossed ones. The lip sides appear chipped at first glance, but I believe due to their glassy and smooth texture, it was made that way. I originally believed it was done to accept a shaker top, thinking “drops” as in Angostura drops for flavoring. Oddly, the unembossed example doesn’t have these modifications(?) to the lip sides, which tends to thwart my original thought on why this is. If I had not dug it myself, I would have thought it was a poor job of someone trying to buff out some chips. Wondering if you may have seen another example or an advertisement with an illustration showing the top? Also, since Augauer seem to be solely in the bitters business, would this be considered a bitters even though not embossed as such in your opinion? Thanks for any info or thoughts on this one. It has bugged me for awhile now.

Jack

Morning Jack: No, I have not seen this bottle before. Cute fellow. I like the typography. Reminds me of the Loew’s bottles with the swirled neck. Will put it out there and add to post. Not a bitters though.

F

30 January 2017

Hi Ferd, I am still going through my friends 50 year collection of labeled bottles and came across this one. I saw you did an article on this bitters. 

Read: Chief Two Moon Meridas and his Bitter Oil

As you can imagine, I found a dozen or so labels that were obviously applied to the bottle in the last couple of decades but found hundreds that are no doubt original to the bottle. I also had a few with original labels on them but the label had been reproduced so it would be hard to convince someone it was original to the bottle. Anyway, this one looks like it has been on the bottle a long time but so hard to tell. Thought I would send you a picture for kicks.  

Mark Newton

14 January 2017

Working with the 2018 Cleveland National team headed up by Matt Lacy & Louis Fifer (Co-Chairs) to develop an early show flyer to pass out at the upcoming Baltimore Antique Bottle Show in March. Here are two draft layouts. The logo was approved last year. The top layout seems to be preferred.

13 January 2017

Hi Ferdinand, Sharing a picture of a unlisted variant of a lady’s leg Schroeder’s Bitters bottle. It’s a Ring & Ham S 67. The book lists sizes from 5 1/4 – 8 1/2 – 9 1/8 in height. The one I have is topping out at 11 1/2 inch’s in height. The smaller Schroeder’s is a 9 inch S-65 for comparison. Have a great day.

Frank (Wicker)

[PRG] Frank, It has been picked up in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2. Thanks for sharing.

Read More: Thrilled to pick up a light amber Schroeder’s Bitters

12 January 2017

I came across your article, “Could this be the same Dr. M. Perl from New Orleans?” while trying to find info on my Dr. M. Perl bitters which I acquired in New Orleans about 20 years ago. Mine is similar to the one in the referenced article, center image with indented panels. Mine is clear (light aqua) and the interesting thing about my bottle is that the “N” in PERUVIAN is backwards/reversed. The few references I have found do not show a backwards “N”. Is this anomaly unusual or rare?I am a long-time (old) digger and collector who lived in Algiers Point across the river from New Orleans city and have a number of bottles with embossed “Algiers” (instead of New Orleans). I would be pleased if you could shed any light on my DR PERL with reversed “N”- – can provide a photo if necessary. Thanks, Steve Hickman

[PRG] Steve, Putting your question up on PRG. Did you ever send the bottle pic? Sounds like this might be the P 70.2 example which will be newly listed in the upcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

Read More: X-Rare Backwards ‘N’ Peruvian Bark Bitters

P 70.2 PERUVIAN BARK / BITTERS // NEW ORLEANS LA // f // DR M. PEARL
Square Aqua, top missing, 3 sp, Extremely rare
N is PERUVIAN is backwards
Neck broken off at shoulder on example that was dug in New Orleans

10 January 2017

The great People’s Favorite Bitters from the equally great Bob Ferraro Collection, Session III (Glass Works Auctions) which closed on Monday evening, 09 January. Read: Barrel Series – Favorite Bitters & Peoples Favorite Bitters

03 January 2017

Congratulations to Eric McGuire for his Edward Roome – Tobacconist article making the cover of the upcoming BOTTLES and EXTRAS for March April 2017.

02 January 2017

Hi Ferd. Got this out of a 50 year collection of labeled bottles but have never seen or heard of this Bitters . Wonder if you can help me . Thanks – Mark Newton

[PRG] Congratulations. A spectacular example! R 4 in Bitters Bottles. Could be the example found near Peru, New York. Update: Well, it seems like I was fooled again by this dazzling beauty of a label which apparently was printed in mass and applied to different bitters shaped bottles. Seen this puppy before in Reno in 2012 (see pic below).