Dr. Bishop’s Wa-hoo Bitters | New Haven, Connecticut

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Dr. Bishop’s Wa-hoo Bitters

New Haven, Connecticut

23 November 2015

Wahoo Bitter Co., 285 State, up stairs

Apple-Touch-IconAI put up a post the other day on Pinkerton’s Wahoo Bitters that fit in nicely with some other “Wahoo” bitters in my collection. I realized that I had not previously posted about Dr. Bishop’s Wa-Hoo Bitters from New Haven, Connecticut. The Bishop’s Wa-hoo Bitters is a cool, semi-cabin, figural bottle that comes in two sizes. Wahoo is a fictitious name used to represent the Indian population. Chief Wahoo is the logo for the Cleveland Indians. Let’s not go there.

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Read: The great indian beverage XXX E. Dexter Loveridge Wahoo Bitters

Read: The extremely rare, triangular Wahoo Chamomile Bitters

Read: Dr. Shepard’s Compound Wahoo Bitters – Grand Rapids

Read: Jacob Pinkerton’s Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters

Read: C. K. Wilson’s Original Compound Wa-Hoo Bitters

The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

B 103Drawing

B 103  DR. BISHOP’S WA-HOO BITTERS
// s // DR. BISHOP’S ( au ) / WA-HOO / BITTERS // f // f // f // // sp // WAHOO BITTER CO // f // NEW HAVEN CONN //
10 1/2 x 3 3/4 x 2 1/8 ( 6 1/2) 1/2
Rectangular, Amber, Yellow amber, NCS, Applied mouth, Scarce
Front panel elaborate and unlettered.
Note: Semi-cabin bitters which is one of two variants, the other a fair amount smaller and extremely rare (see B 104).

B 104_Drawing

B 104  DR. BISHOP’S WA-HOO BITTERS
// s // DR. BISHOP’S ( au ) // WA-HOO / BITTERS // f // f //// sp // WAHOO BITTERS CO // f // NEW HAVEN CONN //
7 5/8 x 2 3/4 x 1 5/8 (5) 1/4
Rectangular, Amber and Yellow, NSC, Applied mouth, Extremely rare
Front panel elaborate and unlettered.

Here are examples of the two sizes from my collection. Love the applied ring mouths!

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B 103: Dr. Bishop’s Wa-Hoo Bitters semi-cabin (10 1/2″ tall) – Meyer Collection

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B 103: Dr. Bishop’s Wa-Hoo Bitters semi-cabin (10 1/8″ tall) – American Glass gallery | Auction #6

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B 104: (ABA description) Dr. Bishop’s Wa-Hoo Bitters semi-cabin (8″ tall) Applied top. Amazing color. Loads of crudity and overall this would qualify as a perfect and pristine bitters. Ex: Bryan Grapentine – Meyer Collection

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A copper colored circular metal advertising clock, with a glass door front that opens for winding and speed adjustment. The face is painted in black “Dr. Bishops/ Wahoo Bitters”. The reverse reads “Manufactured For/ The Wa-hoo Bitters Company/ New Haven / Conn./ Patent Applied For.” Gift of Bella C. Landauer, 1890-1900, Metal, glass, paper, 3 1/4 x 11 1/2 in. diameter – New York Historical Society, Museum & Library (see below)

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A copper colored circular metal advertising clock, with a glass door front that opens for winding and speed adjustment. The face is painted in black “Dr. Bishops/ Wahoo Bitters”. The reverse reads “Manufactured For/ The Wa-hoo Bitters Company/ New Haven / Conn./ Patent Applied For.” Gift of Bella C. Landauer, 1890-1900, Metal, glass, paper, 3 1/4 x 11 1/2 in. diameter – New York Historical Society, Museum & Library

I suspect that whoever was making Dr. Bishop’s Wa-hoo Bitters in 1877 (only) was related to Reeds Bitters. Both proprietors were located on State Street in New Haven, Connecticut within doors of each other. The Wa-Hoo Bitter Company was located at 285 State (up stairs) while George W. M Reed & Co. was located at 298 State Street. I like that “up stairs” notation from the directory. These guys weren’t too big or around too long. I can not find any advertising and hope that this post will lead me to a labeled example.

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Advertisement for Reed’s Bitters by George W. M. Reed & Company – 1877 New Haven, Connecticut, City Directory

So where did the name “Dr. Bishop” come from? Looking at the same 1877 city directory from New Haven, I see a number of “Bishops” living on State Street. I even see a listing for “Bishops Block” at 485 State Street. But no Dr. Bishop. I’ll keep looking though.

Read: Reeds Gilt Edge Tonic Clocks

Read: Bishops Oppose Bitters – The Hydra-Headed Monster Drink

Select Listings:

1877: Wahoo Bitter Co., 285 State, up stairs – New Haven, Connecticut, City Directory

Posted in Bitters, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bishops Oppose Bitters – The Hydra-Headed Monster Drink

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Bishops Oppose Bitters.

HYDRA-HEADED MONSTER DRINK

22 November 2015
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Heracles killing a lobster-bodied hydra, 1565 engraving

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Apple-Touch-IconAWhile patrolling the internet looking for information on Bishop’s Wahoo Bitters, I pulled up the following article from The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah) in 1890. With the Temperance Movement in full swing in United States, I thought it quite interesting that someone would “create” such a one-sided piece against bitters while standing behind the Catholic Church. I also think that this might be the earliest reference to “Monster Drink”.

BishopBitters

Temperance societies seem to have started in England and were inspired by a Belfast professor of theology, and Presbyterian Church of Ireland Minister Rev. John Edgar, who poured his stock of whiskey out of his window in 1829. He mainly concentrated his fire on the elimination of spirits rather than wine and beer. On 14 August 1829, he wrote a letter in the Belfast Telegraph publicizing his views on temperance. He also formed the Ulster Temperance Movement with other Presbyterian clergy, initially enduring ridicule from members of his community.

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Read More: Did Carrie Nation ever smile?

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Bishops Oppose Bitters – The Salt Lake Tribune, Sunday, April 27, 1890

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Thomas Croke, Bishop of Auckland (1870-1875) and Archbishop of Cashel and Emly (1875-1902)

Thomas Croke

The article references the Archbishop of Cashel a few times which is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. The title is still used by the Roman Catholic Church, but in the Church of Ireland it was downgraded to a bishopric in 1838 and united with other sees. Thomas Croke held this title during the time period referenced.Like I said, this article was probably fabricated to support the Utah temperance society.

Thomas Croke, Bishop of Auckland (1870-1875) and Archbishop of Cashel and Emly (1875-1902)

Thomas Croke was Professor of Rhetoric at Carlow College, 1847-1849.

He was born at Castlecor in the parish of Ballyclough, Co. Cork; baptised on 6 January 1823, the son of William Croke and Isabella Plummer. Thomas Croke completed his ecclesiastical studies at Irish College, Paris and Gregorian University, Rome and was ordained in 1847. His first appointment was to Carlow College and afterwards he taught at Irish College, Paris for a short period. Later, he served as curate at Charleville, Midleton and Mallow and was the founding President of St Colman’s College, Fermoy. In 1866, Thomas Croke was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Cloyne and parish priest, Doneraile. In 1870 he was nominated as Bishop of Auckland and in 1875 became Archbishop of Cashel and Emly.

He involved himself in tenant rights, the Land War and Home Rule movement and was the leading nationalist among the Irish hierarchy. He became a patron of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) when it was founded in 1884 and encouraged the spread of hurling and football. Today the headquarters of the GAA, Croke Park, is named in his memory. Archbishop Croke died on 22 July 1902.

Posted in Article Publications, Bitters, History, Medicines & Cures, Temperance, Whiskey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jacob Pinkerton’s Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters

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Jacob Pinkerton’s Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters

21 November 2015 (R•020116)

Pinkerton

Apple-Touch-IconAHave you ever used the celebrated Wahoo and Calisaya Bitters better known by the cabalistic letters “I.M. O. K. — 1864– Y!  Y!” This phrase is repeated in various period advertising and is quite interesting. This post was inspired by Frank Wicker who sent me an email stating:

“Hi Ferdinand. I have a question about one of the bottles I won from American Bottle AuctionsIt is lot 98, Jacob Pinkerton’s Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters. Jeff says it has a tooled top. The Ring and Ham Bitters Bottles books only list an applied top. I was wondering if it is an unlisted variant? I was also wanting to know if your examples have applied or have a tooled top? I am checking with Lou Holis also, as he has an example. Thanks, Frank”

Frank, my example has an applied mouth. It seems that Jacob Pinkerton in Syracuse, New York, first announced his Pinkerton’s Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters in 1864. Prior to this date he was running an ale depot, bowling saloon and liquor establishment. His business was called Jacob Pinkerton & Company. He was selling just about everything with alcohol along with cigars and a few other vices.

Read: The great indian beverage XXX E. Dexter Loveridge Wahoo Bitters

Read: The extremely rare, triangular Wahoo Chamomile Bitters

Read: Dr. Shepard’s Compound Wahoo Bitters – Grand Rapids

Read: C. K. Wilson’s Original Compound Wa-Hoo Bitters

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The Pinkerton Saloon and Brewster’s Ale Depot advertisement – Syracuse Daily Courier And Union, Friday, February 26, 1858

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Pinkerton’s Central City Ale Depot – Syracuse Daily Courier And Union, Wednesday, October 5, 1864

His Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters contained twenty different barks and roots and a lot of pure old bourbon whiskey. He sold it from his liquor store and saloon noted above. He also marketed the brand extensively in the northeast and south. This would obviously be the applied top variant. Pinkerton would then take some years off, visit South America and then work as a soap manufacturer. He was also an alderman, worked for a brass foundry, a railroad company, ran a billiard parlor and then reappear again as a liquor merchant in the late 1880s. I suspect he kept his bottle mold and again sold his most famous product, this time with a tooled top. It is odd though, as there is no mention of these bitters after 1867.

Wahoo&Calisaya_ABA

JACOB PINKERTON WAHOO & CALISIYA BITTERS. With tooled top, it is listed as W-3. Here’s a very popular bitters with a myriad of initials and various interesting mold characteristics. There are initials including “OK” around the shoulder with a series of arrows, really just a little bit of everything. Although these do come with applied tops, this one appears to be tooled. This is possibly one of the later examples made since Pinkerton started his business as early as 1852, he owned a liquor store in 1859 and began to advertise this product in 1864. There is no mention of these bitters after 1867, very strange. Grades a 9.5 – American Bottle Auctions

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Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters from Jacob Pinkerton, applied mouth – Meyer Collection

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Lot: 112 “Jacob Pinkerton / Wahoo / & / Calisaya / Bitters” Figural Bottle, America, 1860-1880. Square modified cabin form with column corners and four roof panels, brilliant golden amber, applied sloping collared mouth – smooth base, ht. 9 7/8 inches. R/H #W-3 A fine example in great condition, strong embossing and good color. The sloping collared mouth has a dip at the top where the lipping tool did not completely fill the void. It is not damage. – Norman C. Heckler Auctions

The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

Wahoo&CalisayaDrawing

W 3 – Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters – Bitters Bottles

W 3  WAHOO & CALISAYA BITTERS
WAHOO / & / CALISAYA / BITTERS // JACOB PINKERTON // f // JACOB PINKERTON // // s // s // Y!! / O.K. // I.M. // Y!!! //
14 & 16 James Street, Syracuse, New York
9 5/8 x 3 x 1 5/8 (6 7/8)
Square, Amber and Yellow, ARM and LTC, Applied mouth, 2 sp, Columned edges, Very Scarce
Label: I.M. O.K. 1864 Y!! Y!!! Try me and I’ll do you good. They contain the active principles of both the Wahoo and Calisaya besides some 20 different barks and roots in pure old bourbon whiskey distilled in Bourbon Creek, Kentucky in 1852.

Advertising

I can find advertising for Pinkerton’s Wahoo and Calisaya Bitters in many newspapers including the Syracuse Daily Courier And Union and Pittsburgh Gazette from February 1864 to February 1865.

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Advertisement: Pinkerton’s Wahoo and Calisaya Bitters – Syracuse Daily Courier And Union, Saturday, August 13, 1864

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Full Page Advertisement: Jacob Pinkerton, Sole Manufacturer of Pinkerton’s Celebrated Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters – 1864 Oswego New York, City Directory

Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters Sold Everywhere

As I mentioned above, I can find advertisements throughout the northeast and south where various merchants were representing the Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters.

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P. C. Kerrigan in South Carolina has 100 cases of the Celebrated Wahoo and Calisaya Bitters – The Charleston Daily News, Monday, July 30, 1866

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Mr. W. H. Warner, working with Jacob Pinkerton will be selling Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters in Memphis, Tennessee – Syracuse Daily Courier And Union, Fridaty, June 16, 1865

Digging a Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters

“Mike started screaming Wahoo! Wahoo!” No really, it’s a Jacob Pinkerton’s Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters! See The Memphis Diggers. Note that the advertisement above says that Mr. W. H. Warner, working with Jacob Pinkerton will be selling Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters in Memphis, Tennessee.

DiggingAWahoo

Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters – Fictional Writing Award

Gary Beatty, FOHBC Treasurer, was even the FOHBC Best Author and won First Place in 2014 with the Best Fictional Story “Case of the Missing Case” published in the Swirl and BOTTLES and EXTRAS. Read Here. He used my example on the second page. Become a FOHBC member and get BOTTLES and EXTRAS.

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Select Timeline

1829: Jacob Pinkerton birth

1857: The Pinkerton Saloon and Brewster’s Ale Depot advertisement (see above) – Syracuse Daily Courier And Union, December 25, 1857 (also 1858)

1859: Jacob Pinkerton, John Pinkerton (Syracuse) – New York City Directory

1859: Passage: Towards the close of the year the community was congratulated on the excellent business outlook, the building of the First Baptist church, a new block on the site of the old Yellow Buildings, and a new building on the site of the old “Conical Mills” by ex-Mayor Stevens, all of which sites had been recently burned over; a new brewery by Jacob Pinkerton on Fayette street; the engine hook and ladder house rear the City Hall. Preparations were made for the erection of the Kirk block, which was soon finished, and for other structures. – Memorial History of Syracuse New York

1860: Jacob Pinkerton, Age: 31, Birth Year: abt 1829, Birth Place: New York, Home in 1860: Syracuse Ward 5, Onondaga, New York, Post Office: Syracuse, Household Members: Jacob Pinkerton, 31, Caroline Pinkerton, 30, Caroline Pinkerton, 10, Mary Pinkerton, 5, Mary Ryan 20 – United States Federal Census

1862: Pinkerton & Lacy (see below) (Jacob Pinkerton & Martin Lacy), Liquor Dealers, 40 E. Water, Syracuse, New York, City Directory

Pinkerton&Lacy_1862

1862: Jacob Pinkerton, Saloon, E. Geneese corner Warren, and Pinkerton & Lacy, h 134 S. West – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1863: Jacob Pinkerton, Liquor Dealer, New York, Age 43 – U.S., Civil War Draft Registration Records

1864: Advertisement: Pinkerton’s Wahoo and Calisaya Bitters (see above) – Syracuse Daily Courier And Union, Saturday, August 13, 1864

1864: Advertisement: Pinkerton & Reynolds’ Saloon (Jacob Pinkerton & Simeon Reynolds) – Oswego, New York, City Directory

Pinkerton&ReynoldsSaloon_1864

1865: Wahoo and Calisaya bittersJacob Pinkerton, Syracuse S. S. Med. – Proceedings of the Annual MeetingNew York State Agricultural Society

1865: J Pinkerton, Arrival Date: 11 Dec 1865, Birth Date: abt 1828, Age: 37, Port of Departure: Greytown, Nicaragua, Destination: United States of America, Port of Arrival: New York, New York, Ship Name: Santiago de Cuba – New York Passenger List

1865: Advertisement (see below): Have you ever used the celebrated Wahoo and Calisaya Bitters better known by the cabalistic letters “I.M. O. K. — 1864– Y!  Y!” – The Vermont Transcript, Friday, February 3, 1865.

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1865: Pinkerton’s liquor store and Wahoo Bitters manufactory destroyed by fireNew York Daily Reformer (Watertown, N.Y.), Thursday Evening, October 5, 1865 (added by Corey Stock)

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1866: PINKERTON & CO., (Jacob Pinkerton, J. B. Tucker, W. H. Warner), wines, liquors & cigars, 14 & 16 James – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1866: Notice: Wahoo & Calisaya Bitters Prices – The New Berne Times (North Carolina), Monday, February 5, 1866 (see below)

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1868: S1,748.- ALONZO B. CALDWELL, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to himself and JACOB PINKERTON, same place. – Journal Box – September 1, 1868. – Hooks and shoulders, constituting part of the bronze metal frame, hold the cast-iron shell which is cast around the frame; the latter is provided with arms which have flanges across their ends which ‘port the soft metal and prevent it from being crushed. etc… – Annual Report of the Commissioner of Patents, 1870

1868: Jacob Pinkerton, soaps, 14 N. Washington, h 134 S. West – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1869: Jacob Pinkerton, soap manufacturer, W. Washington also billiard room, 10 S. Salina, h 134 S. West – Syracuse, New York City City Directory

1870: Jacob Pinkerton, brass foundry, W. Fayette, h 134 S. West – Syracuse, New York City City Directory

1871: Jacob Pinkerton, Brower Metal Co., h 134 S. West – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1874: Jacob Pinkerton, alderman 5th Ward, also treasurer, Brower Metal Co., h 134 S. West – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1871 – 1878: Example Listing: Fifth Ward Railroad Company: Names And Residences of Officers of The Company. Director P. B. BRAYTON Syracuse, JOHN P. GRAY Syracuse, O. C. POTTER Syracuse, T. B. FITCH Syracuse, Le ROY MORTON Syracuse, D.P. PHELPS Syracuse, JACOB PINKERTON Syracuse – Annual Report on the Railroads of the State of New York

1874: Jacob Pinkerton, treasurer, Brower Metal Co., h 134 S. West – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1884: Pinkerton & Sloan (Jacob Pinkerton 7 Elmendorf Sloan), brass foundry, 210 w. Fayette – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1890: Jacob Pinkerton, liquor dealer, 210 E. Water, h 165 Holland – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1898 – 1904: Jacob Pinkerton, h 165 Holland – Syracuse, New York, City Directory

1900: Jacob Pinkerton, Retired, Age: 70, Birth Date: Aug 1829, Birthplace: New York, Home in 1900: Syracuse Ward 12, Onondaga, New York, Marital Status: Widowed, Father’s Birthplace: New York, Mother’s Birthplace: New York, Household Members: Jacob Pinkerton, 70, Carrie E Pinkerton, 48, Mary E Phelphs, 43, George L Phelphs, 21 – United States Federal Census

1904: Jacob Pinkerton death on January 23, 1904, Cause of death: paralysis, Spouse:, Caroline E. Wilcox Pinkerton (1831 – 1899) Children: Carrie E. Pinkerton (1850 – 1909)*, Mary E. Pinkerton Phelps (1855 – 1915)* *Calculated relationship, Burial: Oakwood Cemetery Syracuse Onondaga County, New York, USA, Plot: Sect 25 plot 45 – Find A Grave

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Posted in Advertising, Ales & Ciders, Article Publications, Bitters, Digging and Finding, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Keeping an eye out for H.P Herb and Barto’s Great Gun Bitters at Hopewell Furnace

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Keeping an eye out for H.P. Herb and Barto’s Great Gun Bitters at Hopewell Furnace

19 November 2015

Apple-Touch-IconAI spent the past few days in Reading, Pennsylvania for business. Much of it in the downtown historic district. I could not help wondering how many H.P. Herb Bitters and Barto’s Great Gun Bitters were buried beneath the many decades of buildings that had either disappeared, survived or been renovated. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit Hopewell Furnace which is a National Historic Site. I again kept wondering. Here are a few of my pictures from this gray day. I certainly recommend a visit. The ironwork on the stoves was impressive to say the least.

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Three H.P Herb Bitters from Reading, Pennsylvania

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Pair of Barto’s Great Gun Bitters – Reading, Pennsylvania

Hopewell Furnace

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Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural “iron plantation”. The buildings include a blast furnace, the ironmaster’s house and auxiliary structures including a blacksmith’s shop, a company store and several worker’s houses.

Hopewell Furnace was founded in 1771 by ironmaster Mark Bird, Son of William Bird, for whom Birdsboro was named. The site’s most prosperous time was during the 1820–1840 period with a brief boom in production during the American Civil War. In the mid 19th century changes in iron making, including a shift from charcoal to anthracite rendered smaller furnaces like Hopewell obsolete. The site discontinued operations in 1883.

Today, Hopewell Furnace consists of 14 restored structures in the core historic area, 52 features on the List of Classified Structures, and a total of 848 mostly wooded acres. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is located in the Hopewell Big Woods and surrounded by French Creek State Park on three sides and the State Game Lands to the south which preserves the lands the furnace utilized for its natural resources. [Wikipedia]

Fence

UpHill

BrickWalls

Cannon

CoalWagon

FarWagon

Full

Furnace

HouseUp

Hut

Joists

Long

MainHouse

StoneWindow

Stove1

Stove2

Stove3

Stove4

Angle Stove5

Stove6

Stove7

Top&Low

Wagon2

WagonBarrel

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Posted in Advice, Bitters, Digging and Finding, Figural Bottles, History, Museums | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Democratic Bitters

1872_Democratic_National_Convention_-_Maryland

Democratic Bitters

18 November 2015

Apple-Touch-IconAHere is a communication below from James Viguerie who periodically helps out with bitters posts. Looks like we have references to an unlisted Democratic Bitters made by Dr. Samuel R. Whitlow from Peoria County, Illinois around 1871 and 1872. The bitters was most likely named as a reference to the 1872 Democratic National Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. I am not aware of any bottles in collections.

The top support image is the interior of Ford’s Grand Opera House of John T. Ford, (1829-1894), on East Fayette Street (between North Howard and Eutaw Streets) in Baltimore, Maryland during the 1872 Democratic National Convention, (built 1871, razed 1964). 

James Viguerie email:

Ferd,

I meant to do more research on the Democratic Bitters but never have so I thought I should just send some references along to you. Attached is the patent number and another reference mentioning the bitters. I did not see it listed in the Bitters Bottles books.

DemocraticBittersPatent

March 1871 United States Patent Office patent for Improvement in Medical Compounds or Bitters (Democratic Bitters), Samuel R. Whitlow, Limestone Township, Peoria, Illinois

1872 Internal Revenue Records vol 16

J.D. Sickles of Peoria, Illinois arrested for selling Democratic Bitters – 1872 Internal Revenue Records vol 16

I decided to just type up a summary of all my bitters related patents in a spreadsheet. That way I can sort by patent number, date etc. I am only at 60 entries right now but will send you the whole thing when done. There should be some good information to help better date some Bitters, identify who put them out, and there location. Many patents have the recipes for the bitters being patented. It could be interesting too when the request was put in vs. when the patent was awarded. Sometimes I see a 2 year difference so they may be older than what the patent date shows. I was a little surprised to see several woman had patented bitters in the 1800s. The witnesses might be useful information too. However, they could just be friends of the patent applicant and not in the business.

James

Democratic Bitters was described in the patent above:

The ingredients and their respective quantities are Oil of cinnamon, twenty-five drops; oil of sassuhas, twenty drops; oil of cloves, twenty-three drops; tincture of spikenztrd, three ounces; tincture of comfrey, two ounces; tincture of columba, two ounces; white sugar, one-half pound; spirits, one gallon; water, one quart; curcumin or curcuma, a suiiicieut quantity to give the desired color.
Mix the oils above mentioned with the spirits, add the sugar and water, and lastly the curcumin, and bottle up for use.
The dose is a wine-glass full three times a day, and is for the curing of or invigoration of the stomach, liver, and the entire human system, and for improving the digestion, strengthening the lungs, counteracting malaria, and purifying the blood, acting as a. general tonic and gentle stimulant.

I like that…spirits, one gallon!

A search reveals the following newspaper listings.

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Jonathan D. Syckles of Canton, Illinois arrested for selling Democratic Bitters – Alton Telegraph, Friday, June 28, 1872

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Dr. S. R. Whitlow warning the public to not buy Democratic Bitters from Sabastian Winters – The Dixon Telegraph, Wednesday, September 25, 1872

Select Samuel R. Whitlow Listings

1826: Samuel R. Whitlow was born in February 1826 in Illinois.
1856: Samuel R. Whitlow married Lavina Mary Eads on June 8, 1856, in Peoria County, Illinois, when he was 30 years old.
1863: S R Whitlow, Dillon, Illinois, 8th Congressional District. Age on 1 July 1863: 37, Estimated birth year: abt 1826, Place of Birth: Illinois – U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records
1870: Samuel R. Whitlow, age 42, Patent Right Dealer living in Peoria, Illinois – United States Federal Census
1871: Patent: March 1871 United States Patent Office patent for Improvement in Medical Compounds or Bitters (Democratic Bitters), Samuel R. Whitlow, Limestone Township, Peoria, Illinois (see above)
1872: Democratic National Convention held in Baltimore, Maryland
1872: Newspaper Notice: Dr. S. R. Whitlow warning the public to not buy Democratic Bitters from Sabastian Winters (see above) – The Dixon Telegraph, Wednesday, September 25, 1872
1880: Samuel R. Whitlow, 52, Doctor, Birth Year: abt 1828 in Illinois, Home in 1880: Limestone, Peoria, Illinois, Married Louenia Whitlow, Household Members: Samuel R. Whitlow, 52, Louenia Whitlow, 41, Marian Whitlow, 23, Sylvania Whitlow, 15, Edward Whitlow, 12, Matthew Whitlow, 9, Samuel Whitlow, 9, Mary Whitlow, 5, Hatta Whitlow, 1 – United States Federal Census
1900: Samuel Whitlow, 74, Birth Date: February 1826 in Illinois, Home in 1900: Peoria Ward 7, Peoria, Illinois, Marital Status: Widowed, Father’s Birthplace: Virginia, Mother’s Birthplace: North Carolina, Also: Marian Whitlow, 42, Josephine Whitlow, 42, May Whitlow, 18, Charles Whitlow,16, Henry Whitlow, 15, Anna Whitlow, 12, Joseph Whitlow 4, Samuel Whitlow, 74 – United States Federal Census
1901: Samuel Whitlow, Physician, r 131 Hickory – Peoria City Directory
Posted in Advertising, Bitters, History, Medicines & Cures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A tale of two unlisted bitters – Vegetable Tonic Bitters & Tolson’s Tonic Bitters

YoungTop_CourtneyMezzo

A tale of two unlisted bitters

Vegetable Tonic Bitters & Tolson’s Tonic Bitters

Abbeville and Vermilionville, Louisiana

16 November 2015 (R•040819 – R&H listings)

Apple-Touch-IconAWhen I posted the bottle shard of the extremely rare Youngblood’s Tonic Bitters the other day, James Viguerie responded on Facebook, “Looks like part of one of ‘them there’ Youngblood’s Tonic Bitters out of Galveston! I did a quick search though and found there was a Tolson & Young Tonic Bitters in Abbeville LA. I do not have my Bitters Bottles books handy, is that one in there?”

James also provided a tantalizing link with a clue for the Tolson & Young Tonic Bitters below.

[From an online Rootsweb posting]

Both of these bottles [NOT SHOWN HERE]–nine inches high—contained medicines formulated by the M. P. Young & Co. The embossing, on their shoulders, have “M. P. Y. & Co.,” above and “Vermilionville La” below.

The M. P. Young & Co., a drugstore, manufactured, bottled, and advertised two medicines in the early 1870s. One was a bitters, a concoction once popular throughout the USA. This medication seems to have sold well because of its high alcoholic content. One of the most popular brands of bitters, was Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters. Bottles embossed with this name have been discovered on Civil War battlefields. In my collection I have several of these bitters bottles that I’ve unearthed in the Acadiana area. I found one of these bottles with a partial label, in an attic. Dosing instructions stated that adults were to take a wineglassful three times a day, before meals. Imagine that quantity being prescribed today! This Vermilionville drugstore also bottled “Vegetable Tonic Bitters.”

The new listing by Bill Ham for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

Advertisement 1873
V 12.7 VEGETABLE TONIC BITTERS, M. P. Young & Co., Vermilion, La. – The Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, June 7, 1873

At least one Abbeville drugstore manufactured its own bitters. Tolson & Young, owned by Dr. F. R. Tolson and N. C. Young, manufactured their Tolson & Young Tonic Bitters, according to one of their invoices dated initially in 1881. This drugstore was on the corner of Washington and Pere Megret Streets, on church property where now stands a large oak tree, across from Piazza Office Supply.

The M. P. Young Co. was owned by Monroe Porter Young and William Clegg. Their drugstore was on the corner of Vermilion and Washington Streets in Vermilionville from 1870 until 1883 when the partnership was dissolved. Before ending their partnership, Young and Clegg had opened drugstores in Opelousas and in Rayne. This business seems to have been one of Acadiana’s first chain stores. Clegg was mayor of Vermilionville from 1879 to 1881. Young was mayor from 1881 until 1884. The name of the town was changed to Lafayette, in 1884. M. P. Young died in 1887.

The other preparation that this company manufactured, bottled, and advertised was their “Elixir of Calisaya Bark with Pyrophosphate of Iron.” Try to say that name quickly! It is highly probable that these bottles contained these medicines. The lighter colored bottle seems to have been an error in production. The other M. P. Y. & Co. bottles, four in all, that I’ve seen, were all dark.

The story continues when we consider the provenance of these two bottles in more recent times. The darker, amber bottle is mine. The other bottle belongs to Courtney Frioux. Mine was found underneath a house in Lafayette in the early 1970s. I bought it for $80. Today its worth is estimated to be between $350 and $400. The other bottle has a more interesting story. It involved its near destruction by a man who had no interest in this piece of history, and its rescue by a man and a woman who appreciated its historical value.

According to Joe Bolen, he and his wife Marge had gone to a lot across from the Lafayette Public Library. They had noticed that there was a floor remaining of a house that had long been dismantled. Being bottle collectors, the Bolens thought that there was a good chance of finding a few antique bottles. Unfortunately, the Bolens went on the day that this floor was being taken apart. Joe noticed that the foreman looked to be an insensitive person. Joe’s assessment turned out to be correct. This man warned the Bolens to stay off the lot. As the sidewalk was next to the remains of the house, Joe noticed a bottle that was next to the sidewalk and behind one of the brick piers that supported the floor. Moving quickly, he reached down and plucked out the bottle and stuffed it inside his coat. Joe tried to explain that any bottles on the lot were probably of historical significance. At this point, the foreman disdainfully and defiantly barked out orders to destroy all bottles on the property. A worker with a crowbar began the senseless destruction of all bottles in sight. Then, the foreman demanded to know what Joe had put inside his coat. By this time the Bolens, sickened by what they had witnessed, began walking away. The foreman began threatening to sue the Bolens for trespassing, for theft, etc.

The Bolens and the honey amber M. P. Y. & Co. bottle escaped unharmed. A few years ago, before the Bolens moved to Arkansas, Marge sold that unusually-colored M. P. Y. & Co. bottle to Courtney Frioux for $500. Also before they moved, Marge gave me a small medicine bottle with much of the label still on it. It is the only bottle that I know of that has Vermilionville on its label.

Happily, her local, historically-significant bottles remained in the Acadiana area where they belong. Sadly, Marge Bolen died last year.

After some searching, I did find reference to an unlisted Tolson’s Tonic Bitters. It originated in 1880 or so and was made by Frederick R. Tolson in Abbeville, Louisiana which is a small city in and the parish seat of Vermilion Parish, 150 miles west of New Orleans and 60 miles southwest of Baton Rouge. It is now southwest Lafayette, Louisiana. The Tolson’s Tonic Bitters remained on shelves for about a year or two when Tolson was a partner with Tolson and Young (N. C. Young). Maybe it was also called Tolson & Youngs Tonic Bitters too. I really need to see that billhead noted above. It was sold as a cure for Malaria and Yellow Fever and cost 75 cents a bottle. They dissolved their partnership in early 1884 and went separate ways. N. C. Young would remain in Abbeville as a druggist and in 1885 was selling Creole Female Tonic. Bet it was the same soup.

Interesting enough, there is a cylindrical bottle embossed, “M. P. Y. & Co. / Vermilionville, La.”. I wonder if this bottle was the carrier of a potential labeled bitters for Tolson or was it for the Vegetable Tonic Bitters?…or something else?

The new listing by Bill Ham for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

Advertisement
T34.7  TOLSON’S TONIC BITTERS
F. R. Tolson, The Meridional (Abbeville. La.), Saturday, February 25, 1882
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Advertisement: Tolson’s Tonic Bitters – The Meridional (Abbeville. La.), Saturday, February 25, 1882

To answer my question above, the bottle embossed “M. P. Y. & Co. / Vermilionville, La.” was probably for the unlisted Vegetable Tonic Bitters put out by Monroe Porter Young. You can see an advertisement below from 1873. This puts the Vegetable Tonic Bitters before Tolson’s Tonic Bitters and eventually Creole Tonic Bitters. Make a product, milk it, change names and sell it again. Is this what happened with these various characters?

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Advertisement for Vegertable Tonic Bitters by M.P. Young & Co., Vermilion, La. – The Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, June 7, 1873

I tracked down Courtney Frioux and he replied, “Hey Ferd, Yes, I have a bottle, embossed on the shoulder, “M. P. Y. & Co. / Vermilionville, La.”  Today the town is know as Lafayette, La. Changed its name after 1884. The initials stand for Monroe Porter Young who was a druggist in Vermilionville at that time. I have always assumed that this bottle was a bitters. How did you find out about this bottle, and that I owned one?  Did Young produce a Tolson’s Tonic Bitters?” 

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Bottle embossed “M. P. Y. & Co. / Vermilionville, La.” – Courtney Frioux Collection

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Bottle embossed “M. P. Y. & Co. / Vermilionville, La.” – Courtney Frioux Collection

THE CHARACTERS

Francis Devillier Young

FRANCIS D. YOUNG, M.D., RAYNE.– Dr. Francis D. Young was born in Vermilion parish, Louisiana, March 1, 1835. He is the son of Notley and Frazelie (De Villiere) Young. His father was a native of Washington, D.C. He was engaged in farming in Maryland until 1811, when he removed to Louisiana, and located in St. Landry, then Vermilion parish, where he became an extensive sugar planter. In 1851 he removed to Springfield, Kentucky, where he died about the close of the war. The mother of our subject was a native of Louisiana of French extraction, her ancestors having been of the French nobility, who fled from their native country. She died when Francis D. was a child.

The subject of this sketch is the fifth of a family of seven children. He received his literary education at St. Joseph College, Perry County, Ohio. Soon after leaving college he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Montgomery, of Springfield, Kentucky. In 1854-55 he was a student at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York. In 1855-56 he attended the medical department of the University of Louisiana, from which he graduated in the latter year. He practised [sic] his profession in Lafayette for one year,
when he removed to Abbeville, Vermilion parish, and practised until 1887, at which time he came to this place. Dr. Young is a representative man of his profession, and his ability as a physician is attested in the large practice which he has at this place. The Doctor was married in 1858 to Miss Jemima Campbell native of Vermilion parish, Louisiana. Mrs. Young died December 25, 1860, having become the mother of a son–Notley C.–who is engaged in the drug business at Abbeville. October, 1862, Dr. Young married Miss Mary M. Guegon, of Vermilion parish. To this union have been born ten children, six sons and
four daughters. Mrs. Young died in 1886. The Doctor and family are Catholics. Dr. Young has an exceptional family, three sons physicians, and a son-in-law, Drs. F. F. Young, B. I. Young, W. G. Young and C. I. Edwards, all of whom have made bright marks in their profession. – Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section, p. 275. Edited by William Henry Perrin. Published in 1891, by The Gulf Publishing Company.

N. C. Young, Abbeville, Louisiana

N. C. Young, druggist, was born in Vermilion parish, Louisiana, January, 1860. He is the son of Dr. F. D. Young, whose sketch appears in the Acadia biographies. Mr. Young received his education in the schools of Vermilion parish, and at the age of seventeen years entered a drug store in Abbeville as clerk. In 1880, in partnership with F. R. Tolson, he opened a drug store in Abbeville and the business was conducted jointly until 1883, when Mr. Young purchased the interest of his partner and has since that time conducted an independent business. Mr. Young is a thorough business man and is public spirited. He was for two years treasurer of Vermilion parish, and is now president of the parish school board. He was married, in 1881, to Miss Pipillia Abadie, of Abbeville. They are the parents of four children, three sons and a daughter. Mr. Young and wife are members of the Catholic church. – Southwest Louisiana and Biographical and Historical by William Henry Perrin published in 1891; page 308

Note: Dr. F. D. Young and Marie Mathilde, née Guégnon. According to one source, Frank had nine siblings and a half brother, N.C. Young, a pharmacist. Read: Dr. F. F. Young and the Fenwick Sanitarium/Palms Hospital

Monroe Porter Young

The M. P. Young Company was owned by Monroe Porter Young and William Clegg and was formed in 1870 after one partner, F.C. Latiolais dropped off. They put out the Vegetable Tonic Bitters in 1872 and 1873. Their drugstore was on the corner of Vermilion and Washington Streets in Vermilionville, Louisiana until 1883 when the partnership was dissolved.

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Dissolution of Copartnership and creation of M.P. Young & Company – The Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, October 29, 1870

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Advertisement: M. P. Young & Co. – The Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, November 12, 1870

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M.P. Young & Co. – The Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, June 28, 1879

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Notice: Our Platform: M.P. Young & Co. – Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, December 20, 1879

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Various M. P. Young products – The Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, April 22, 1882

Dr. Frederick R. Tolson

Frederick R. Tolson was born in Mississippi around 1852. He married Martha Norris Young on 19 December 1877 in Abbeville, Louisiana. Young must have been the sister or of N. C. Young, an eventual business partner of Tolson. In 1880 he marketed and sold his Tolson’s Tonic Bitters for about 2 or 3 years

Tolson lived a long life and was distinguished in the medical profession. A 1904 directory listing says Frederick R. Tolson, M.D (R), Tulane University of Louisiana (Medical Department), New Orleans; Local Surgeon S P.R.R.; Member Louisiana State Medical Society and Counsellor for 3rd District; Medical Examiner Provident Savings, N.Y. Life and Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Companies. He died on 31 March 1930 in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Select Listings:

1835: Francis D. Young born March 1, 1835.
1847: Monroe Porter Young born about 1847 in Louisiana. – 1880 United States Federal Census
1852: Frederick R. Tolson born in Mississippi. – 1880, 1910 and 1920 United States Federal Census
1856: Francis D. Young, Kentucky, graduate University of Louisiana – Historical Sketch of the professors and alumni of the Medical Department of the University of Louisiana. Reprinted from the May number of “The New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal.”
1860: N. C. Young born in Vermilion parish, Louisiana, January, 1860
1866: Dr. F. D. Young, US IRS Tax Assessment List
1877: F. R. Tolson marries Martha Norris Young (1859 -) on 19 December 1877 in Lafayette (Abbeville), Louisiana
1880: Frederick R. Tolson, druggist, age 28, birth abt 1852 in Mississippi, Home in 1880: Abbeville, Vermilion, Louisiana, Married, Mattie Tolson, Father’s Birthplace: Kentucky, Mother’s Birthplace: Mississippi, Household Members: Frederick Tolson, 28, Mattie Tolson, 21, Nicholas Young, 60, Thomas Bond, 13, Annie Tolson, 20 – United States Federal Census
1880: Monroe Young, age 33, Druggist, Birth abt 1847 in Louisiana, Home in 1880:Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana, Married Ida Young, Father’s Birthplace: Louisiana, Mother’s Birthplace: Louisiana – United States Federal Census
1882: Advertisement: Tolson’s Tonic Bitters (see above) – The Meridional, Saturday, February 25, 1882
1884: Notice: Co-partnership between F.R. Tolson and N.C. Young dissolved. (see below) – The Meridional, Saturday, May 3, 1884
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Notice: Co-partnership between F.R. Tolson and N.C. Young dissolved. – The Meridional, Saturday, May 3, 1884

1885: Notice: George R. Tolson moves on (see below) – The Meridional, Saturday, June 13, 1885
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Notice: George R. Tolson moves on – The Meridional, Saturday, June 13, 1885

1885: Advertisement: N.C. Young, druggist selling Creole Female Tonic (see below) – The Meridional, Saturday, June 13, 1885
NC_Young_The_Meridional_Sat__Jun_13__1885_

Advertisement: N.C. Young, druggist selling Creole Female Tonic – The Meridional, Saturday, June 13, 1885

1887: M.P. Young death
1904: Frederick R. Tolson, M.D (R), Tulane University of Louisiana (Med Dept), New Orleans; Local Surg S P.R.R.; Mem La State Med Soc and Counsellor for 3d Dist; Med Examr Provident Savings, N.Y. Loife and Pacific Mut Life Ins Cos. – Polk’s Medical Register and Directory of North America
1930: Frederick R. Tolson death on 31 March 1930 in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A grouping of Clarke’s Vegetable Sherry Wine Bitters

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A grouping of Clarke’s Vegetable Sherry Wine Bitters

11 November 2015

Apple-Touch-IconAIt seems like I am always moving bottles around because I am adding to the collection, dusting or just plain ole’ re-arranging. You see, bottles talk to each other and communicate as a group. It is fun to pair them up in situations where they might not been seen that way on a shelf.

Here are some aqua Clarke’s Vegetable Sherry Wine Bitters that I grouped this past summer. I actually have a variant or two more that I forgot about. Maybe they can join the next family reunion? What amazes me is the astounding reflections and colors that radiate thru aqua bottles when you pose them near a window. The glass grabs the sky, the landscape, the sun, the shadows, the wood surface and their companions. And you can even read some of the embossed typography. Isn’t bottle collecting fun? Bottles photographed with my iPhone 6.

Read: A few of my aqua figural bitters met for a little sun today.

Read: XR Clarke’s Vegitable Sherry Wine Bitters sells on ebay

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Posted in Advice, Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Medicines & Cures, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Centennial 1776 Tonic Bitters from Philadelphia?

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The Centennial 1776 Tonic Bitters from Philadelphia?

10 November 2015

Apple-Touch-IconAJeff Wichmann has some super nice bottles in his American Bottle Auctions | Auction 62 that is now underway. I thought it was just a matter of time, and bottles, before another auction would take place from Jeff’s shop in Sacramento. Most, if not all of these items seem to be new consignments, as I do not remember seeing them when I visited in September of this year.

One lot you bitters collectors might want to pay attention to is the Centennial 1776 Tonic Bitters. This is an odd bottle that I have only seen once before, and that was at an auction in June 2010 that Jeff also conducted. That bottle is now comfortably resting on a shelf in Houston. If this bottle is truly from Philadelphia, that is weird and too easy. So what goes?

The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

C 115drawing

C 115  CENTENNIAL 1776 TONIC BITTERS
CENTENNIAL // 1776 // TONIC BITTERS // f // f // f //
9 5/8 x 3 (6 1/2)
Six sided (five 1 1/4 inch panels and one 2 1/4 inch panel), Aqua, ARM
Applied mouth, Extremely rare
Buchanan and Stephen, 388 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jeff’s description of the first example he sold:

According to ABA, a gentleman and his wife who have had it for a number of years, consigned this fine piece. The bottle came as a great surprise, as it is not only a rare bottle, but the form is unique in many minds with the six sides culminating in a dome with an applied ring on the neck. Probably made in 1876. Example dug near Leadville, Colorado

Jeff’s description of the example now at auction:

CENTENNIAL TONIC BITTERS 1776. C-115. Applied band and smooth base 8 ¾”. We mentioned at the beginning of the bitters listings that we had some rare bottles and nothing is rarer than this unusual bottle. Although there is more than one bottle that commemorates the hundred years after the independence, you’d think there’d be a lot more. The bottle came as a great surprise, having sold the other only known variant as it is not only a rare bottle, but also the form is unique in our minds with the six sides culminating in a dome with an applied ring on the neck. We’re thinking this bottle could have been made in 1876, what do you think? If you like rarity and the unusual, this one might be for you. Grades a 9.0 with some haze. We know, with a little professional cleaning, this bottle would really shine. We can certainly help in that regard.
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Centennial 1776 Tonic Bitters – American Bottle Auctions (2010) – Meyer Collection

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Centennial 1776 Tonic Bitters – American Bottle Auctions (2015)

If you notice, the Ring & Ham listing for this extremely rare bottle says, “Buchanan and Stephen, 388 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania”. I wonder where they got this information as I can not find any listings for Buchanan & Stephen in Philadelphia on or around 1876 which one might suspect inspired the name of this brand?

Now both of Jeff’s listings have western connections like, “Example dug near Leadville, Colorado” for the 2010 example and just the fact that he is auctioning a second example in Sacramento. Who knows, maybe it was consigned from the east?

When I search online, I find no Philadelphia connections with the exception of the very ‘Philadelphia like’ name, “Centennial 1776 Tonic Bitters”. Of course, on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were a new nation, the United States of America, and no longer part of the British Empire. The 100 year anniversary or centennial would have been 1876.

As you might imagine there were tons of events, products and references to our Centennial in 1876 just like the Bicentennial in 1976. With bitters, there are lots of Centennial brands, some listed and some not listed, in the Ring & Ham Bitters Bottles books.

Within the original Ring & Ham, Bitters Bottles I see a C 112 Centennial Bitters made by E. A. Jaujou in San Francisco, California. There is also a listing for a C 113 Centennial Bitters put out by Paul Reinhert & Company, 494 Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. And yet another listing for C 114 Centennial Bitters put out by Dr. Peter Van Ingen in Brooklyn New York. His trademark #2326 was dated March, 1875 and he said his product was in use since 1843! Boy was this guy ahead of the curve.

On my own, I found an advertisement for Centennial Bitters sold by A. C. Hopkins & Company in Indianapolis in 1876. You can see an ad in the Select Listings below.

Next, I find an advertisement for Centennial Bitters sold by Messrs. Champigny & Fink in New Orleans (see ad below) in 1878.

I then find a listing for a Centennial Tonic Bitters that was sold by Hunt, Rankin & Lamar and D. B. Plumb & Co. in Georgia around 1878 to 1880. You can see two advertisements below. The 1776 was not mentioned in the brand name. Was this our bottle?

a compound consisting of water and 30 per cent alcohol medicated with a few bitter herbs and rock candy

Next there is a man named Theodore Keuchman who was a druggist in Muscatine, Iowa who was arrested in 1911 and tried in 1912 for selling labeled bottles of Centennial Tonic Bitters with 30% alcohol content, bitter herbs and rock candy. The suit was brought by anti-saloon owners and temperance members for the state. In Ring & Ham, this is C 116 L Centennial Tonic Bitters. This was a labeled amber square.

There was also a C 117 Centennial Tea Bitters from Newark, New Jersey in 1877 and a C 117.7 Centennial Wine Bitters made by J. H. Robinson in Tunhannock, Pennsylvania.

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Advertisement for Centennial Tea Bitters – Spirit of Jefferson, June 05, 1877, (Charles Town, West Virginia)

Select Listings:

1876: Advertisement: Centennial Bitters sold by A. C. Hopkins & Co., Indianapolis – The Indianapolis News, Saturday, December 23, 1876
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Advertisement: Centennial Bitters sold by A. C. Hopkins & Co., Indianapolis – The Indianapolis News, Saturday, December 23, 1876

1878: Advertisement: Centennial Tonic Bitters sold by Hunt, Rankin & Lamar – The Atlanta Constitution, Sunday, March 17, 1878
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Centennial Tonic Bitters sold by Hunt, Rankin & Lamar – The Atlanta Constitution, Sunday, March 17, 1878

1878: Advertisement: Centennial Tonic Bitters sold by Messrs. Champigny & Fink (see below) – The Times Picayune, Sunday, May 12, 1878
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Advertisement: Centennial Tonic Bitters sold by Messrs. Champigny & Fink (see below) – The Times Picayune, Sunday, May 12, 1878

1880: Advertisement: Centennial Tonic Bitters sold by D. B. Plumb & Co. (see below) – The Atlanta Constitution, Sunday, March 17, 1880
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Centennial Tonic Bitters sold by D. D. Plumb & Co. – The Atlanta Constitution, Saturday, February 7, 1880

1882: Gostorf v. State (1882) 39 Ark. 450. Centennial Tonic Bittersa compound consisting of water and 30 per cent alcohol medicated with a few bitter herbs and rock candy, comes within an intoxicating liquor statute, the testimony as a whole showing that it was capable of being used as a beverage and was actually so used. – Lawyers’ Reports Annotated, Lawyers’ Co-operative Publishing Company, 1917
1911: Theodore Keuchman arrested – New Bitters Popular “Centennial Tonic Bitters” (see below) – Rock Island Argus, May 26, 1911
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Theodore Keuchman arrested – New Bitters Popular “Centennial Tonic Bitters” (see below) – Rock Island Argus, May 26, 1911

1912: The holding on the former decision was that Centennial Tonic Bitters contained sufficient alcohol to make it an intoxicating liquor, capable of being used as a beverage. The finding of the district court now under consideration is that this Bitters, as compounded and sold by the defendant (we have no means of knowing how it was compounded and sold by the defendant), was, in fact, a medicine, and was not reasonably capable of being used as a beverage; and, as compounded by the defendant, the defendant, as a registered pharmacist, had a legal right to sell. There is nothing before us on this hearing except the application for the writ of certiorari, the order of the judge for the writ and the service of the writ, the judgment of the court below, and the opinion of the Supreme Court upon the former hearing. The contention of the plaintiff seems to be that, when this court annulled the former order and reversed the case, the district court should have proceeded at once to pronounce judgment of contempt on the record as made on the former trial, without any further opportunity to the defendant to be heard, and that the court erred in the retrial of said cause, and in permitting the defendant to introduce further testimony. To support this contention, plaintiff relies upon Sexton v. Henderson, 47 Iowa 131, and Lombard v. Gregory, 88 Iowa 431. Both of these cases were equity cases, triable de novo in this court, and the judgment and decree of this court were final and conclusive, and ended the litigation. Nothing further remained for the district court except to enter a judgment or order in accordance with the final judgment and decree of this court. We are also cited to Lord v. Ellis, 11 Iowa 170. – Reports of Cases at Law and in Equity Determined by the Supreme Court of the State of Iowa, Volume 174, 1912
1912: Druggist Keuchmann (Des Moines, Iowa) Hit by High Court for selling Centennial Tonic Bitters (see below) – Webster City Freeman, January 16, 1912
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Druggist Keuchmann (Des Moines, Iowa) Hit by High Court for selling Centennial Tonic Bitters (see below) – Webster City Freeman, January 16, 1912

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Questions, Revolutionary War, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A few of my aqua figural bitters met for a little sun today.

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A few of my aqua figural bitters met for a little sun today.

08 November 2015

Apple-Touch-IconAA few of my aqua figural bitters met for a little sun today. That being a National Bitters (figural ear of corn), Old Sachems Bitters and Wigwam Tonic figural barrel, Pocahontas Bitters figural barrel, Simon’s Centennial Bitters (George Washington), Greeley’s Bourbon Whiskey Bitters figural barrel, Constitution Bitters figural gazebo and a LaCraix figural pineapple. Taken with my iPhone 6.

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Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Figural Bottles, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Daily Dose | November 2015

November  |  2 0 1 5

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Dr. Soule’s Hop Bitters being sold in Dublin, Ireland. Read: The Doyle’s & Soule’s Hop Bitters – Rochester, N.Y.

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Tuesday, 24 November 2015

A couple of unlisted bitters. Allen’s Wahoo Bitters by F. Kingman in Hartford, Connecticut around 1880. This would seem to be different than the A 32 L … Allen’s Wahoo Tonic Bitters from Springfield, Massachusetts. Bill Ham has provided the following designation:

Advertisement
A 31.5  Allen’s Wahoo Bitters,  F. Kingman, Hartford, Connecticut, circa 1880

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Also the Moss Brothers Iron Tonic Bitters from Lafayette, Louisiana in 1894. Bill Ham has provided the following:

Advertisement
I 33.5 Iron Tonic Bitters, Moss Brothers & Co., Lafayette, Louisiana, 1894.

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Sunday, 22 November 2015

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Peruvian Bark Bitters

[Ellen Haas Faulkenberry] Was able to land this Wonderful unlisted Bitters bottle from a small town in North Central Missouri from the Belleville Bottle & Brewery Show – Thanks Lance. I just couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw this wonderful bottle. Missouri has bitters bottles from Kansas City, St. Joe, St.Louis, Hannibal, Desoto and now Brookfield. What a wonderful show it turned out to be. Bill Ham has provided the following listing for BBS2:

G 106.5  GREEN’S PERUVIAN BARK BITTERS
CHAS. GREEN’S / PERUVIAN BARK BITTERS / BROOKFIELD. MO. // f // f // f // // b // W. T. & Co.
6 3/4 x 2 1/4 (4 1/2) 1/4
Square, Aqua, FM, Tooled lip, Extremely rare

Saturday, 21 November 2015

Here is reference to an unlisted Maguire’s Sarsaparilla Bitters put out by J. & C. Maguire, chemists & druggists (James & Constantine Maquire) in St. Louis in 1869. Bitters Bottles has an extensive listing for a labeled (M 10L) Maguire’s Cundurango Liver and Blood Bitters put out by the same folks. The ad was placed in The Leavenworth Times (Kansas), Saturday March 27, 1869.

Maguires_The_Leavenworth_Times_Sat__Mar_27__1869_

The bottle below sold in the Bob & Late Marie Saxe Collection, Part 1 Absentee Auction 24, on March 22, 2012.

MaguireDruggistStLouis

An open pontil J. & C. Maguire, Chemists & Druggists, St, Louis, Mo. in blue. Could this have held the bitters? – HistoricGlass.com

Thursaday, 19 November 2015

MO2_Heckler

Left Philly for Miami last night. Lot more humidity here. The Professor Mann’s Oriental Stomach Bitters sold at Hecklers last night. Example from the Strong Museum.

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

FlintsQuakerTall

Wrapping up business here in Reading, PA. Was thinking about Barto’s Great Gun Bitters as I had dinner in a historic building on the same street where is was produced. Working on a post for Democratic Bitters. Liked that labeled Dr. Flints Quaker Bitters that closed last night in AGG. It shows up every few years at auction houses. Here is another unlisted Vegetable Tonic Bitters reference below. Made by W.J. Moore and advertised in Fort Scott, Kansas in 1877.

VegetableTonicBitters_Fort_Scott_Daily_Monitor_Thu__Aug_9__1877_

Tuesday, 17 November 2015

A40_MS031_Gates_Middleton_Large

Pretty cool labeled and embossed bitters I snagged from Maple Leaf Auctions this past Saturday in Ontario. Their write up: “The Gates Company of Middleton NS was a real Martime medicine success story. Fortunately for collectors, there are a great many bottles from this long-lived firm. One of their seminal products was Gates Life of Man Bitters, which was manufactured for a very long time. 90% of the bottles for this medicine were made from plain aqua coloured glass. This one is a beautiful rich deep sapphire blue. Better still – this bottle sports a full label extolling the virtues of the medicine. Dead mint! An important correction to this lot. While the box is an original Gates box, it is nowhere near as old as the bottle, so the box is not for this bottle.”

Sunday, 15 November 2015

Here is a very early, tongue twister, unlisted bitters. Boon’s Anti-Dyspeptic and Anti-Bilious Vegetable Tonic Bitters from George R. Sanders in Newbern, North Carolina in 1838 (Newbern Spectator, Friday, November 24, 1837).

Boons_Newbern_Spectator_Fri__Nov_24__1837_

Friday, 13 November 2015

YoungbloodShard_8Ferdinand, Dug a broken Youngblood’s Tonic Bitters in Galveston the other day. Honestly didn’t have a clue what it was so only saved the front panel and the lip. When I go back to the site, I am going to re-excavate the pit (it is just a tiny trash pit) and see if I can find enough to glue together a good part of the bottle. Pit was full of broken Hostetters, Wolfe’s Schnapps, etc…looked to be late 1860’s or maybe early 1870’s.

Thought you might be interested…it is a beautiful light amber color. 

Thursday, 12 November 2015

Neat early advertisement for Damiana Bitters from San Francisco. Placed in The Fresno Republican, August 25, 1877. I like the cactus.

Damiana_The_Fresno_Republican_Sat__Aug_25__1877_

Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Looks like an unlisted bitters. Cascara Burdock and Celery Tonic Bitters as referenced in the Victoria Daily Colonist advertisement on May 6, 1902.

Cascara Tonic Bitters

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

MtWashingtonGW_TC8

Neat trade card for Mt Washington Glass Works on eBay.

Saturday, 07 November 2015

Cleaning up some bitters posts on a rainy Saturday. Check them out if you want.

DandelionWildCherryBitters_ABA

Dr. Mackenzie’s or Dr. McKinzie Wild Cherry Bitters

Dandelion & Wild Cherry Bitters – Iowa

Willard’s Golden Seal Bitters – Taunton, Massachusetts

Wednesday, 04 November 2015

Early bird back from the east coast this AM. Groovin’ this Cannon’s Dyspeptic Bitters in John Pastors new auction.

Lot205

 

“CANNON’S – DYSPEPTIC – BITTERS”, America, 1850 – 1860. Aquamarine, octagonal, applied square collar – blowpipe pontil scar, ht. 6″; (professionally cleaned to original luster; a ½” chip from the edge, and underside, of the square collar). An exciting fresh discovery and previously unknown mold, almost certainly from the W. M. Cannon Medicine Co, Washington, D.C. Believed to be the first intact pontiled example known from this company.
Note: the chip is on the side of the lip, and could easily be repaired, if desired.

Read: Cannon’s Dyspeptic Bitters – W. Morrow – Washington D.C. – Unlisted Find!

Sunday, 01 November 2015

Football Sunday. Good time to catch up on z’s and spend time with my grandson. Put up two posts earlier today. Only one bottle show today in Elkton, Maryland. Always wanted to go to that show. Heard a bottle I wanted from the Nolt Collection was returned at Conestoga Auctions. Bottle had an obvious polished lip chip. Need to review the Heckler auction as I saw that super killer labeled Old Continental Whiskey. Read: Old Continental Whiskey – One Spectacular Bottle

Old Continental Whiskey_Heckler

 

 

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