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- The Life and Times of E.H. Taylor – E.H. Taylor, Jr. on A question regarding an “Old Taylor” find
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- Bocabottle on Early Damiana Bitters or is something wrong here?
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- texas bottle man on Confederate Stomach Bitters – Angelo Velati – Columbus Georgia
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Heckler Columbus Day 2011 – 08 October
Posted in Auction News, Bottle Shows, News
Tagged Columbus Day, Heckler, Norman Heckler
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Merrimack Valley Antique Bottle Club’s 37th Annual Show
Jim Bender sent in some nice pictures from this past Sunday’s Merrimack Valley Antique Bottle Club show. Check out those Dr. Langley’s Root & Herb Bitters!
Posted in Bitters, Bottle Shows, Club News, Color Runs, News
Tagged bitters, Dr. Langley's, Jim Bender, Lowell, Mass, Merrimack Valley Bottle Club
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Glass Discoveries’ Auction ends Tonight!
Ray Klingensmith will be ending his September Auction #65 for his dual Pole Top Discoveries Catalogue of Scarce, Rare and Colorful Insulators and Glass Discoveries’ Catalogue of Scarce, Rare & Colorful Bottles. The closing date is tonight, Monday, 26 September 2011, 10:00 pm, Eastern Time. Read more on…3 Gems in the new Pole Top Discoveries’ Catalogue of Rare & Colorful Insulators.
Ray also publishes the best auction catalogue…period. They are works of art and belong in a museum book store. As noted on their web site…
Large, Printed Catalogues Available!
The all color, high quality printed Catalogue for Sale #65, with 144 pages, can still be ordered! Don’t miss this large Catalogue loaded with huge color pictures and a wealth of historical information. Price is still only $32 ppd. in the U.S, or $38 when shipped to Canada. International, please inquire. Preferred form of payment is a check payable to “Ray Klingensmith.” Those who desire to use PayPal, please add an additional fee of $1, using the email account shown below. THANKS!
Ray Klingensmith PO Box 628 Parkman, OH 44080 440.548.5408 poletop@clover.net
A few sample pages from the Glass Discoveries’ portion…
Ammonia Mnfd by S.F. GasLight Co Question
Incoming question from Mike George:
Hey Ferd,
Hope all is well my friend!
I need a little assistance on this Western bottle. It is a BRIGHT lemon yellow ammonia! I have seen some of them sell for pretty good money, but I am not sure where this one should be priced or who the collectors are. As for condition… I don’t think you could ever find one better. This one would be fuss-proof! 🙂 It does have a small birdswing on the side that is not distracting at all… and provides some interesting character!
Thanks for your advice! See ya soon.
Mike
[PRG] Mike…great bottle. Love San Francisco glass. Check out a previus post
S.F. Gaslight Ammonia now Greer’s Washing Ammonia?
Note: Visit Mikes web site BottleShow.com
Posted in Digging and Finding, Utility Bottles
Tagged Ammonia, Gaslight, San Francisco, Utility
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3 Gems in the new Pole Top Discoveries’ Catalogue of Rare & Colorful Insulators
Ray Klingensmith has started his September Auction #65 for his dual Pole Top Discoveries Catalogue of Scarce, Rare and Colorful Insulators and Glass Discoveries’ Catalogue of Scarce, Rare & Colorful Bottles. The closing date is Monday, 26 September 2011, 10:00 pm, Eastern Time.
I found these three (3), and there are many more, extraordinary insulators within the auction.
#2 CD 726 Unmarked Bright purple The CD 726 has been found in widespread areas along Canadian railways, ranging from Ontario to the Maritime Provinces. Some have surfaced on railways which were completed in 1869 and 1870, indicating this style was likely produced into the late 1860’s and possibly the early 1870’s.
They have been found in a rainbow of exotic colours, ranging from the more readily available aquas, various blues, a couple green shades, purple, and cranberry red. Blackglass purple and a couple variations of blackglass olive and olive amber have also been reported.
The Canada Glass Works, in what is now Hudson, Quebec, is known to have produced threadless insulators including some CD 726’s. The company manufactured various types of glassware including bottles and ornamental wares such as lamps, thus utilizing a wide range of glass colours.
Found in the 1990’s by the Plunkett family and previously sold in the 1998 Pole Top Discoveries’ Yearbook.
A couple internal stress fractures and a couple surface fish-eyes. This purple example is in better condition than any offered for sale in the past several years! The small number of known purple examples are currently locked solidly into collections. Dale Evoy collection.
Opening Bid: $6,000 (Estimate: $ 10,000 – $ 13,000)
#4 CD 718 Unmarked Dark smoke Circa 1860’s. A unique and highly unusual colour! Various colour tones are evident, including smoke, amethyst and ginger ale.
Insulator collector Morgan Davis reports digging this item along a railway in Nova Scotia many years ago. To date, it is the only example known. The highly unusual colouration places it as one of the most desirable Canadian threadless in existence.
Extremely crude, textured surface adds wonderful character. Flat dome chip and a flat base chip. An item for the collector seeking the ultimate coloured threadless collection! Dale Evoy collection.
Opening Bid: $5,000 (Estimate: $ 9,000 – $ 12,000)
#19 CD 158.6 new CD Number Skirt embossed: J. SLATER LEWIS. BIRKENHEAD ENG. PATENT Base embossed: (GRAY) & HAM PATENT NO. 8532 1884 Rich blue aqua Two segmented interior threading, consistent with some early New England glass production.
A United States patent was issued on May 1, 1883 to J. Slater Lewis for an insulator with a spiral top and accompanying metal clip for attachment to a line wire. The base embossing is in reference to a patent issued to Lawrence Gray and Joseph Ham of Boston, Massachusetts for a method of forming threads in glass insulators using a contractible threaded plunger.
Approximately 10 of these insulators were found in 2010 at the site of the Lyndeborough Glass factory in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. Most were specimens with heavy damage. This insulator was the best example recovered. Only a couple other units were in respectable condition. A great and historical rarity, which should be of special interest to CD collectors and those seeking unique rarities. One of the most exciting insulator discoveries in recent years! Repair to a portion of the reverse skirt area.
Opening Bid: $3,000 (Estimate: $ 5,000 – $ 10,000)
Ray also publishes the best auction catalogue…period. They are works of art and belong in a museum book store. As noted on their web site…
Large, Printed Catalogues Available!
The all color, high quality printed Catalogue for Sale #65, with 144 pages, can still be ordered! Don’t miss this large Catalogue loaded with huge color pictures and a wealth of historical information. Price is still only $32 ppd. in the U.S, or $38 when shipped to Canada. International, please inquire. Preferred form of payment is a check payable to “Ray Klingensmith.” Those who desire to use PayPal, please add an additional fee of $1, using the email account shown below. THANKS!
Ray Klingensmith PO Box 628 Parkman, OH 44080 440.548.5408 poletop@clover.net
A few sample pages
Posted in Auction News, Insulators, News
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A Legendary Cassin,s Grape Brandy Bitters
It looks as though Jeff Wichmann has the famous example of the Cassin’s Grape Brandy Bitters…read Two Sexy Ladies – Cassin’s Grape Brandy Bitters
View on YouTube
From American Bottle Auctions Bottle of the Month
[ABA] When one talks of antique bottles from the western part of the United States, for the advanced collector the name Cassin usually comes up. Francis and Patrick, together they worked at the corner of Pine and Montgomery Streets in San Francisco in a store Francis had established in the Fall of 1849*.
Today only a few different variants of their bottles exist as a reminder of their efforts, a whiskey bottle, a soda and this grape brandy bitters. Amazingly, all of their bottles are difficult to find and the whiskey and bitters shown here can sell for exceedingly high amounts. The bottles made for the Cassin Brothers were done with quite a bit of forethought and ingenuity. The greatest example of that has to be in their Cassin,s Grape Brandy Bitters. Even the apostrophe was made a comma by mistake. There were two variants after the first was deemed infallible and the number of variants of any kind number close to a baker’s dozen, damaged or not. Of those known in amber, which is miniscule, it is thought that this example is the only perfect example.
Some things about the Cassin,s Bitters is vague. What we do know is they are a very rare bottle made to resemble a cello. The bottle has the three-stage Lacour’s Bitters like top and measures 10″ in height and approximately 3″ across at the base. This particular example is a special one indeed. Aside from the fact that it could be the only perfect amber example, it is very heavily whittled and full of tiny bubbles. In natural sunlight it glows brilliant gold against the blue sky showing what looks like a million tiny bubbles frozen in time. Here’s a bottle unlike any other and it’s pretty obvious that is and always will be just fine with Francis and Patrick Cassin. Francis the original 49’er immigrant and his ambitious brother. Today we celebrate their triumphs by acknowledging their legacy in glass.
*For more information on the Cassin bottle and much more, try and find, Early Glassworks of California by Warren B. Friedrich. It is a richly detailed and finely researched book on western glass
Attention Bottle Divers & Bottle Beachcombers
Looking for some individuals who dive for bottles or find bottles on beaches!
Hi Ferdinand,
I hope all is well! I’m writing because we’re looking for potential candidates for our profile section of Coastal Living Magazine, and we’d love to consider someone who collects antique bottles that have either washed ashore or been found in sunken ships. Do you know if you have any members of FOHBC who would fit the bill?
Wondering if you could also ask candidates to include the following:
(1) Where they live
(2) A few sentences about their collecting background
(3) A snapshot of themselves—preferably with their bottles or on the beach!
Thanks again! Excited to see who we find!
Coastal Living Magazine
[PRG] Please send your information to me and I will forward to magazine per their request. Thanks!
Posted in Article Publications, Digging and Finding, Diving, News
Tagged Coastal Living, Diving, Ship Wrecks
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New Western Blob Top Soda Blog
Lance Westfall announces a new blog: westernblobtopsodas.blogspot.com . Please check it out!
Posted in News, Soda Bottles, Soda Water
Tagged Blob Top Sodas, Lance Westbrook, Soda Water
2 Comments
Doc Dawson Ford
Sad news in the passing of Doc Ford
Doc Dawson Ford, born Feb. 7, 1925, departed September 19, 2011 at the age of 86 to be rejoined with his wife, Lois. They were married Nov. 7, 1944, until her death in 2008. He was raised in Cherry Valley, Ohio and resided his adult life in Tallmadge and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He proudly served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a boatswain’s mate. He retired from Parker-Hannifin with 45 years service. Doc served as a member of Tallmadge City Council and President of the Ohio Bottle Club. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence Ford, Nellie (Ford) Henderson, and brother, Keith Ford. He will be missed by his children, Terry (Carol) Ford, Mel (Pat) Ford, Kyle (Curt) Doles, Curt (Kathy) Ford; four grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. Calling hours will be Thursday, September 22, 2011 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Billow FALLS Chapel, 1907 23rd St. Service will be at 11a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Interment at the Ohio Western Reserve Cemetery will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wounded Warriors, 4899 Belfort Rd. #300, Jacksonville, FL 32256. (Billow FALLS Chapel)
Another Baltimore Digging Story from Chris Rowell
We dug a couple pontiled pits in Baltimore Sunday. No great finds but it was fun. Will be digging a deep Philadelphia pit Wednesday, will forward pics after the dig.
Sundays dig went as follows. We had noticed that this one house had been unoccupied all summer long and the grass in the back yard was about two feet tall, so we decided it might be time to do a bit of yard clean up. This weekend it was Phil, Greg, and myself. We arrived on site about 9:30 and started unloading our equipment. I quickly probed out a small bricklined pit next to a rotting tree stump. The ground is really soft now after all the rain we had over the past few weeks. So digging went very quickly the pit opened up as a small oval shaped brickliner which we were glad to see because oval shaped brickliners are always pontiled age holes in Baltimore. So if they didn’t completely clean this one to the bottom we should get some pontiled stuff.
We got down about 4 and a half feet when the clay and ash mixed fill dirt gave way to a rich dark loamy layer loaded with 1840s and 1850s artifacts. A few damaged pontiled puff type medicines came out along with some nice hand painted marbles and one small pontiled cologne. The heartbreakers from this pit were a half pint open pontiled Corn For The World flask that was smashed. A bright yellow green iron pontiled 3 piece mold Baltimore Glass Works made porter. I took the shards home to glue anyway as its an unlisted color for this mold. And a large aqua Porter embossed on the shoulder C. F. Gobel with its top knocked off. I ended up finding that this bottle is from Zainesville Ohio. It was a long way from home.
While digging the homeowner from next door came out curious what we were doing and we quickly convinced him to let us dig his privy in his parking area. It was packed gravel but wasn’t super well maintained and had quite a bit of grass growing along the edge where the privy should be. a few stabs of the probe found the pit right inline with the one we had just dug. This one took a bit longer to get open due to the packed surface. Once we got it opened up we found it to be a small round brickliner. This pit had quite a bit of brick thrown in the fill, making digging quite a bit slower then the pit next door. But again at about 4 and a half feet the fill gave way to that rich brown loamy layer laden with early artifacts. I quickly uncovered a pontiled Stewart’s Pharmacy Baltimore pontiled medicine, a small redware save jar and a small hand painted cup. Then out came a few pontiled puffs and the remains of a yellow green Baltimore torpedo. Luckily it was just an unembossed example, but the color would have been quite nice. Lots of nice pottery shards for glueing back together and quite a few tobacco pipes. No real heart breakers in this pit but it were still very fun to dig.
Chris
[PRG Note] For more information about Chris Rowell, simply use the search function at the top of this page.






































