Author Archives: Ferdinand Meyer V

About Ferdinand Meyer V

Ferdinand Meyer V is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and has a BFA in Fine Art and Graphic Design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. Ferdinand is the founding Principal of FMG Design, Inc., a nationally recognized design consultation firm. Ferdinand is a passionate collector of American historical glass, specializing in bitters bottles, color runs, and related classic figural bottles. Ferdinand is married to Elizabeth Jane Meyer and lives in Houston, Texas, with their daughter and three wonderful grandchildren. The Meyers are also very involved in gardening (Peachridge Gardens), antiques (Peachridge Collections), and early United States postage stamps. Ferdinand is the past three-term president of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, a long-time board member, FOHBC 2021 Hall of Fame, and one of the founding members of the FOHBC Virtual Museum.

Looking back at the Tony Shank Bitters Collection – Part II

Posted on 22 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

This is the second post of old 35 mm slides that were digitally converted by Tom Lines (Birmingham, Alabama). Sometime in the past Tom and Howard Crowe (Gold Hill, North Carolina) visited the famous Tony Shank collection of figural bitters. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Figural Bottles, History, Photography | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Looking back at the Tony Shank Bitters Collection – Part I

Posted on 21 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

A couple years back, Tom Lines (Birmingham, Alabama) asked me if I would like some pictures of the legendary Tony Shank collection. Of course I said yes. Tom was kind enough to get the 35mm slide transparencies converted into digital … Continue reading →

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Figural Bottles, History | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Log Cabin Series – Old Cabin Bitters

Posted on 21 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

OLD CABIN BITTERS Pictured on top: “Old Cabin / Bitters” Figural Bottle, America, 1860-1880. In the form of a rectangular two story log cabin, red amber, applied sloping collared mouth – smooth base, ht. 9 1/8 inches. R/H #O19 Great … Continue reading →

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Lightning Rod Exhibit at the Franklin Institute

Posted on 21 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

F – Thought you’d find interesting. (Some Executive at) AMC Pictures collects LIGHTNING RODS. Dealer Ted Storb in Connecticut sold many of these to him. JEFF (FROGGY) BURKHARDT Hi All, Jeanne and I visited family in Philadelphia last weekend and … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Collectors & Collections, Display, Early American Glass, History, Lightning Rod Balls, Museums, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters – The Real McCoy

Posted on 19 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

CURTIS CORDIAL CALISAYA STOMACH BITTERS 19 February 2013 Quite a bit of excitement of late with the scam involving a ‘doctored’ emerald green Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters. You see, there is no record of that yellow green color but … Continue reading →

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Cordial, Druggist & Drugstore, Medicines & Cures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Color Purple or Amethyst in Antique Glass

Posted on 18 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

T H E   C O L O R   P U R P L E Purple, Amethyst, Plum, Violet, Lilac, Grape, Bishop’s Purple, Aubergine, Eggplant, Royal Purple The Color Purple or Amethyst in Antique Glass 18 February 2013 Not … Continue reading →

Posted in Apothecary, Bitters, Color, Early American Glass, Flasks, Historical Flasks, Insulators | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters Fraud?

Posted on 17 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Will the real Curtis Cordial Calisaya Bitters Please Stand Out! On 30 January 2013 I opened up one of my many incoming bottle related emails to see a stunning emerald green Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters with the following question: … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Bitters, Cordial, News, Photography, Questions, Scams & Frauds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Marihuana Tax Act 1937

Posted on 16 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

MARIHUANA TAX ACT OF 1937 I suppose it is fitting to see if there are any Cannabis bottles after the recent posts on Peachridge Glass on Cocaine, Heroin and Opium. With my United States postage stamp background, it is exciting … Continue reading →

Posted in Druggist & Drugstore, Ephemera, History, Medicines & Cures, Tax Stamps | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blacking Bottles & a little more

Posted on 15 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

B L A C K I N G This past week, a number of primarily eastern US collectors have been posting some really great pictures of Blacking bottles. I thought I would take a moment to nest a few images … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Blacking, Ephemera, History, Trade Cards, Utility Bottles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

To Smoke Opium is to get out of the Train (while it is still moving)

Posted on 14 February 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Everything one does in life, even love, occurs in an express train racing toward death. To smoke opium is to get out of the train while it is still moving. It is to concern oneself with something other than life … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Apothecary, Druggist & Drugstore, Ephemera, History, Medicines & Cures, Snuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment