Jenkins’ Stomach Bitters crosses my airwaves

Posted on 8 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

schlitz ham

Jenkins’ Stomach Bitters crosses my airwaves

08 July 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAI like this retro Schlitz Beer advertisement of an amateur radio operator. My father used to be a Ham radio operator. I remember his odd equipment with all these illuminated dials and a funny microphone in the basement and how excited he was after making contact with someone in some far off place. This usually happened in the deep hours of the night.

JenkinsBitters

Jenkins’ Stomach Bitters

I guess I do the same thing with the internet and all of the things that I monitor and am connected to. Yesterday, I was watching some Facebook bottle collecting cross-traffic chatter between Brian Shultis and Adam Doughty regarding a Jenkin’s Stomach Bitters from Nashville, Tennessee. It seems like Brian, a Tennessee bitters collector, was thanking Adam for a paper receipt (see below) from R. P. Jenkin’s, the proprietor of the bitters. Brian comments that he does not have an example and would very much like one.

JenkinsReceipt

Jenkins’ Stomach Bitters receipt. Notice that 5 cases of Jenkins’ Stomach Bitters were sold

Jenkins’ Stomach Bitters was patented on February 2, 1869 in Nashville, Tennessee. A newspaper clipping and Patent 86,551 are both below confirming this date. If I am not mistaken, the receipt above is from November 25, 1869. The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listing in Bitters Bottles is as follows:

J 28  JENKIN’S STOMACH BITTERS
JENKINS’ / STOMACH BITTERS // f // f // f // b // plain // b // W.McC&Co. // b // L&W
9 1/2 x 3 (7 1/4) 3/8
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Rare
Nashville Union & American, May 10, 1872: Jenkins Celebrated Stomach Bitters, R. P. Jenkin’s, Nashville, Tennessee
Examples of this brand have unusually uneven sides which account for minor variations in measurements.
rJenkin_NashvilleUnionandAmerican_Tue__Jan_23__1866_

Early R. P. Jenkins & Company advertisement – Nashville Union and American, Tuesday, January 23, 1866

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Jenkin’s Stomach Bitters! (pre-patent advertisement) – Nashville Union and American, November 17, 1868.

Robert P. Jenkins

Robert P. Jenkin’s was a wholesale druggist, chemist and importer of foreign drugs among other things such as dye stuffs, druggists’ sundries, fancy goods, perfumery, soaps and brushes, toilet articles, stationery etc. Like many druggists of that time period, he also sold foreign and native wines, brandies, gins, Jamaica rum, pure whiskies, green and black tea, spices, tobacco, cigars, oils, paints, window glass, glassware etc. His feature sellers were his Jenkin’s Stomach Bitters, Jenkins’ Buchu and Jenkins’ Vegetable Pills.

R. P. Jenkins was located at 39 North Market Street in Nashville, Tennessee and operated between 1866 and 1873, at least by looking at advertisements and directory listings during this period. Apparently the business originated with Tom Wells in 1804. Jenkins was announcing he was the successor to Wells in 1867.

Jenkins would die young at 35 years old on August 7, 1874 of liver disease. While his bitters advertisements said it was a “certain, and most effectual Tonic and Invigorator” and a “Great Strengthener and Renovator of the human system”, I suppose his bitters did not work, at least for him.

Bitters in Nashville

[Nashville and Her Trade for 1870] 

The branch of business in our city coming under the above caption, is one that has come into notice within the last few years, and has grown to such formidable proportions that we give it prominence in a separate and special chapter. Our manufacturers and dealers in this line have admirably succeeded in introducing their health-giving preparations into all portions of the South; and persons who formerly purchased none but liquids, whose constituents, to say the least, were dubious, are using almost exclusively those manufactured in Nashville. Numerous advertising devices have been resorted to by them to bring their “Bitters” to the attention of the public, some of which are so novel and attractive as to challenge notice, be the observer never so dull and short-sighted. In truth, our “Bitter” men may be called the ” Helmbolds of Nashville.” As we take it, this evidence of enterprise in advertising is pretty good evidence of the same admirable characteristic in the mode of conducting their business, and in this we fully believe Nashville Manufacturers are eclipsed by but few if any.

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Jenkins’ Stomach Bitters overview – Nashville and Her Trade for 1870 by Charles Edwin Robert

US86551.pdf

1869 United States Patent for R. P. Jenkins Improved Tonic Bitters – February 2, 1869

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R. P. Jenkins advertisement (Successor to Tom Wells) – 1867 Nashville City Directory

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Jenkin’s Stomach Bitters advertisement – Nashville Union and American, Friday, February 19, 1869.

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R. P. Jenkins advertisement – 1869 Nashville City Directory

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1870 R. P. Jenkin’s advertisement – Nashville and Her Trade for 1870 by Charles Edwin Robert

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Peachridge Glass: Mailbox Letters July – September 2014

Posted on 8 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

www.studiomathewes.com

Apple-Touch-IconAPlease feel free to send any antique bottle or glass questions to ferdinand@peachridgeglass.com. The information will be posted if relevant or of interest to the readers. I will try to answer or wait for another reader to respond. Quality images are very important. Thanks! If you want to see previous questions,go to “Mailbox Letters” in “Categories” on the right column of each page.

Mailbox Letters

July – September 2014

I found a Wm. Henry Harrison bottle

KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Hi,  I found a Wm. Henry Harrison bottle and would like to know more about it.  It’s greenish in color and stands 2-1/2 inches tall and 2-3/8 inches wide.  The mouth has been broken and there is a hole through the back bottom corner.  There is no writing on it but the cider barrel is unmistakeable.  There is an indentation on the back.  I do not know why it’s there.  I’ve attached some photos.  Except for what you have on the internet I can’t find anything about this style of bottle.  Is it a rare style? Is it an ink bottle or give away cider? Given it’s condition is it worth anything? Thank you,  Jim

PRG: Probably an ink bottle. The condition is not good and this will negate any value.

Read: Rare Circa 1840 William Henry Harrison and Tippecanoe Log Cabin Bottle! – on eBay!

InkBottleConf

H&K Bottle

H&KBottle

Hello, I am a native American artifact hunter from Wichita, KS. Recently I found an H & K bottle in the Arkansas river south of town. I’ve been unable to locate another like it and was hoping for some input or resources to identify it. I’m not researching it for profit, more out of curiosity. I found an article you posted in April of this year and thought you might help. Attached are some pictures of the bottle. Thanks for your time, – Levi

Read: H & K Stomach Tonic Bitters – Ashtabula

DeWitt’s Dots

AndyBrailleDotsDewitts

Here is a pic of a Dewitts stomach bitters that I bought from e-bay this month. It has really weird embossing as you can see, I have never seen this before on a bottle. Do you know anything about it, it is not listed in Ring-Ham……Thanks …..Andy Volkerts

PRG: Yes weird. I have an example and have written about it before. A mystery Read: Braille Dots on a DeWitts Stomach Bitters

Bracelet Pontil Demijon

BraceletPontilDemijon3

10 1/4″ tall by 8 1/4″ diameter by 4 1/4″ pontil base with great high point wear. Seen many like this oldie? Really crude with seed bubbles and inclusions. – Ron Krupa

PRG: Getting reports that this could be from South of the Border.

BraceletPontilDemijon2

One Gallon Harrisons Columbian Ink Bottle

NewHarrisons

Hi Ferdinand ,

I have a One Gallon Harrisons Columbian Ink Bottle, I found your info online and you know a lot about bottles. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to direct me in the right path, to send this bottle to auction. My name is Joe xxx. I live in Atlanta Ga. I am including pics of the bottle, it is in great shape from what I can tell. Let me know what you think if it. Thanks again , feel free to email or call me, xxx

Joe 

PRG: Joe, great piece. I have included links and contact info in a return e-mail for a few top auction houses.

Dr. Henley’s Typestyle Font Question

HenleysTypeQuestion

I recently acquired this Dr. Henley’s. It’s aqua and looks to be the same as all the rest EXCEPT the word BITTERS is much smaller and narrow than every other variation I have seen. I’m hoping you could shed some light on it. Is it a scarce variation? What would you appraise it at?

Thanks,
Brandon Smith

From Dale Mlasko: The IXL is a later variant circa mid to late 1870s. This “small bitters” variant is not necessarily scarce and is often seen. It comes with an applied top and in some wild colors including yellow and yellow green. The value of an aqua example might be in the $175-$225 range if it is crude and mint.

Washington/Taylor Flask

Unknown

Hi Ferdinand Meyer,

I was surfing the internet for a Historical Bottle collector who could maybe identify a bottle that I’ve got and stumbled upon your peachridgeGlass.com website! I have this Washington/Taylor Flask that I’m dying to know more about and thought you might be willing to answer a few questions about this Flask. I attached a few pics to help you identify it..it has a sheared mouth and has a large bubble(pictured) with thousands of little bubbles..The one side reads THE FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY and the other GEN TAYLOR SURRENDERS. It looks to be a GI-37 or GI-40a but I cannot find a value or info on this particular one that has this amber color and also has a sheared mouth? I’m still kind of new to identifying flasks so if you would be able to help me identify what it is and/or what the value is, it would be very greatly appreciated!! Thank You in advance!! 😉 – Wayne H.

PRG: Wayne, This is not my area of expertise so I will let another respond. It sure looks like a reproduction though.

Grover & Wheeler Raspberry Syrup Bottle Needs Info

RaspberrySyrup

Hi Ferd, How have you been? I recently picked this up for my New Brunswick, NJ collection. This was part of the last Heckler auction. I am having the hardest time finding anything on Grover & Wheeler in New Brunswick or figuring out how to date this piece. Any insight and/or tips on research? In your years of collecting, have you seen anything similar?

Best regards, Kenny Blaine

PRG: Kenneth: This is a tough one as you say. All I can find is Goodwin A. Wheeler who was a grocer in New Brunswick. Cool bottle.

Posted in Mailbox Letters, Questions | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Looking at Severa’s Stomach Bitters from Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Posted on 7 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

SeverasBitters_Meyer

Looking at Severa’s Stomach Bitters from Cedar Rapids, Iowa

07 July 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAIowa has been in my bitters news lately with a question from Marlena VanHelsing on a labeled Dr. Von Hopf’s Curacao Tonic Bitters put out by Chamberlain & Company in Des Moines, Iowa. There is also a labeled example on ebay now along with Marlena’s example which I see she has also posted on ebay. The third Iowa straw was coming across a nice article by Michael Burggraaf in a 2003 article in Bottles and Extras called “Collecting Bottles by State, The Ioway – Part 3 – Bitters Bottles“. In the article, Mike discusses the Dr. Von Hopf’s Bitters and he also mentions the Severa’s Stomach Bitters from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

These products are very similar in that they both came in square and flask forms and they both were put out by men with strong ethnic backgrounds who came to America and settled in Iowa. Only good fortune was ahead.

[Michael Bruggraaf] Similar to the Chamberlain firms, Severa used a flask and a square bottle (Meyer example at top of post) to market his bitters, the flask being the fifty cent size and the square selling for one dollar. The flasks are amber and are not embossed with the word bitters. Labeled examples of the flask exist that confirm that it was used for bitters. The script embossing on the side panels reads: W. F. Severa / Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

There are three distinct versions of the larger square bottle. All known examples are various shades of amber with the most popular variety being embossed on one side W. F. SEVERA and on the other side STOMACH BITTERS. The other version is embossed W. F. SEVERA/ CEDAR RAPIDS in block letters while the newest example is embossed with the same lettering, only in script style. There are machine made examples of the script embossed bottles in both the flask and square. There are no known examples of Severa’s bottles that are embossed with both the town and the word bitters. Also known is a “label only” example on a crude square bottle that leads to speculation that the early 1880s examples of Severa’s bitters were not embossed.

LabeledSeverasFlask

S 86.5 L… Severa’s Stomach Bitters, Manufacturing Pharmacists, W. F. Severa Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S.A. strap sided flask, Label on reverse in Czechoslovakian – Wicker Collection

Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham have the following listings in Bitters Bottles and Bitters Bottles Supplement:

S 86.5  L… Severa’s Stomach Bitters, Manufacturing Pharmacists, W. F. Severa Co., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U.S.A.
7 1/2 x 3 1/4 x 1 1/2
Rectangular strap sided, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip
Label on reverse in Czechoslovakian
Guaranteed underThe Pure Food and Drug Act of June 30, 1906 which appears on the neckband.
S 87  L… Severa’s Stomach Bitters
W. F. SEVERA // f // CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA // f //
9 5/8 x 2 5/8 (6 7/8)
Square, Amber, LTC
Lettering in script.
Also manufacturer or dealer of 32 medicinal products.
Drug Catalogs:: 1887 MP, 1888 RS (2 sizes), 1896-7 and 1901-2 JP&K Co.
S 88  W. F. SEVERA // f // STOMACH BITTERS // f //
Prepared by W.F. Severa Co. Manufacturing pharmacists
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
9 5/8 x 2 3/4 (7) 1/4
Square, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip, Scarce
Label: A reliable remedy for dyspepsia, every species of indigestion, intermittent
fever and all kinds of periodical disorders. A mild and safe invigorant for delicate
females, a good tonic for ordinary family purposes. A powerful recuperant after the
frame has been reduced. An excellent appetizer as well as strengthener of the
digestive forces. An agreeable and mild laxative stimulant. Persons in a debilitated
state should commence by taking small doses and increase with their strength.
Severova Saludecni Horke. Text and directions also in Polish.
S 89  L… Severa’s Stomach Bitters
W. F. SEVERA // f // CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA // f //
7 5/8 x 3 1/4 x 3/4 (5 1/4)
Square, Amber, LTC
S 90  L… W. F. Severa Bitters
W. F. SEVERA // sp // CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA // sp //
6 1/8 x 2 1/8 x 1 3/8 (4 1/4)
Rectangular, Clear, 4 sp
S 90.5  L… Severa Stomach Bitters
W. F. SEVERA // sp // CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA // sp //
6 1/8 x 2 1/8 x 1 3/8 (4 1/4)
Rectangular, Clear, 4 sp
SeveraSquareFlask_Wicker

Very nice labeled Severa’s Stomach Bitters in a square and strap-sided flask – Wicker Collection

Waclav Francis Severa

[Linn County, Iowa History, Volume II]

While business plays a most important part in the life of a great majority of men, the broad-minded man is he who recognizes not only the obligation that devolves upon him to provide for his own support and those dependent upon him but also permits his labors to reach out into the wider field wherein he recognizes his obligations to all mankind and strives to discharge every duty and meet every responsibility. While one of the most successful business men of Cedar Rapids, where as a manufacturing pharmacist he is conducting an extensive enterprise, Mr. Severa is also concerned in movements that have for their object the welfare and upbuilding of the entire community and especially the development of the intellectual forces. His wide acquaintance renders his history one of particular interest to a large majority of his fellow townsmen and others in this part of the state.

He was born at Doubravice, near Chrudim, Bohemia, September 3, 1853. He acquired a common-school education in his native village and in 1868, when a youth of fifteen years, came to the United States, making his way to Racine, Wisconsin. He was influenced in his choice of a location by the fact that he had relatives living in that city. During the winter months he attended the public schools, while in the summer season he worked that he might meet his expenses throughout the remainder of the year. In his early youth he yearned to see foreign countries and eagerly grasped the opportunity when his older sister, then living near Racine, invited him to come to America – the land of many advantages. After remaining for some time in Wisconsin he journeyed westward as far as Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and in January, 1877, accepted a position in a drug store at Belle Plaine, Iowa, where he prepared himself practically for the pharmaceutical profession. In 1880 he came to Cedar Rapids as a registered pharmacistand opened a drug store.
The business was a success from the start and in connection with the sale of drugs and druggists’ sundries Mr. Severa engaged in the preparation of certain proprietary remedies based on time tested medical prescriptions and these remedies, being aimed against the more common ills, found a ready market. Owing to the merits of the goods and judicious advertising the business increased from year to year until, in 1901, the retail drug business was sold out and the W. F. Severa Company was organized. The new firm, of which W. F. Severa is president and treasurer, is engaged in the manufacture of proprietary medicines, which are widely known as Severa’s family remedies. The enterprise has grown to large proportions and is now one of the leading productive industries of the city.

Into other fields Mr. Severa has also extended his efforts, for he is a man of resourceful business ability, who recognizes and utilizes the opportunities that are presented. He is the founder of the Bohemia American Savings Bank, which upon consolidation became the American Trust & Savings Bank. For six years he served as president of the latter institution, being the first to occupy the position, and is now its vice president. He also holds an interest in the Security Savings Bank and was the first director thereof. He is interested in the Merchants National Bank of Cedar Rapids; is financially interested in the Cedar Rapids Light & Power Company and the Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Interurban Railway and of the latter is a director. He is likewise connected with the Cedar Rapids Life Insurance Company as a stockholder and director. His cooperation in different connections is eagerly sought, for his judgment is recognized as sound and his sagacity keen.

Considering what Mr. Severa has achieved in the business world one might easily imagine that his entire time and attention were given to commercial and manufacturing interests, yet he finds opportunity to aid in the work of public progress and to advocate and support many measures for the general good. He has been a member of the Cedar Rapids Civic Improvement League since its organization and is an ardent advocate of the movement for beautifying the city. The public service of great importance in which he has been deeply interested is that which is operated under the name of Council of Higher Education. Of this Mr. Severa was the founder and has been the chief donor to the work. The object is to encourage the Bohemian youth to acquire a higher education in American colleges and universities and to aid promising students who lack the material means necessary to procure it. This association has a wide field of usefulness all over the United States. Mr. Severa is a strong believer in a thorough education and largely through his efforts a building, known as Matice Skolska, devoted to educational purposes, has been erected in Cedar Rapids. In this building there are class rooms, an auditorium and a library with over twenty-five hundred volumes, and a children’s library with about four hundred volumes.

In 1881 Mr. Severa was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Dusil, then a teacher in the public schools of Cedar Rapids. They have two children: Lumir Severa, now vice president and superintendent of the laboratory of the W. F. Severa Company; and Zulina (1890-1990), now attending Smith College, at Northampton, Massachusetts. The son obtained his early education in the schools of this city and following his graduation from the high school pursued an academic course in the State University of Iowa, while subsequently he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, where he completed a classical course and won the Bachelor of Arts degree. Following his graduation he traveled abroad for a time and upon his return from Europe pursued a course in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, from which institution he was graduated with the degree of P. C. In addition to his excellent scientific preparation in the field of chemistry and pharmacy Lumir Severa was actively engaged in the laboratory work during his vacation intervals, thus making himself thoroughly acquainted with all details of the manufacturing processes. He assumed his position as head of the manufacturing department eminently qualified and thoroughly prepared, possessing both theoretical and practical knowledge of the work, and has since been called to the position of second executive officer, being now vice president of the company.

W. F. Severa is well known in fraternal circles, being a charter member of Lodge Jan Hus, No. 51, I. O. O. F., of Cedar Rapids, which was organized in March, 1885; Lodge Prokop Velky, C. S. P. S.; and Lodge Prokop Velky, Z. C. B. J. He is also a member of a reading and literary society and is interested in all that tends to promote intellectual progress, whereby man is trained not only to utilize his own powers to better advantage but to come into appreciative contact with the master minds of all ages and thus broaden the world of thought in which each individual dwells no matter how narrow or contracted the sphere. Mr. Severa is himself a broad-minded and highly cultured man, of wide interests, activities and aspirations, and the record of his successful and active life is one of the most creditable to be found on the pages of this volume.

WaclavSeveraPicPassport

Waclav Francis Severa passport picture, circa 1920

1881: Wensel Severa marries Josephine Dusill on 06 July 1881 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Father John Severa.

1932-33: W. F. Severa & Co., (Wencil F. Severa) Josephine president, Lumir Severa, mfg pharmacists, 400-401 1st, se – Cedar Rapids, Iowa City Directory

Note #1: I put the above listing to demonstrate how many ways you can find Severa’s name in historical documents. The most common is Waclav but you will also see W.F., Francis, Wesley, Wensel and Wencil.

Note #2: If that is W.F. Severa on the labels, with all that hair, it sure looks like Waclav lost most of it by the time he had his passport shot.

SeverasCatharticPillsBox&Letter

Severa’s Family Remedies – Severa’s Cathartic Pills – Etsy

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Labeled Severa’s Stomach Bitters strap-sided flask – Wicker Collection

SeverasFrank4

Labeled Severa’s Stomach Bitters in a square form – Wicker Collection

Read: Wicker Visit – Austin Healey’s and Elephants

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

Dr. John Bull and Louisville at that time

Posted on 4 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

LV1876

Dr. John Bull and Louisville at that time

04 July 2014 (R•080914) (R•102014) (R•022219) (R•032119)

“Louisville has a population of 140,000 or 150,000 and its population supports thousands of drinking saloons. Go in whatever direction, you will hardly be able to walk two squares without finding a place where liquor is retailed.”

Apple-Touch-IconAJeff Mihalik forwarded these two pictures below of a dig where the crew unearthed a Dr. John Bulls Extract of Sarsaparilla from Louisville, Kentucky. This is one monster of a bottle. Jeff said in the e-mail with a few pictures:

“Hey Ferd, Nice picture of a killer, Dr. John Bulls, Extract of Sarsaparilla, Louisville KY…green, open pontil, huge donut top.. great condition. It now resides in a local collection…but he will be at the National Show so, maybe this bottle will make an appearance.. (picture 1 shows me holding the bottle). Thanks, Jeff “

Note: Jeff is one of the featured seminar speakers at the upcoming Lexington National. His topic is “Ohio River Valley Privy Digging”. More Info

BullSars1

BullSars2

The cleaned up bottle below, is now owned by Chip Cable in the Pittsburgh area.

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Many of us bitters collectors are familiar with John Bull because he also put out the Dr. John Bull’s Compound Cedron Bitters which is another killer Louisville, Kentucky bottle. My example is pictured below. This bottle is ranked #14 on the Top 25 Kentucky Bitters Bottles List.

B254_DrJohnBulls_Meyer

This is all really relevant since the FOHBC 2014 National Antique Bottle Show is in Kentucky, specifically Lexington next month. Though Dr. Bull was in Louisville, it is a great KENTUCKY bottle.

Pictured above is a 7 1/4″ tall, iron pontiled Dr. Bull’s Compound Pectoral Wild Cherry in a bluish aqua.

BullKentuckyNYSeals

Looking online, I found an example of a Dr. John Bull’s United States Almanac for 1856. Pictured below are a few representative pages including the cover and full-page advertisements for Dr. John Bull’s Sarsaparilla, Dr. John Bull’s King of Pain and a few other of his products. Notice that Dr. Bull had a laboratory in New York City too. He eventually pulled up roots and operated solely out of Louisville.

DrBullsAlmanacCover

BullyNYKYPage

DrJBKentuckyRemedyPage

BullsKingOfPainShip

BullsKingOfPainPage

BullsBalsamWildCherryPage BullsVegTonicPillPage

[Above] “JOHN BULL – EXTRACT OF / SARSAPARILLA – LOUISVILLE KY”, probably Kentucky or Louisville Glass Works, 1850 – 1860. Rich, medium-to-deep blue green, rectangular with beveled corners, applied round collar – heavy blowpipe pontil scar, ht. 8 7/8″, near mint; (some faint interior haze, primarily in the back panel; a little scattered light exterior wear, otherwise perfect). A big, impressive, beautiful bottle with outstanding character and crudity. Provenance: Ex. Sam Greer, James Chebalo collections. A great rarity and very important bottle that was featured in the Greer color plates. – American Glass Gallery – Auction #22

Dr. John Bull

John Bull was born near Simpsonville, Kentucky in 1813. He was married to Mary Ann Batchelor (1823 – 1909) and was known throughout the world for his patent medicines such as Dr. John Bull’s Compound Fluid Extract of Sarsaparilla, Dr. John Bull’s Balsam of Wild Cherry and Iceland Moss, Dr. John Bull’s King of Pain, Dr. John Bull’s Compound Cedron Bitters and Dr. John Bull’s Vegetable Tonic Pills. While a prescription clerk, he made a sarsaparilla remedy that became so popular that he earned more than anyone in Louisville after the Civil War. Becoming ill, he used his own medicine but it didn’t help him so he gave up smoking and died within days in 1875 in Louisville.

At the age of twelve years old, John Bull moved to Louisville and became a porter in Hyer’s and Butler’s drugstore. He studied medicine under a Dr. Shrock. In 1837, he opened his own store, which failed within two years. Bull then joined the wholesale drug firm of James B. and Edward Wilder as a prescription clerk, who also marketed a line of proprietary remedies. Read: Edward Wilder and his Building Bottles

Bull is listed as an employee of J.B. Wilder Co. in Collins’ 1843 Louisville Directory, but by 1845 he was in partnership with Robert Bower manufacturing a “tonic syrup”. Bower withdrew from the business by 1847. With new financing, possibly from Edward Wilder, Bull began to market a sarsaparilla mixture (ca. 1850) – first in Kentucky and then in other states. I even found Dr. John Bull advertisements in Houston. Read: What was here, Early Houston Advertisements – Part II

Judging from the number of tax stamps issued over a period of seventeen years, Henry Holcombe estimates that Bull did an average annual business of $311,540 (Patent Medicine Tax Stamps, 1979) – An Annotated Catalogue of the Edward C. Atwater Collection of American Popular Medicine and Health Reform, Volume 3.

By 1854 the R.G. Dun and Company credit agency reported that “Bull is rich and coining money by his preparation”. Two years later he moved away and opened up shop in New York but returned chastened after losing some ten thousand dollars and complaining that New Yorkers “are a sharp set of fellows.”

By 1860, Bull employed 15 men and was “making Sarsaparilla as fast as ever and shipping it off as fast as he makes it.” Most of his raw material expenses were for Sarsaparilla and bottles and a factory located on Fifth between Main and Water Streets. His products were pills, the Sarsaparilla concoction and an anti-worm product at the time. Profits were moderate.

By the time the Civil War came, John Bull was doing very little business. In early 1862, the Sheriff seized his factory and stock. To make ends meet, he then became a Federal Provost Marshall at seventy-five dollars a month.

By 1868, things had turned around for John Bull and the path forward looked rosier. By 1874 he was selling between four and five hundred thousand dollars’ worth of his Bull’s Worn Destroyer, Smith’s Tonic Syrup and his Cedron Bitters. He employed fifty men and was officed at Main between Eighth and Ninth Streets and another office near the Fifth Street factory.

John Bull died in Louisville on 26 April 1875 of “congestion of the brain”. He reportedly smoked from 15 to 20 cigars a day.

Louisville about that time

Louisville1846Street

Following the 1850 Census, Louisville was reported as the nation’s tenth largest city, while Kentucky was reported as the eighth most populous state. The illustration above titled “View of Main Street, Louisville, in 1846” is an engraving from the History of Kentucky by Richard H. Collins (1874).

What you don’t see here are all the saloons and liquor establishments. I found the following excerpts from the The Encyclopedia of Louisville by John E. Kleber:

When the first corn was grown offshore on Corn Island, and later on shore, it was quite likely that part of it was used for bourbon whiskey. Corn Island has disappeared, but we still have a corn Alley in the west end, where a huge field of corn was grown.

Evan Williams in 1783 started operating his distillery on Fifth near Market Street. A swig from a bottle cost sixpence. It did not take long before innkeepers found an ounce glass was more profitable – the gulp was smaller.

Coffee houses were all over the city and advertised in the local newspapers. The following advertisement appeared in the 1828 Louisville Public Advertiser: “Western Coffee House – With all kinds of liquors – Hot punch Lemonade – Hot Toddies – Fresh beer from Cincinnati – also on hand – pigs feet – pickled Tripe and soused Sturgeon.” Most said nothing about coffee.

By 1837 there was one liquor store for every seventy people. On December 3, 1869, an ordinance to allow grocers to sell beer was adopted. Within a decade the Louisville Commercial in December 1878 observed: “Louisville has a population of 140,000 or 150,000 and its population supports thousands of drinking saloons. Go in whatever direction, you will hardly be able to walk two squares without finding a place where liquor is retailed. Nearly every corner grocer has its customers who drop in for a morning toddy. Ice cream saloons also set out the drinks.”

No small wonder Dr. John Bull did so well in Louisville.

Read about some more “monster: sarsaparillas:

Dr. Wynkoop’s Sarsaparilla – New York

Sands’ Sarsaparilla – New York

Masury’s Compound Extract of Sarsaparilla and Wau-A-Hoo

Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Digging and Finding, Druggist & Drugstore, Ephemera, History, Medicines & Cures, Sarsaparilla | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking Closely at an Electric Bitters Label

Posted on 2 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

ElectricLogoLooking Closely at an Electric Bitters Label

02 July 2014 (R•051119-cover)

AllBittersRow_14

Apple-Touch-IconALooking back, I can see that I have posted about the lowly Electric Bitters at least three times before. Did I say lowly and three times? How can that be? The Electric Bitters has to be one of the most common bitters bottles and is so common, you might find ten or twenty amber examples, should you magically sweep down and hit all of the bottle shows any given weekend or look at ebay. So what makes them so exciting?

frankenstein2

First of all, it is the name, “Electric Bitters”. How cool is that! Just focus on the brand graphics at the top of the post and you will see this “Frankenstein -like” image of a bottle receiving jolts of electricity. Boy, that sure makes me want to buy and drink the concoction. Bitters graphics don’t get any better than this!

AnotherElectric2Front&Back

Electric Bitters also came from the big, industrialized city of Chicago, Illinois and was made by H. E. Bucklen & Company. They later moved and had “Laboratories” (how Frankensten is that) in St. Louis and Philadelphia where they batched and zapped the stuff. Bucklen produced some fascinating advertising and other ephemera pieces that really give the brand presence and depth. You can see examples of this material in my other posts which are indicated further below. The postal cover below is from the great Ben Swanson collection.

Lastly, Electric Bitters comes in a a few size variants and a wicked yellow color that really dances. One of my examples is posted directly below.

Electric Bitters_Yellow

What made me circle back again today to Electric Bitters is this fellow on ebay (ishovelhead – 100% positive feedback) selling a series of labeled bitters (see top of post). Two happen to be labeled, yet different, Electric Bitters as you can see on the far right of his lineup. As I sometimes do, I peeled away the background of the ebay images to help me focus on the beauty of the bottle and paper. The example we are looking at below is sitting second from the right in the group picture. SEE LISTING

ElectricTallSide

Front and back labels on subject Electric Bitters. Second example from right in group picture – ebay

ElectricBittersFrontLabel

Front label of Electric Brand Bitters. Notice how the graphics are different on this bottle compared to the graphics on the top example – ebay

ElectricNeck

Great neck label on subject Electric Bitters – ebay

ElectricCap

Notice how neck label goes over the top cork. Graphics are even centered on the mouth – ebay

ElectricSideLabel

“Electric” Brand Bitters Directions – ebay

ElectricEmbossing

Embossing on Electric Brand Bitters show partial bottle contents and panel label – ebay

Read More: 

H.E. Bucklen & Company of Chicago – Electric Bitters

Electric Bitters Bucklen Laboratory Trade Card 

Electric Bitters and the Three Little Pigs 

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

Daily Dose | July 2014

Posted on 1 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

JULY  |  2 0 1 4

Thursday, 31 July 2014

LexingtonConvCtrPhoto

After a 15 hour drive we are here! Not used to driving that far. Carrying a lot of stuff. Elizabeth and I took turns. I drove the the first fifteen hour shift and she took the second. Hmmmm. She says she likes that schedule for the return trip too.

The Hyatt Regency and adjoining Lexington Center facility is great. Just worked out at the fitness center. Weather perfect. Already running in to bottle people that have come early to enjoy Lexington and see horse farms etc.

Tuesday, 29 July 2014

Pulling out of Houston 3:00 am tomorrow with Elizabeth for the Lexington National. House sitters and six dogs in place. Gonna miss them.

SP 003

Cool to see that Rick Simi found a J. J. Spieker druggist bottle to go with the Lash’s Bitters post.

Lots of super cool bitters posts lined up. Just stretched thin at the moment!

Sunday, 27 July 2014

Contract CoverR1

Contacts and Info Packets available for the 2015 Chattanooga National. Be one of the first to reserve tables!

SignedbyHoltzermann

Marianne Dow tips us off to a nice letterhead example Signed by J.D. Holtzermann himself. Read: Log Cabin Series – Holtzermann’s Patent Stomach Bitters (2-Roof) Read: Log Cabin Series – Holtzermann’s Patent Stomach Bitters Compound (4 Roof)

Friday, 25 July 2014

Ahhhhh…nice to be back in the saddle again. Took an early bird from Knoxville to Houston this AM. Had to get up and drive almost 2 hours to airport from Corbin, KY. so in effect I got up at 2:00 am. Next on the radar is the Lexington National.

DrakesOSMouth

What do you think about this Drakes monstrosity on ebay? Look at that polished ‘Old Sachem. like mouth. Hmmmmmm. Kinda like a cowboy with an indian head in a carnival show. Read: Information on the Drake’s Plantation Bitters Variants

Thursday, 24 July 2014

BiningerCryer_Eib

Nice pictures from Chris Eib on a gorgeous color for a “A.M. BININGER & CO. / NO. 19 BROAD ST. / NEW-YORK”. Read More: Bininger Gallery. He calls it a “Cryer” as it does have serious issues on the reverse side. Still displays great. As I am saying more and more to people of late, “Being a collector isn’t even remotely connected to having everything perfect”. Far from it. Go to the ancient Egyptian or Greek Galleries in a museum and look around.

Bracelet Demijohn pics in Mailbox.

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

MalakoffBitters_Frioux

Off to Lexington for business (not the show yet!). Great example of an extremely rare Malakoff Bitters from New Orleans. From the Courtney Frioux collection. Read: What about this New Orleans Malakoff Bitters?

Tuesday, 22 July 2014

MishlersKeystoneFrags_Raezer

Fragments from a dig of an extremely rare Mishler’s Keystone Bitters – Christian Raezer. Read: Mishler’s Keystone Bitters – Stencil and Bottle

Morison_Frioux

Incoming pictures from Courtney Frioux of an extremely rare, G. N. Morison’s Invigorating Bitters from New Orleans.

Monday, 21 July 2014

YPLex

Yipes Stripes!!! (remembering that ad slogan) Less than two weeks to the Lexington National. Super Busy. There are still people reserving tables.

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Houston Bottle Show: Brad Seigler had this really neat picture of a women with a baby at the Bulloch County Exhibit. From what I can tell, this might be Bulloch County, Georgia. Look at all the fruit jars and bottles. I borrowed and scanned.

Cat&DogLashsBitters_JG

Look for a series on Lash’s Bitters inspired by the Pineapple-Ade dispenser I picked up this weekend at the Houston show. Partnering with Joe Gourd. He tells me he has well over 100 paper pieces for Lash’s!!

Houston Show Report in progress.

Sunday, 20 July 2014

BoveedodsSign

Cool Dr. J. Boveedod’s Imperial Remedy Bitters sign at the Houston Bottle Show from Henry Tankersley. Read more: Dr. J. Boveedods Imperial Wine Bitters

Wednesday, 17 July 2014

Well, the Lexington National Souvenir Program goes to the printer today. I will post online soon. Looks pretty good. Trade card authority Joe Gourd sends in the following:

HoltzermannsTradeCard_Gourd

“Ferd, Saw your post about the unembossed Drakes and the reference to Holtzermann. GREAT POSTER!!! Here is my modest contribution to your Holtzermann post. The backside of this trade card is blank. Have a great day…….Joe”.

See below

Tuesday, 15 July 2014

ChrisDrakes1

Hey Ferd,

Twenty years ago I collected Figural bitters and had one of these bottles. I am almost sure it is the earliest Holtzerman Cabin Bitters. I have seen a very early colored ad poster for Holtzerman and it has a picture of this bottle with a label on it. 

Jim Bender

See: A Quite Different Un-embossed Drakes

Peachridge: By golly….

HoltzermannsFramed

Read: Log Cabin Series – Holtzermann’s Patent Stomach Bitters Compound (4 Roof)

Read: Log Cabin Series – Holtzermann’s Patent Stomach Bitters (2-Roof)

Sunday, 13 July 2014

Rohrer's_Fuss_10

Looking yesterday at Pictures of a EXTRAORDINARY Rohrer’s Expectoral Wild Cherry Tonic example in yellow which was actually marketed as a bitters. From the Fuss collection. Read More: Rohrer’s Expectoral Wild Cherry Tonic

Saturday, 12 July 2014

RareGreen5LogDrakes

Extremely Rare, 5 LOG Drakes Plantation Bitters in green moves from Florida Collection to California Collection.

Friday, 11 July 2014

36194071

Someone needs to Hop on Pop FAST. LOT #523 – Group Nine Early American Bottles. Thanks to Lou Holis. Remember that Harrison’s showed up in the Mailbox earlier in the week. *Harrisons was pulled from auction.

Thursday, 10 July 2014

Print

Working on a series of posts on dark olive green Aromatic Bitters like the Thuringer Aromatic Stomach Bitters and Jackson’s Aromatic Life Bitters. How about that trio of cool “tall bottles” above.

Wednesday, 09 July 2014

Mexican Bitters_Meyer

Just proofed a nice article for the next Bottles and Extras called “Henry Clay Weaver: 19th Century Entrepreneur, Extraordinare” by Gary Beatty. Weaver put out the Mexican Bitters. Gary wants to use my example (pictured above) in the article.

Tuesday, 08 July 2014

HenleysTypeQuestion

Can one of you Western bitters collectors answer the Dr. Henley’s question posted on PRG Mailbox Letters? Thanks. Check out that gallon Harrison’s Ink while you are there!

Sunday, 07 July 2014

NewmanOSbarrels

Purdy picture of some Old Sachems by Mike Newman.

Saturday, 05 July 2014

LabeledVonHopfs

More Word Cup Quarter Finals today. Updated Dr. Von Hopf’s Curacoa or Curaco (or Curacao) Bitters post with labeled example above.

BarrelsOnSavannahDocks

Cool picture of barrels sitting on the Savannah docks. One can only wonder what products were within. Makes me think of a couple of great Savannah bitters.

Read: Solomon’s Strengthening & Invigorating Bitters – Savannah, Ga.

Read: Lippman’s Great German Bitters – Savannah, Georgia

BunkerHillOnSilk

Updated the really old PRG post called Bunker Hill Pickle Lighthouse Color Run. I say old as it was one of my first posts back in April 2011. The silk image above of Skilton, Foote & Co. products and the box were from Keith Bellew.

LabeledBHP_Gherkins

Friday, 04 July 2014

4th of July Post Card

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Updated the Could this be the Nathan’s Celebrated Union Bitters? post with this advertisement from Corey Stock. Ad from the Nashville Daily Union on 30 October 1863.

NathansBittersAd_NashDailyUnionOct30_1863

Thursday, 03 July 2014

Just in from Miami. Good to be home. Two interesting emails…

FirecrackerFlag

Hi Ferdinand, Hope all is well. I thought I would send along a festive picture for Independence Day. It was nice so I took my firecracker flask outside and took this. I think it turned out pretty neat. Take care, Cody Zeleny

BullSars1 BullSars2

Hey Ferd, Nice picture of a killer, Dr. John Bulls, Extract of Sassaparilla, Louisville KY…green, open pontil, hugh donut top.. great condition. It now resides in a local collection…but he will be at the National Show so, maybe this bottle will make an appearance.. (picture 1 shows me holding the bottle). Thanks, Jeff (Mihalik) Note: Jeff is giving a seminar at the Lexington National on Ohio Valley Privy Digging. Seminar List

Tuesday, 01 July 2014

Working down in Miami the next few days. Just so terribly busy with the FOHBC, FMG and myself (Peachridge Glass and Bitters). The three “F’s”. Just so much going on. Looking for some incoming Reno pics including a killer IXL that Jerry Forbes picked up.

LabeledElectricBitters

Like this labeled Electric Bitters on eBay. Read: Electric Bitters Bucklen Laboratory Trade Card Read: Electric Bitters and the Three Little Pigs Read: H.E. Bucklen & Company of Chicago – Electric Bitters

Posted in Advice, Daily Dose, News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Dump Cake

Posted on 1 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

DumpCake1

A Dump Cake

01 July 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAI missed this post over on Facebook on Fathers Day and just saw it today. What a great idea and effort! Posted by Ricky Weiner and captioned “A member from my web site posted this. His 12 year old daughter made this for him for Fathers day. The DUMP CAKE. Now that’s funny, depending on who you are that is”.

DumpCakeFull

DumpCake

Posted in Digging and Finding, Humor - Lighter Side | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

June 2014 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

Posted on 1 July 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

MikesHarrisons

Apple-Touch-IconAHere we go with the June 2014 group of pictures (my favorites) culled from a few of the web and Facebook sites. Top honor is from Mike Newman which is pictured above. Mike captions it, “Harrison Ink – Just added the smallest size to my grouping that now stands at four sizes. Wondering what sizes I am missing.” What a powerful picture!

June 2014 – Antique Bottle & Glass 

P H O T O    G A L L E R Y

01 July 2014

WheelersColors_George

I have seen a few of these roped corner DR. WHEELER’S TONIC SHERRY WINE BITTERS in aqua… but aqua can also offer some diverse colors! Here is a BLUISH aqua vs. a GREENISH aqua. I believe these to be a Lyndeborough NH bottles, and both are typical colors. This is one of the BEST Lyndeborough bottles in my opinion! – Michael George

HolisBarrels

3 months ago had only the Halls bitters guess you can say I’m having a barrels of fun now, that Turner Brothers is a honker. – Lou Holis

GI37three flasks2_Newman

Thought you might like these photos. The quart GI-37 came out of the recent Heckler auction. Provenance is McKearin and Vanderbilt. Hope you are well. Call me next time you are coming to Augusta. – Mike Newman

earlyglass+003

Get your 3 Squares a Day – Dale Malasko

CaiolaTownsend

Smooth base whittled Townsend’s bought at the Saratoga show. Anybody else get something there? – Alex Caiola

3PuceBittersDale

“Hey Ferdinand, Here is a photo of three 1860s western bitters. They are in puce and left to right, Byrne & Castree Salutaris Bitters, S.F.; Rosenbaum’s Bitters, N.B. Jacobs & Co. San Francisco; E. Wideman & J. Chappaz (Alpine Stomach Bitters, Marysville, Cal.) I have green counterparts to each except the E. Wideman & J. Chappaz – Dale Mlasko

Keach&GardnerTorpedos_Rowell

“After some of the responses to yesterdays bad cell phone picture. I thought I’d post a couple good pictures of my Keach and Gardner & brown color runs”. – Chris Rowell. Read: “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

BillsDrakes

Guys, Well I’m back from Washington/Oregon and we had a great time. Alice and I spent a lot of time with the Taylors and it was fantastic. Some interesting finds. I will share the teal Drake information here other stuff will come later. Guys, I’d like to write it up for an article in Bottles and Extras later if that is OK with you. First…Ferd’s Drakes measured 31 38, Second Jeff’s Drakes measured 30 37. When I measured the two teals that Bill had they were at night and it was dark to get a great reading on the standards. The two results we tabulated and I checked what Ferd and Jeff had the next day. Believe it or not Bill’s measured 30 37 and 32 38. We placed them in the window to compare colors. You will agree that they are two different colors. Since I have seen all of these I have to agree. See for yourself. In other words Jeff’s is exactly like the light teal one Bill has and Ferd’s is very very close to the other one. I’d like to have all 4 together sometime to see for myself. Here are the pictures and data: First two are Bills data, next Jeff last Ferd. – Michael Seeliger

3SantaRosaJerry

Three beauties that Jerry Forbes picked up at the Santa Rosa, CA show this past weekend. Congrats! – Jerry Forbes

Sandwich 67 a

My Visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum – Sandor P. Fuss

KitchenWindow_Aaron

Kitchen Window – Aaron Hanshew

WeddingDay

A beautiful day for a wedding! – Kristie Nichols Zieler

FreshOutOfPrivy

Nice little early group fresh out of the privy. Jadwin’s Honesdale,Pa. Subduing Liniment, Worm Syrup, and Pectoralis…. – Jeffrey N. Hunter

HighRockSaratogas

I just got a quart amber High Rock from Cindy Suter to go with my green pint. It’s a beauty and Cindy was wonderful to deal with. – Charles Flint

PersianEwers

Story of how this collection is being built, it seems. Everything comes in groups. Latest, and most fascinating to me is that I’ve actually had the opportunity to acquire a small number of late Persian ewers. I had simply presumed that these, particularly the 17th and 18th century ones, would already be locked into the collections of museums and fancy-dance glass collectors (rather than bottle collectors) and hence utterly inaccessible. These three recent additions, to my mind are all all 19th century, based on similarities to others in the collection. I have to wonder if the one on the right is Persian or simply Middle Eastern. A bit odd, as well, to one who is accustomed only to adding utilitarian glass to his shelves. Delightful, and odd. http://www.saddleflasks.com/home-page/galleries/ewers/ – Phil Culhane

DumpCake

A member from my web site posted this. His 12 year old daughter made this for him for Fathers day. — The (DUMP CAKE) now that’s funny. depending on who you are that is.  – Ricky Weiner

BubblesWoody

I like bubbles. What can I say, I am’s what I am’s. – Woody Douglas

ManCaveDouglas

Man Cave – Woody Douglas

See More Galleries:

See: August 2013 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: September 2013 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: October 2013 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: November 2013 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: December 2013 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: January 2014 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: February 2014 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: March 2014 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: April 2014 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

See: May 2014 – Antique Bottle & Glass Photo Gallery

Posted in Display, Photography | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Look What I Found!

Posted on 30 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

CastleRyeNewmansDemijohn1_Pam

Look What I Found!

Pam Selenak

30 June 2014

So we stopped at an antique shop on the way to the Reno Antique Bottle show and Randy and I saw this demijohn case. Although it had Pacific Coast Glass Works on it, we passed.

So after the show, we were talking to a friend that also was at the show, and he had bought a case similar to the one we saw in the antique store. He asked what was on the side of the case. He explained that it would say what was in the bottle. I didn’t remember, so on our way back home we stopped back into the store. It said CASTLE OK RYE WHISKEY F. CHEVALIER CO.

Did I say it is about 80% if not more full. 2 gallons! Although my terror of a cat broke my wickedly whittled OK Castle whiskey just recently, I am in pursuit of another in the same condition to go with my new OK Castle Demijohn with contents.

Party on!!!!

CastleRyeFull_Pam

CastleRyeBoxTop_Pam

CastleRyeLatch_Pam

CastleRyeWhiskey2_Pam

CastleRyeWhiskeyBox_Pam

Posted in Collectors & Collections, Demijohns, Digging and Finding, Glass Companies & Works, Liquor Merchant, Spirits, Whiskey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Napoleon Sarony Photographic Hotel Art Album

Posted on 30 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

SaronyAlbumC

Napoleon Sarony Photographic Hotel Art Album

30 June 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAI received a really interesting e-mail (see below) from someone looking for information on Napoleon Sarony and specifically an album of his photographs and work. I posted about Sarony before as he has designed some of the greatest advertising art that you will ever see for some great brands like Binninger and Old Sachems Bitters and Wigwam Tonic.. Read: The great work of Sarony, Major & Knapp Lithographer – New York

I asked for a few pictures (see 3 pictures) and was knocked out with what she was referring to.

Old Sachem Bitters and Wigwam Tonic - Wm. Goodrich, New York Geo. Hunnewell, agent, New York lithograph of Sarony, Major & Knapp, 449 Broadway, N. York.Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith., New York, Sarony, Major & Knapp, 449 Broadway, circa 1859. Print showing a Native American man, possibly a chief, full-length portrait, standing, facing right, holding a spear in left hand; in the background are the teepees of a Native village during an assault on the village - Library of Congress

Old Sachem Bitters and Wigwam Tonic – Wm. Goodrich, New York Geo. Hunnewell, agent, New York lithograph of Sarony, Major & Knapp, 449 Broadway, N. York.Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith., New York, Sarony, Major & Knapp, 449 Broadway, circa 1859. Print showing a Native American man, possibly a chief, full-length portrait, standing, facing right, holding a spear in left hand; in the background are the teepees of a Native village during an assault on the village – Library of Congress

The e-mail

I am researching (and I use the term loosely – it’s my first attempt) a Photographic Art Album of Mr. Napoleon Sarony and I found an article where you had mentioned Mr. Sarony’s photographic art.

I was wondering if you could give me any information as to where I might get the album appraised or find out if it’s worth it to research further. The album has been in a friend of mine’s possession for at least 80 years and she wanted me to check it for her. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Respectfully,

Patsy

SaronyAlbum1

SaronyAlbum3

“We have located two others in public institutions. One for the Parker House of Boston is at Brown University, and the other for the Ponce De Leon Hotel of Saint Augustine, Florida is at Jacksonville University.”

SarpnyAlbum2

Searching online, I did see specific reference to this Napoleon Sarony (pictured below) photographic album as the Antiquarian Booksellers has one listed for $80,000. Their fascinating description is reposted below.

NapoleanSaronyPic

SARONY. PHOTOGRAPHIC ART ALBUM. HOFFMAN HOUSE

circa 1885 · New York City by Sarony, Napoleon. photographer

(New York City, circa 1885). This monumental volume was created by the prominent New York photographer, Napoleon Sarony. Each side of the 23 thick board pages contains a matted albumen photograph and four matted advertising cards. Of the photographs, 42 are large portraits of notable actresses. Portraits of Grover Cleveland and his vice president, a portrait of the celebrated coronet player Liberati, and a photograph of the Owen papermaking establishment (possibly the producer of this album) are included. Of the 184 advertisements, 91 are photographs, the others are either engraved, lithographed, or chromolithographed.

The large photographs measure 11 1/2 x 6 3/4 inches ( 292 x 171 mm.), while the advertisements are mostly 8 x 4 inches ( 203 x 102 mm.) or the reverse. Elephant folio, 22 x 20 inches ( 559 x 508 mm.). Brown calf with lettering in gilt; expertly rebound with new brown morocco spine; minor soiling to the first few leaves; some old chromolithograph die cuts are mounted on the first five pages; light foxing.

Produced to sit in the lobby or bar of pre-eminent hotels, “art albums” were a kind of concierge service, created to entertain and inform visitors of the businesses and pleasures associated with these exclusive establishments. Our album is filled with seductive portraits of the stars of the “Belle Epoque”, including Fannie Davenport, Adelina Patti, Ada Rehan, Lotta Crabtree, Modjeska, Ellen Terry, and Lillian Russell, plus dozens of advertisements for goods and services.

All 42 actresses were posed and photographed by the greatest photographer of the American theatre, Napoleon Sarony (1821 – 1896). He “established a studio on Broadway in New York in 1866 – exactly the right time to take advantage of the American public’s growing fascination for the theatre by satisfying the accompanying demand for pictures of its stars. For the next thirty years Sarony photographed virtually every actor and actress working on the New York Stage. ” – Bassham p. 3. The Hoffman House was located on Broadway between 24th Street and 25th Street. Built in 1864, it quickly became the informal meeting place for the Democratic Party in New York. Grover Cleveland stopped there frequently, and was living there when he was elected to the Presidency for his second term. General Benjamin Butler and General Winfield Scott made the hotel their home on several occasions, and William Randolph Hearst lived at the Hoffman when he first came to New York City. Edward S. Stokes, who shot financier James Fisk, Jr., became a partner in the hotel, serving as general manager until 1897. The elegant barroom with its shocking painting “Nymphs and Satyrs” by Bougereau, became a major tourist attraction.

Due to their large size and small number, hotel “art albums” rarely survived. We have located two others in public institutions. One for the Parker House of Boston is at Brown University, and the other for the Ponce De Leon Hotel of Saint Augustine, Florida is at Jacksonville University.

The person was quite excited with my response.

Posted in Advertising, Advice, Digging and Finding, Photography, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment