An XR, Dr. Paetz’s Stomach Bitters makes an appearance

Posted on 27 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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An XR, Dr. Paetz’s Stomach Bitters makes an appearance

27 June 2014 (R•110814)

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Apple-Touch-IconAI was a little stunned when I received an auction announcement from Greg Spurgeon and North American Glass earlier in the month. The surprise was not another fine auction of fruit jars which I have come to expect, because Greg is the “fruit jar auction man”. The surprise, and the part about being stunned, was seeing an example of a Dr. W. Paetz’s Stomach Bitters included in his auction lots. See Listing

Sure, he has other bottles in his auctions, and I did pick up this peachy-puce Baker’s Orange Grove Bitters earlier this year from one of his events. It’s just that I have never seen a Paetz’s. What a beauty! With a super, red iron pontil and looking like a Hostetter’s Bitters bottle, this boy was real. When I contacted Greg about the bottle he said, “Yes we just came across this one from an older couple of “closet collectors” here in the Midwest.” The bottle ended up selling for a$1,810 not including the auction house premium.

Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham have it listed as the following in Bitters Bottles:

P 4.5  DR W. PAETZ’S / STOMACH BITTERS // f // f // f //
9 7/8 x 2 7/8 (7 3/4) 1/4
Square, Amber, LTC, Applied mouth, Metallic pontil mark, Extremely rare

Update from Bill Ham:

Paetz was in Columbus Ohio by at least 1855, and then moved to Gallion in 1860. He moved to Indianapolis in 1869. He is listed in the 1870 census in Indianapolis as being 46 years old.

Three examples are known to collectors. One found in a sealed house attic in Cincinnati Ohio with a group of pontiled embossed bottles and a second example was sold at an estate auction in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2006. 

There is virtually nothing out there on this bottle but I will go deeper this weekend. I did find this amusing clipping in the Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Telegraph from 22 October 1883. Yes this is late for this bottle which is Civil War era but interesting none-the-less. Maybe the doctor succumbed to the evil of drink only to be whipped to his senses by his wife.

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Same bottle shows up 5 months later at Glass Works Auction 105

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175. “DR. W. PAETZ’S / STOMACH BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, P-4.5), American, ca. 1850 – 1860, deep amber, 9 1/2”h, red iron pontil, applied tapered collar mouth. About perfect. Extremely rare! To our knowledge this is one of only three known examples, all were found in either Ohio or Western Pennsylvania. – Glass Works Auction 105

Posted in Auction News, Bitters, Medicines & Cures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harrison’s Columbian Ink Cylinders in the News

Posted on 27 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Harrison’s Columbian Ink Cylinders in the News

27 June 2014

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Apple-Touch-IconATwo southern gentlemen, Mike Newman (Augusta) and Charles Aprill (New Orleans) have been posting some outstanding photographs of cylinder form, Harrison’s Columbian Ink bottles from Apollos W. Harrison in Philadelphia. That is Mike’s picture at the top of the post. Stunning! Charles followed up with the following outstanding five (5) pictures. Read more on Apollos W. Harrison from ink royalty, Ed and Lucy Faulkner from a past issue of Bottles and Extras.

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HarrisonsCA1 HarrisonsCA2 HarrisonsCA3HarrisonsCA5

Posted in Collectors & Collections, History, Inks, Photography | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hostetters Base Markings

Posted on 25 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V
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“The many colors of Hostetter’s. Just some of a few I have gathered. It was my first bottle my grandma gave me. 35 years ago.” – James Campiglia

Hostetters Base Markings

25 June 2014

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Apple-Touch-IconAI have been consumed lately with digitally archiving past issues of Bottles and Extras for the FOHBC membership and came across this pretty cool article from Hostetters Bitters master, Richard Siri, from the Summer issue of 2005. Back then the magazine came out four times a year. Now it is six or bi-monthly. Subscribe.

(Read Article)

Winter2005_Front-Back_cover

Read More on Base Markings and bottle bases.

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Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, History, Technology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Where is the Bitter Puyastier from?

Posted on 21 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

BitterPuyastierDetailWhere is the Bitter Puyastier from?

21 June 2014 (R•042919)

Apple-Touch-IconADavid Jackson sent me a picture of him holding a Bitter Puyastier and said, “Hi Ferdinand, Do you have any info on this bottle? I have one in amber and have seen it in green. Not much info on the web. Best Regards and will see you in Lexington, David Jackson”. David has a collection of really great seal bottles so I can see why this bottle might interest him. Read: David Jackson and his Applied Seal Bottles

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Applied seal, Bitter Puyastier in an amber lady’s leg form – David Jackson Collection

At first, some indications pointed to a French bitters by Barthelemy Puyastier later sold in Montevideo, Uruguay and Buenos Aires, Argentina as I find some patents and listings in various periodicals from the 1878 to 1910. The 1878 registration for Bitter Puyastier by Mateo Petit was at the Paris Universal Exposition.

The bitters is not listed in Ring and Ham and probably should be included in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2. Kind of ironic to be looking at France, Uruguay and Argentina as I watch the first round of the FIFA World Cup from Brazil.

Here is an advertisement submitted by Paul Sebastian Palmer. Bernasconi & Co. in Buenos Aires is referenced as one of  the agents. The second is Serè & Cia,, Montevideo.

The new listing for the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

B 112.2  BITTER PUYASTIER
12 1/4
Round with applied seal, amber, Applied ring mouth
A group of these old bottles was found at an old factory site in Uruguay. Manufacture style and the bottles found with it at the location suggest turn of the century or later time period. Neck is somewhat of a short lady’s leg shape.
Probably from Buenos Aires, Argentina

Select Timeline:

1878: Bitter Puyastier registration by Mateo Petit – Paris Universal Exposition of 1878
1885: French patents for Bitter Puyastier
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Photgraph of a drawing at an open exhibition in Prado, Montevideo, Uruguay – 1880 – 1905 period estimate

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1878 Mateo Petit Bitter Puyastier listing – (Uruguay) Apuntes estadísticos: (población, comercio, hacienda) para la Exposición Universal de París

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1885 French Patents for Bitter Puyastier – Bulletin officiel de la propriété industrielle et commerciale

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Patents for Bitter Puyastier in Argentina and Uruguay – Patentes de invención concedidas, denegadas, desistidas y transferidas – MR 16,893, September 15, 1906

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Bitter Puyastier (Barthelemy Puyastier, Havre) mentioned – Bollettino Ufficiale. Nuova Serie, 1908

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Caras Caretas (Montevideo, Uruguay) mentions Bitter Puyastier within, 1892 (see further below)

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Bitter Puyastier – Boletín Oficial de la República Argentina. 1910 1ra sección (August 19, 1910)

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Poor image but mention of Bitter Puyastier in 1892 issue of Caras Caretas in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Posted in Bitters, Figural Bottles, History, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking at some George Ohr Inkwell Examples

Posted on 20 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Looking at some George Ohr Inkwell Examples

The ‘Mad Potter of Biloxi’

20 June 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAJim Hagenbuch and Glass Works Auctions had some nice George Ohr, also affectionately called the “Mad Potter of Biloxi”, inkwells in their auction #102 that closed this past Monday night. I thought it would be nice to group and compare against some other examples in my files.

George Ohr has been on my radar since attending the Kansas City Art Institute art history classes and hanging out with many ceramic artists in my college days. Pictured at the top of this post, George Edgar Ohr (July 12, 1857 – April 7, 1918) was an American ceramic artist and the self-proclaimed “Mad Potter of Biloxi.” In recognition of his innovative experimentation with modern clay forms from 1880-1910, some consider him the father of the American Abstract-Expressionism movement. Read More

RedwareLogCabinInkOhr_GWA102

George Ohr Redware Log Cabin Inkwell, Mississippi, ca. 1890 – 1910, mottled olive green and tan color glaze log cabin, 2 3/8”h, 3” by 2 1/4” in diameter. ‘G.E. Ohr / Biloxi’ impressed on the base. Perfect condition. A classic Mississippi Delta rustic log cabin form! – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 102

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George Ohr Pottery Cannon Inkwell, Mississippi, ca. 1880 – 1900, mottled brown glaze cannon on an olive green glaze mount, 2 1/4”h, 5” long, ‘G.E. Ohr / Biloxi’ impressed on the base, A tiny chip is off the edge of the base, otherwise in perfect condition. The cannon and mount are two separate pieces of clay joined together. Extremely rare, we have not seen another like it! – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 96

ArtistPalewtteInkwellOhr_GWA102

George Ohr Pottery Artists Palette Inkwell, (Badders I-154), Mississippi, ca. 1890 – 1900, overall dark brown somewhat mottled glazed pottery of an artists palette complete with three brushes, two tubes of paint, four paint samples and a pot near the center which is the inkwell. The base is 7 1/2” by 6 1/2” in size, ‘G.E. Ohr’ in script is incised on the base. A very intricate and unusual piece of Ohr pottery that is in perfect condition. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 102

ArtistPalewtteInkwellOhrPlan_GWA102

[see above] George Ohr Pottery Artists Palette Inkwell, (Badders I-154), Mississippi, ca. 1890 – 1900, overall dark brown somewhat mottled glazed pottery of an artists palette complete with three brushes, two tubes of paint, four paint samples and a pot near the center which is the inkwell. The base is 7 1/2” by 6 1/2” in size, ‘G.E. Ohr’ in script is incised on the base. A very intricate and unusual piece of Ohr pottery that is in perfect condition. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 102

Ohr_Biloxi_Inkwell

George Ohr Pottery Cabin Inkwell, Mississippi, ca. 1880 – 1900, mottled olive green glaze, 3”h, ‘G.E. Ohr / Biloxi’ impressed on the base, perfect condition. A classic Ohr Pottery cabin inkwell with windows, doors, stone chimney and roof opening, typical of Southern Mississippi cabins of the late 1800’s. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 96

RedwareCampingTentInkwell_Ohr_GWA102

George Ohr Redware Camping Tent Inkwell, (Badders I-155), Mississippi, ca. 1885 – 1900, mottled brown and olive color glazed camping tent on a rough textured base, 2 1/2”h, 5 3/8” by 4 7/8” size of base, ‘Biloxi’ in hand written script is incised in the base. An in manufacturing base fissure exists. A very rare George Ohr inkwell. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 102

GeorgeOhrRedwareInkwellCabin_GWA102

George Ohr Redware Cabin Inkwell, Mississippi, ca. 1890 – 1910, tan pottery with dark green glaze, 2 1/2”h, applied base has an impressed floral decoration, base measures 4 1/2” by 6 1/4” in size. ‘Biloxi’ in script is on the base. CONDITION: Perfect condition, and with exceptional detail. Ex. Bob Mebane Collection. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 102

OhrInkwell_GWA102

George Ohr Redware Log Cabin Inkwell, Mississippi, ca. 1890 – 1910, yellow with spots of olive green color glaze log cabin, 2 3/4”h, 3 1/4” by 2 1/4” in size. ‘G.E. Ohr / Biloxi’ impressed on the base. CONDITION: Perfect condition. Traces of dried black ink are on the roof. – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 102

OhrCabon_Icollect

Extremely rare inkwell figural by the “Mad Potter” George Ohr of Biloxi, Mississippi. George Ohr who is believed to taken inspiration from the Kirkpatrick brother and created some of the most beautiful pottery that he chose to not share with anyone until after his death. Ohr was a very talented and unusual sole and earned the title of the “Mad Potter.” The intricate log home inkwell is made with a bisque type feel that is lightweight with a variegated green glaze. The piece is marked on the bottom with a block stamp imprint “G.E. Ohr/Biloxi”. – Rock Island Auction Company

Posted in Art & Architecture, Auction News, Figural Bottles, Folk Art, History, Inks, Pottery, Stoneware | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Union Spring Bottle

Posted on 19 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

UnionSpring_GWA102

The Union Spring Bottle

Number 9 on the Bernhard Puckhaber list of the ‘Ten Most Wanted Saratogas’

19 June 2014 (updated with Union Spring info same day)

Apple-Touch-IconAThe other night, at the closing of Glass Works Auctions | Auction 102, I noticed this good-looking, Union Spring bottle with all of the other mineral water bottles from the Saratoga area of New York. What jumped out at me was the $6,000 hammer price (without 15% auction house premium). Seeing this, I had to find out why, so I checked the lot description:

161. “UNION / SPRING / SARATOGA. N.Y.” – (faint oval slug plate indentation), (Tucker, S-57), New York, ca. 1865 – 1875, emerald green pint, smooth base, applied double collar mouth.

CONDITION: Pristine flawless condition, hard to imagine a nicer one. In a 1973 publication by the Federation of Historical Bottle Clubs, the late Bernhard Puckhaber listed the ‘Ten Most Wanted Saratogas’. The Union Spring was number nine on that list. This example was in the collection of the late Stu Elman, which we auctioned in 1999. Since then, no other Union Spring bottle has come to auction. Ex. Stu Elman Collection. 

I find it extremely interesting to see pieces like this and to see the provenance. Of course, now I need to track down the other nine bottles on the list! I guess I better start with finding that list. I did search for information on a spring specifically called the Union Spring and came up empty handed until Marianne Dow provided a clipping (see further below). There probably was a Union Spring but I bet this bottle was related to the Grand Union Hotel in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The Grand Union Hotel

GrandUnionHotelSaratogaIllustrated

The Grand Union Hotel – Saratoga illustrated: the visitors guide to Saratoga Springs (1884)

The Grand Union Hotel was located on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, New York. The hotel began as a boarding house, built by Gideon Putnam in 1802, but grew into the world’s largest hotel, before it was demolished in 1953.

The initial draw to the area were summer vacationers attracted by the mineral spas. Over time this became a luxury hotel that catered to the wealthy elite. Renovations and expansions saw the hotel grow to serve over 2,000 guests as a destination resort. The Grand Union Hotel Stakes race was run at the Saratoga race track until 1958 and was named after this historic hotel. [Wikipedia]

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Opera House at the Grand Union Hotel, Saratoga Springs, 1865

I can easily imagine bottles of Union Spring being served to guests at the Union Hotel in 1865. Timing is dead on.

UNION SPRING

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Union Spring reference – American Chemist, 1873 & 1874

The spring is covered by a very tasteful pavilion, which will be noticed just east of the little stream, and in front of the large bottling house beside the grove. The Union Spring is a little northwest of the Excelsior, and but a few steps removed. This valley, in which these two springs are situated, was formerly known as the “Valley of the Ten Springs,” but the present owners, after grading and greatly beautifying the grounds, changed its name in honor of the spring to Excelsior Park. – Saratoga illustrated: the visitors guide to Saratoga Springs (1884)

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Union Spring – Saratoga illustrated: the visitors guide to Saratoga Springs (1884)

*Picture at top of post courtesy Glass Works Auctions.
Posted in Auction News, History, Mineral Water | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lead-off Hitters in the Glass Works “Festival of Color’ Auction #102

Posted on 18 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Guyshott&Wilcox&Arthurs_Trio

Lead-off Hitters in the Glass Works “Festival of Color’ Auction #102

18 June 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAJim Hagenbuch, Glass Works Auctions chief, wisely led off with three spectacular pontiled medicine bottles in his Glass Works “Festival of Color’ Auction #102 that closed this past Monday evening. Lot #1 was a Dr. Wilcox’s Compound Extract of Sarsaparilla from Albany Glass Works in Albany, New York, Lot #2 was a Dr. Guysott’s Compound Extract of Yellow Dock & Sarsaparilla and Lot #3 was an Arthur’s Renovating Syrup. The window shots are pictured at the top of the post while the standard photographs and descriptions are recreated below. What spectacular bottles!

The other two bottles I particularly liked was the Jerome’s Hair Color Restorer (Lot #4), the Hampton’s Tincture (Lot #5), the Dr. J. W. Poland (L0t #6) and the labeled Rohrer’s bitters (Lot #20).

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1. “DR. WILCOX’S – COMPOUND EXTRACT – OF / SARSAPARILLA”, (Odell, pg. 372), Albany Glass Works, Albany, New York, ca. 1840 – 1860, medium blue green, 9 1/2”h, iron pontil, applied tapered collar mouth. A few very faint scratches are on the Dr. Wilcox’s panel. A rarely offered bottle, with crude pebbly glass, and a ‘must have’ for a pontiled medicine collection. Note the backward “S” in Wilcox’s. – Glass Works “Festival of Color’ Auction #102

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2. “DR. GUYSOTT’S – COMPOUND EXTRACT / OF YELLOW DOCK – & SARSAPARILLA”, (Odell, pg. 156), American, ca. 1840 – 1860, yellowish olive amber, 9 1/2”h, pontil scarred base, applied tapered collar mouth. Bright pristine condition, crude pebbly glass, and in a rare color. This one has it all! – Glass Works “Festival of Color’ Auction #102

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3. “ARTHURS – RENOVATING – SYRUP. A & A”, (Odell, pg. 11), American, ca. 1840 – 1860, medium blue green approaching teal color, 7 3/4”h, iron pontil, applied tapered collar mouth. A pinhead in size flake is off the edge of the base. Attractive color, highly whittled glass, and considerably harder to find in this smaller size! Of the few we’ve seen, this one could be the best! – Glass Works “Festival of Color’ Auction #102

Posted in Auction News, Medicines & Cures, Sarsaparilla, Syrup | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum | Part 2

Posted on 17 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Sandwich 60 a

My Visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum | Part 2 of 2

by Sandor P. Fuss

17 June 2014

Sandwich 2 a 2 a

Hi Ferdinand,

I am going to send you 70 pictures that I took during my visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum when I was on Cape Cod last week. My visit was the culmination of an epic sixty day bottle viewing extravaganza that included me visiting the collections of Jeff Burkhardt, Bill Taylor, Jim Hall and Peachridge!

The Sandwich Glass Museum is easy to get to, just fifty minutes South of Boston and well worth the trip. The displays are fantastic and there is just enough glass on display to impress but not overwhelm.

"there is nothing like seeing these wonderful objects in person!

My photos illustrate the bulk of the display collection and I tried to represent everything, although I am bias towards color and I probably should have taken more pictures of the extraordinary clear cut glass. I also had trouble photographing the lacy salts so I did not include them. Please feel free to post all or a selection of these photos on both Peachridge and Facebook. It will give people a chance to have a virtual tour of the museum and hopefully inspire some visits to the museum because there is nothing like seeing these wonderful objects in person!

Regards, Sandor

See: My Visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum | Part 1

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Posted in Dinnerware, Display, Early American Glass, Glass Companies & Works, Museums | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My Visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum | Part 1

Posted on 15 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Sandwich 6 a

My Visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum | Part 1 of 2

by Sandor P. Fuss

15 June 2014

Sandwich 2 a 2 a

Hi Ferdinand,

I am going to send you 70 pictures that I took during my visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum when I was on Cape Cod last week. My visit was the culmination of an epic sixty day bottle viewing extravaganza that included me visiting the collections of Jeff Burkhardt, Bill Taylor, Jim Hall and Peachridge!

The Sandwich Glass Museum is easy to get to, just fifty minutes South of Boston and well worth the trip. The displays are fantastic and there is just enough glass on display to impress but not overwhelm.

"there is nothing like seeing these wonderful objects in person!

My photos illustrate the bulk of the display collection and I tried to represent everything, although I am bias towards color and I probably should have taken more pictures of the extraordinary clear cut glass. I also had trouble photographing the lacy salts so I did not include them. Please feel free to post all or a selection of these photos on both Peachridge and Facebook. It will give people a chance to have a virtual tour of the museum and hopefully inspire some visits to the museum because there is nothing like seeing these wonderful objects in person!

Regards, Sandor

See: My Visit to the Sandwich Glass Museum | Part 2

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Posted in Art Glass, Dinnerware, Display, Early American Glass, Freeblown Glass, Glass Companies & Works, Lamps, Museums, News, Photography | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Dr. Crittenden’s Dyspepsia and Cocktail Bitters – Philadelphia

Posted on 12 June 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Dr. Crittenden’s Dyspepsia and Cocktail Bitters – Philadelphia

12 June 2014 (R•052918)

Apple-Touch-IconAJust a short post today to see if there is any relationship with E. H. Crittenden in Philadelphia and Charles Nelson Crittendon of New York. The other day we looked at Charles Nelson and his Dr. R. F. Hibbard’s Celebrated Wild Cherry Bitters. Charles Nelson Crittendon was a big time manufacturer and distributor of drugs and patent medicines, and was best known for his founding of the National Florence Crittenton Mission. Yes, I realize this Crittenden is spelled with and “e” instead of an “o”.

To illustrate this bitters we will use trade cards for bitters ephemera authority, Joe Gourd.

I do see that the Dr. Crittenden’s Dyspepsia and Cocktail Bitters is listed in Bitters Bottles Supplement as C 251 only noting one of the trade cards pictured in this post. No bottle is referenced though I suspect we are talking about a labeled bitters. I am surprised an example has not been found in great-grandma’s pantry.

All, the use of the C 251 number is incorrect and we will change it to C 251.5 in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

Trade Cards
C 251.5 DR. CRITTENDEN’S DYSPEPSIA AND COCKTAIL BITTERS, (duotone ship illustrations) E. H. Crittenden (Erastus Henry Crittenden), Manufacturer of…, 258 North Ninth Street, Philadelphia. Reverse: Dealer in Fine Old Whiskies, Brandy, Wines, Champagnes, English and Scotch Ales, &c.

Erastus Henry Crittenden

Erastus Henry Crittenden was born in New York around 1838 and grew up in Titusville, Pennsylvania. Little is known about his family. Titusville was the epicenter of the Pennsylvania oil rush and boom in petroleum production which occurred in northwestern Pennsylvania from 1859 to the early 1870s. It was the first oil boom in the United States.

Earlyoilfield

A Pennsylvanian oil field in 1862.

As noted above, the oil rush began in Titusville in the Oil Creek Valley when Colonel Edwin L. Drake struck “rock oil” there. Titusville and other towns on the shores of Oil Creek expanded rapidly as oil wells and refineries shot up across the region. Oil quickly became one of the most valuable commodities in the United States and railroads expanded into Western Pennsylvania to ship petroleum to the rest of the country. By the mid-1870s, the oil industry was well established, and the “rush” to drill wells and control production was over. Pennsylvania oil production peaked in 1891, and was later surpassed by western states such as Texas and California, but some oil industry remains in Pennsylvania.

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Crittenden Hall on 113 – 121 Diamond Street was a public hall on the second floor of this building. The first floor was occupied by shops. It was build in 1862 by E. H. Crittenden. – Oil Boom Architecture: Titusville, Pithole, and Petroleum Center By William B. Moore, Joshua F. Sherretts

It was in this booming economy that E. H. Crittenden prospered. Setting up shop in Titusville, Erastus ran large, full column advertisements (see example below) in The Titusville Herald for many years selling liquor, glassware, cigars etc. He would also build the Crittenden Hall in 1862. He managed all this during the Civil War period though records show that he registered for the draft at 23 years old in 1863.

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E. H. Crittenten full column advertisement – The Titusville Herald (Titusville, Pennsylvania), April 6, 1866

E. H. must have been doing very well business-wise, as I am sure Titusville was too with the oil rush. Flush with cash, Erastus would next build the grand Crittenden House Hotel (see below) in 1865 which consisted of three stories and a basement with $100,000, which was a lot of money at that time. There must have been financial problems, as Crittenden would lose the hotel, Crittenden Hall and a couple of other liquor properties at a sheriff’s sale in 1866. By early 1867, the furnishings were advertised for sale to the public.

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Crittenden House Hotel, 207-209 East Central Avenue, Titusville, Pennsylvania. The Crittenden House Hotel was built in 1865 by E. H. Crittenden. – Oil Boom Architecture: Titusville, Pithole, and Petroleum Center By William B. Moore, Joshua F. Sherretts

With this failure, Erastus next moved to Philadelphia and from 1877 to 1880 sold liquor and patent medicines. It was here that he issued his advertising trade cards in 1880 for the Dr. Crittenden’s Dyspepsia and Cocktail Bitters. These trade cards are pretty cool as they presumably reference abstract scenes on Lake Erie which was just up the road from Titusville.

I see no record that he ever went to medical school nor do I see a relationship with Charles Nelson Crittendon. Maybe this post will scare up a bottle for inclusion. I also can not find any information on Crittenden after 1880 which is odd.

The other mystery here is the cockamamie “A Most Miraculous Escape From Being Buried Alive” banner that Erastus used in some of his advertising (see above). Maybe he was buried in debt.

Erastus Henry Crittenden

1838: E. H. Crittenden born about 1838 in New York.
1860: E. H. Crittenden, home Randolph, Pennsylvania – 1860 US Federal Census
1862: Crittenden Hall constructed in Titusville, Pennsylvania (see picture above)
1863: E. Henry Crittenden, Titusville, Pennsylvania – Civil War Draft Registration Record, age 25, unmarried.
1865: Crittenden House Hotel – build by E. H. Crittenden in Titusville, Pennsylvania (see above)
1865 – 1870: Various E. H. Crittenden advertisements in The Titusville Herald, Titusville, Pennsylvania (From Decenber 1865 to 1870 or so)
1866: E. H. Crittenten full column advertisement in Titusville, Pennsylvania “A Most Miraculous Escape From Being Buried Alive” (see below) – The Titusville Herald (Titusville, Pennsylvania), April 6, 1866
1877: E. H. Crittenden, liquors, 514 Vine – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania City Directory
1878: Erastus H. Crittenden, patent medicines, 1012 Columbia av- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania City Directory
1880: E. H. Crittenden, liquors, 258 N. 9th. – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania City Directory
Posted in Advertising, Bitters, Ephemera, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Spirits, Whiskey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment