Some real standouts in the Heckler McCandless Session II

Posted on 23 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

It is looking like Historical Flask prices continue to dominate the news in recent sales and auctions. The pieces are dominating the bidding. The well run Heckler | Thomas McCandless Collection: Session II auction was no exception. I’ve posted a few of the standouts. Costs do not include house premiums which I will adjust when posted.

Lot #2 “Genl Taylor” And Bust – “Fells Point / Balto” And Monument Portrait Flask, Baltimore Glass Works, Baltimore, Maryland, 1830-1850. Puce with a gray overtone, inward rolled mouth – tubular pontil scar, pint. GI-73 Fine condition, extremely rare color, beautiful. Ex Edmund & Jayne Blaske collection. Note on the bottom by Tom indicating “one of my favorites”. $21,000 ($24,570.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #2 "Genl Taylor" And Bust - "Fells Point / Balto" And Monument Portrait Flask

Lot #2 "Genl Taylor" And Bust - "Fells Point / Balto" And Monument

Lot #11 Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Puce, sheared mouth – pontil scar, quart; (some exterior high point wear on each of the busts). GI-37 Exceptional color, fine condition. Ex Edmund and Jayne Blaske collection. $21,000 ($24,570.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #11 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #11 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #11 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #12 Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1860-1870. Sapphire blue, applied heavy sloping collared mouth – smooth base, quart. GI-54 Beautiful color, great condition. Ex Scholl collection. $15,000 ($16,380.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #12 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #12 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #21 Sheaf Of Wheat – Five Pointed Star Pictorial Flask, possibly Bulltown Glass Works, Bulltown, New Jersey, 1845-1860. Bright yellow green with deeper profuse olive green striations, applied double collared mouth – iron pontil mark, quart. GXIII-38 Fine condition, unlisted and beautiful color. Ex Robert Pattridge collection #281. $11,000 ($12,870.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #21 Sheaf Of Wheat - Five Pointed Star Pictorial Flask

Lot #21 Sheaf Of Wheat - Five Pointed Star Pictorial Flask

Lot #21 Sheaf Of Wheat - Five Pointed Star Pictorial Flask

Lot #22 Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Light to medium gray blue with deeper profuse blue horizontal striations, sheared mouth – pontil scar, quart. GI-43 Exceptional example, strong embossing, unlisted and beautiful color. Ex George Austin collection. $36,000 ($42,120.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #22 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #22 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #22 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #30 “Wheat. Price & Co Wheeling’ Va.” And Short Haired Bust – “Fairview / Works” and Factory Portrait Flask, Wheat Price and Company Manufacturers, Wheeling, West Virginia (Virginia), 1820-1840. Light blue green, sheared mouth – pontil scar, pint. GI-115 Fine condition, strong embossing, beautiful color. Ex Edmund and Jayne Blaske collection. $19,000 ($22,230.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #30 "Wheat. Price & Co Wheeling' Va." And Short Haired Bust - "Fairview / Works"

Lot #30 "Wheat. Price & Co Wheeling' Va." And Short Haired Bust - "Fairview / Works"

Lot #30 "Wheat. Price & Co Wheeling' Va." And Short Haired Bust - "Fairview / Works"

Lot #38 Washington – Taylor Portrait Flask, Dyottville Glass Works, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1840-1860. Yellow, sheared mouth – tubular pontil scar, pint. GI-44 What a great color, strong embossing. An exceptional bottle. Ex Scholl collection. $18,000 ($21,060.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #38 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #38 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #38 Washington - Taylor Portrait Flask

Lot #94 Masonic Arch and Emblems – Eagle Historical Flask, probably Keene Marlboro Street Glassworks, Keene, New Hampshire, 1820-1830. Light bluish green with wide profuse amethyst striations, heavy tooled round collared mouth – pontil scar, pint. Probably GIV-8 Beautiful bottle, great color, fine condition. A big heavy “2 pounder”. Ex Sam Laidacker. $17,000 ($19,890.00 includes 17% buyers premium)

Lot #94 Masonic Arch and Emblems - Eagle Historical Flask

Lot #94 Masonic Arch and Emblems - Eagle Historical Flask

Posted in Auction News, Collectors & Collections, Flasks, Historical Flasks | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Digger Down – Walter W. Bannon

Posted on 22 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Digger Down: The Thrills and Spills of an Antique Bottle Collector

Welcome to the Web site (visit web site) of storyteller and author Walt Bannon. Walt has received praise for his imaginative storytelling and insightful and hilarious book. We invite you to pull up a comfortable chair and explore Walt’s writings. Digger Down takes readers through an amazing adventure through the Maine woods, into wells, construction sites and other interesting places. After reading this book, you’ll be planning your own dig and or dive to recover the valuable artifacts talked about it his stories.

Walt Bannon, one of Maine’s most notorious bottle diggers, shares the zany and often danger-filled predicaments he’s found himself in one too many times. His near scrapes with the law-combined with insanely ridiculous situations-are humorously exposed in this enjoyable book about his antique bottle collecting adventures. You’ll learn how he quickly amassed an admirable collection of old glass treasures, but better still, you’ll learn from his experiences and mistakes how not to build a collection of antique bottles. If you’re already a digger of these old gems, you’ll certainly relate to the borderline and perilous aspects of this hobby. However, if you’re just curious about Walt’s passion for the hunt of these treasures that secretly lie beneath the ground your feet tread upon every day, this book will pleasantly enlighten you.

[PRG] Walt has a cryptic Maine Antique Bottle and Glass Museum coming soon note on an ad he placed in Antique Bottle and Glass Collector

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Dingen’s Napolean Cocktail Bitters in a Lilac Amethystine

Posted on 22 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Dingen’s Napolean Cocktail Bitters in a Lilac Amethystine

22 October 2011 (R•111116)

Apple-Touch-IconAWow, take a look at this beauty (pictured below)! I bet this bottle is tough to photograph but I can just imagine how killer this is. Maybe I can see in person sometime….Thanks Jack Stecher.

Hi again, Ferd.

Thanks for the quick post and photos of the Root’s bitters on your site.

While I was at it, I thought I’d take a couple photo shots of my prize Dingen’s and send them along. I won’t mind if you post on your ‘killer” or “color” site, if you wish, unless you only do the photography for that site. Anyway, I did not do any back lighting and just put it out on my pool table against a white sheet background and utilized only ambient overhead fluorescent lights.

It’s a very unusual color, as you would probably agree.  It’s the N-3 pedestal with iron pontil. I know they are listed in “smokey clear” and “aqua”, but not in “amethystine”, as mine evidences. I am sending 3 photos, but just pick the anyone you wish to use, if you do. Use any or all or none, if I’m too presumptuous (maybe you already have same?). It’s a strange color and changes shades at times with the lighting, whether indoor or outdoor. I have seen it shade to almost a “lilac”, having a bit of blue in it from time to time.  I guess it’s still more an amethystine color than anything. I’ve had it since 1997 and purchased it from a private party who found it at an estate sale, would you believe. He paid $3.00 for it! I paid considerably more, as you might guess.

Let me know what you think.

 Jack

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

N 3 DINGEN’S ( au ) / NAPOLEON COCKTAIL BITTERS ( ad ) // c // DINGENS BROTHERS ( au ) / BUFFALO, N.Y. Circa – 1865 – 1875  ( ad ) // c // 10 1/2 x 4 x 2 1/2 ( 5 3/4) with pedestal, maximum width 5 ½ Banjo lady’s leg, Yellow amber, Olive amber, Yellowish olive green, smoky clear, and Aqua, LTC, Applied mouth, Metallic pontil mark, Very rare
Label: On Napoleon Cocktail side – a picture of Napoleon, bats with spread wings, a devil stirring a cauldron of brew, and some glasses. Dingens Hot Punches prepared by Dingen Bros., Buffalo. In 1835 John Dingens started a grocery business. In 1836, with his sons, Joseph A., Frank L., John C., and C. Bernard they established the firm of Dingens Bros. at 277 Main Street, New York. At this time Napoleon Bitters was introduced. The company also made syrups and cordials, and were wholesale liquor and cigar dealers.

Lilac Amesthystine Dingen’s Napolean Cocktail Bitters – Stecher Collection

Lilac Amesthystine Dingen’s Napolean Cocktail Bitters – Stecher Collection

Lilac Amesthystine Dingen’s Napolean Cocktail Bitters – Stecher Collection

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Figural Bottles | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Part 3 of the Bill Dudley collection of early Fruit Jars and Hemingray items

Posted on 22 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

In from Greg Spurgeon and North American Glass…

Dear Collector-

Our latest auction is now available for on-line preview. This auction includes Part 3 of the Bill Dudley collection of early fruit jars and Hemingray items. The auction will open for bidding on Monday October 24th at 6 pm EST. To preview all lots in this auction, please visit our website here: http://www.gregspurgeon.com/auction/

If you have forgotten your password or encounter any log-in or registration issues, just let us know and we will be glad to help.

Thank you, Greg Spurgeon,

NORTH AMERICAN GLASS, xx78@msn.com, (812) 466-6521

 [PRG] Check out these beauties that are included in the auction. 

HGCo on Reverse MASONS 1858 Quart BLACK GLASS

HGCo on Reverse MASONS 1858 Quart BLACK GLASS

DEEP COLOR Quart RAVENNA GLASS WORKS Iron Pontil

DEEP COLOR Quart RAVENNA GLASS WORKS Iron Pontil

Posted in Auction News, Collectors & Collections, Fruit Jars, News | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Silva | Bray Display in Canyonville (waiting for more pictures)

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Silva | Bray Display in Canyonville (waiting for more pictures)

20 October 2011

[PRG] Bruce Silva made this display case and displayed Dennis Bray EC&M insulators. Read: Ken Edward & Bruce Silva Bottle Display Cases

Posted in Bottle Shows, Club News, Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Insulators, News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Very Scarce Amber John Roots Bitters found by Jack Stecher

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Jack Stecher

Very Scarce Amber John Roots Bitters found by Jack Stecher

20 October 2011

Hi Ferd.

I enjoy your site and all the information about the hobby and collectors. I would like to add to your recent comment about the “standout bitters bottles” (read Top Three Bitters from last weekend) you observed at Keene this month. I was fortunate to be able to purchase a very scarce ‘John Roots Bitters’, a R/H 90.8 in amber and with a well worn label (see attachments). I was pleased to add it to my shelf along with my blue-green and amber John Roots (R90.4) versions.

Recently, I was able to purchase a small bottle collection which included a few nice bitters, hairs, etc. and this medium amethyst Old Homestead bitters (see attachments). Unfortunately, it is badly cracked and also has a couple small holes to boot. What a shame! What a color! Thought you might like to take a look at it anyway.

Keep up the great work.

Jack

Read More: John Roots Bitters – Gorgeous Green Colors

John Roots Bitters – Stecher Collection

John Roots Bitters – Stecher Collection

John Roots Bitters – Stecher Collection

Puce Old Homestead Bitters – Stecher Collection

Puce Old Homestead Bitters – Stecher Collection

Posted in Bitters, Bottle Shows, Digging and Finding | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Bottled in Illinois – New Book

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

In from Dave Hall:

Information on a new bottle book called Bottled in Illinois, all color photos, 792 pages and only bottles from 1840 to 1880, I bought two copies this evening from Jeff Cress, Edwardsville, Illinois!

Special copies will be available at the Eastside Antique Bottle, Jar & Brewery Colectibles 5th Annual Show & Sale.

Order Book: http://www.isas.illinois.edu/publications/bottledinillinois.shtml

12 November 2011 (Saturday) Belleville, Illinois Eastside Antique Bottle, Jar & Brewery Colectibles 5th Annual Show & Sale, (9:00 am to 3:00 pm, early buyers 7:00 am), at the Belleclair Fairgrounds, 200 South Belt East, Belleville, Illinois (15 minutes from St. Louis), Info: Kevin Kious, 618.346.2634,whoisthealeman@aol.com or Curt Faulkenberry, 636.797.5220

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ABCR Auction 6 – Dingo on Fruit Jar & more

Posted on 18 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Sydney / Trade (Dingo - tail down) Mark / Dingo / Fruit Jar

In from Travis Dunn from down under. Where else can you find a Dingo on a fruit jar!

We are pleased to advise you all that the catalogue for Auction 6 is now available for viewing at http://www.rtam.com/abcr/cgi-bin/CATALL.CGI. The Auction will go live on Saturday, October 29th at 8 pm, running for the standard two weeks until Saturday, November 12th, when it will finish at 8 pm. Once again we have a large variety of items from all ends of the collecting field, there is truly something to satisfy the collecting needs of almost any collector. Any questions are welcomed on any items, either David or Travis are available at most times to discuss any items.

Please enjoy!

Trouchet's / Corn (Lighthouse) Cure / Safe Reliable / Trade Mark

J. T. Gayen / Altona // - // (Castle and lions) // - // No Base Mark

Posted in Auction News, Fruit Jars, Pot Lids | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nice Turner Brothers Tintype

Posted on 16 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Nice Turner Brothers Tintype

16 October 2011

Apple-Touch-IconAJeff Noordsy (visit Jeff and Holly Noordsy website) sent me this really cool tintype picture. I added my only example of a Turner Brothers square though I have a run of Turner Brothers barrels. My example came from American Bottle Auction 43 (Grapentine III), Lot #863, December 2007.

“Recently found this ultra cool tintype of two gents playing cards with a Turner Brothers case bottle on the table between them…Jeff”

Turner Brothers case bottle in Tintype (typical reversed image)

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

TURNER BROTHERS / NEW YORK, BUFFALO, NY / SAN FRANCISCO. CAL. // f // f // f // 9 3/4 x 2 1/2 (7 1/2) Square, Olive amber and Olive green, LTC and LTCR, Applied mouth, Rare. Circa 1859 – 1865
There are at least two different variants of this embossing often referred to as the “Three line variant”. These bottles were used for bitters and other products. Buffalo Directory 1859, Oroville, California newspaper 1865.
Label: Portraits of three men at top and bottom of the label. Two…of a wine-glassful taken three times a day is certain remedy for dyspepsia, will remove all Biliousness from the Stomach, prevent the engendering of Fever and Ague, Give a … and strengthen the whole system. Prepared by Turner Bros. New York, Buffalo San Francisco.
Note: The Turner Brothers were listed as soda water manufacturers as early as 1850 in Buffalo New York. By 1853 they had opened a branch depot in San Francisco and were listed as syrup and cordial manufacturers. By 1858 they are pushing their Ginger Wine, Forest Wine Bitters and a Vegetable Bitters in newspaper advertising. Even though the Turner’s manufactured many products, most Western collectors believe that the Turners bottle contained the Forest Wine Bitters product. It would be my guess that the bottle was used for all of the products that they marketed. Just slap a different paper label on the old square for whatever the contents and you were good to go!

For more information on Turner Brothers visit Western Bitters News.

Turner Brothers – Meyer Collection

Turner Brothers & American Bottle Auction Grapentine Collection Catalog – Meyer Collection

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Ken Edward & Bruce Silva Bottle Display Cases

Posted on 15 October 2011 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Example: Ken Edward Display Case

Ken Edward & Bruce Silva Bottle Display Cases

15 October 2011

Apple-Touch-IconAKen Edward has been leading the effort to make great internally illuminated bottle display cases. You can usually see them at the western shows full of great glass. Bruce Silva recently embarked on his journey to make a great case. Here are a few of the progress pictures. Bruce will be sending the inaugural pictures of the display case with glass from this weekends Canyonville, Oregon show.

Bruce Silva Display Case Progress

Bruce Silva Display Case Progress

Bruce Silva Display Case Progress

Posted in Bottle Shows, Collectors & Collections, News, Whiskey | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments