The Iron Maiden

Posted on 23 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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The Iron Maiden

23 April 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAI received a call yesterday from an old-time historical flask collector named Joe Wood. We talked for a bit about the great flask collections from previous decades and he mentioned that he had auctioned off his flasks with Glass Works Auctions some years ago. We did end up talking about bitters as he had once owned an aqua, pontiled, un-embossed proof for the Simon’s Centennial Bitters but also had sold that off. I bet Dick Watson has it.

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Joe also mentioned that he has a rather odd indian queen casting that looks very similar to the Brown’s Celebrated Indian Herb Bitters figural bottle. The piece had been wrapped and stored for over 25 years and just saw the light of day again recently. Though the paper was brittle with age, the queen was as black as coal and so heavy that Joe said he could not even pick it up with one arm. I guess we are talking cast iron or lead here. There was some type of faded gold, painted decoration on the form as you can see in the pictures. Inscribed on the bottom is ‘NEAL N. BROWN, 1867, PHILADELPHIA, PA’. Joe thought back and mentioned that he had purchased the piece from an old, roving bottle collector, named David Goad who traveled the states in a motor home. He always had good bottles and wheeled and dealed with collectors. 

Anybody seen one of these before? The copy on the base looks machine engraved to me. Maybe added at a later date.

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

A labeled Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Tonic Bitters

Posted on 22 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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A labeled Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Tonic Bitters

22 April 2014 (R•031619) (R•032319)

Apple-Touch-IconAYet another fantastic, labeled bitters from New Hampshire submitted by Brandon DeWolfe. We are talking today about Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Tonic Bitters from Rindge, New Hampshire. The example that Brandon submitted is also pontiled and signed by Stephen Jewett. This goes along with the previous Tuft’s Tonic Bitters, Annabel’s Mandrake Bitters and Russell’s Alterative and Tonic Bitters. Many bitters collectors are more familiar with the embossed Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Celebrated Heath Restoring Bitters.

Read: Dr. Stephen Jewett’s / Celebrated Health Restoring Bitters / Rindge, N.H. on eBay

This bitters is actually unlisted in both of the Ring & Ham Bitters Bottles books will need to be listed in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

J 39.5  L . . . Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Tonic Bitters
Oval, Aqua. NSC, Applied mouth, Pontiled?
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Dr. Stephen Jewett’s / Celebrated Health / Restoring Bitters / Rindge, N.H.” Bitters Bottle, a Stoddard glasshouse, Stoddard, New Hampshire, 1840-1860. Rectangular with beveled corners, brilliant olive yellow, applied square collared mouth – pontil scar, ht. 7 1/4 inches; R/H #J-37 A beautiful and light color. Fine condition. Estimate: $2,500 – $5,000 Price Realized: $5,265 – Heckler

Stephen Jewett was born in Rindge, New Hampshire on October 21, 1764 and was the son of Ezekiel and Hannah (Platts) Jewett and brother of Dr. Thomas Jewett. The Jewett’s were among the first settlers of Rindge. Stephen married Nancy Colburn on May 30, 1786 who was the daughter of Ebenezer and Mercy (Everett) Colburn. Stephen and Nancy occupied the farm previously owned by his father, known today as the Ware Farm. Stephen and Nancy had twelve children.

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Ezekiel Jewett House, home of Dr. Stephen Jewett

The Jewett family was an enterprising group with interests in several mills and factories in that town. The family was best known, however, for its involvement in the medical field. Although Stephen Jewett did not pursue a regular course of professional study, through his good natural abilities, and ordinary degree of common sense, which schools cannot bestow, he built a lucrative medical practice in the Rindge area. Dr. Jewett became well known in his field and was frequently called to Boston and other cities for professional consultation for the cure of both chronic and acute diseases.

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Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Celebrated Heath Restoring Bitters in yellow-olive – Glass Works Auctions | Auction 100

Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Celebrated Heath Restoring Bitters, (Ring/Ham, J-37), (Odell, pg. 133), New Hampshire, ca. 1840 – 1860, medium yellowish olive amber, 7 1/2”h, iron pontil, applied ring mouth. Perfect condition, excellent overall glass whittle, bold impression. An extra appealing  ‘flow’ of glass on the side of the neck occurred when the lipwas being applied. Here’s a ‘top shelf’ example! $5,500 – Glass Works Auctions Direct Sale [March 2019]

Dr. Stephen Jewett is best remembered for his patent medicines. He developed the medicines, but it was his son, Dr. Stephen Jewett, Jr., who was also not really a doctor, made Dr. Stephen Jewett medicines known far and wide. The younger Jewett continued the manufacture of the medicines after his father’s death and marketed them with great success.

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Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Health Restoring Bitters b/w proof – Library of Congress

Stephen, Jr. located the main office of the Jewett Company in Boston. He purchased bottles from the glass factories at Keene and Stoddard to package the Health Restoring Bitters. The labels on the bottles stated that the bitters would cure chronic diseases, cancer, all disorders of the blood, skin and digestive organs, liver and kidney complaints, and many other disabilities. In fact, the label indicated that “all can be cured if within the power of medicine.” These small bottles of bitters sold for 50¢ each and were a huge success. Stephen Jewett Jr. passed away in 1862 and his medicine company closed within ten years.

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Label detail for the pontiled, Dr. Stephen Jewett’s Tonic Bitters. Note faded Jewett signature on bottom – DeWolfe Collection

Primary Reference: Monadnock Moment No. 049, Era 4: Expansion and Reform – 1800 to 1860

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Glass Companies & Works, History, Medicines & Cures, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tufts Tonic Bitters – Plymouth, New Hampshire

Posted on 21 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Tuft’s Tonic Bitters – Plymouth, New Hampshire

21 April 2014

Apple-Touch-IconANow here is a tough bottle to get. I had to say it. The Tuft’s Tonic Bitters from Plymouth, New Hampshire was a late, labeled bitters, made by Tufts & Company. Ring & Ham give it a T 61 L designation in Bitters Bottles. The example pictured above was provided by Brandon DeWolfe from Spring, Texas. This will be the third time we visit New Hampshire this past week as posts were developed for the Russell’s Alterative and Tonic Bitters from Nashua and Annable’s Mandrake Bitters from Colebrook and Nashua.

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John Sullivan Tufts, son of Nathan and Hannah (Sullivan) Tufts, was born in Northwood, New Hampshire on July 2, 1835. Tufts then moved to Gilmanton, N.H., where he worked in a general store that he then purchased and ran himself. In 1860, John Tufts married Agnes Straw Wight, daughter of Dr. Nahum Wight, a noted physician of Gilmanton. Unfortunately, within two years, she died on June 17, 1886. They had three children including a son, Nahum, and two daughters, Mary and Alice.

 

For all diseases requiring a certain and efficient Tonic.

The same year of his marriage, Tufts moved to Boston, where he worked in the tea, coffee and spice business for a short while, and then moved to Plymouth, N.H. where he remained until his death. He first bought, from Bond and Moody, a general store, which was destroyed by a fire in 1863. He then built a brick store upon the site of the old one, but it was again destroyed by fire. He then built a store that was occupied by a Miss A. A. Heath, in which he started his apothecary and drug business.

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Advertisement for Humphrey’s Witch Hazel Oil. The reverse of the card says, For sale by Tufts & Co., Plymouth, N.H.

In 1880, Tufts built the block known as Tuft’s Block, and opened the Tufts & Company drug store which he ran until his death. He dealt in drugs, medicines, toilet articles, fancy articles, cigars, and filled prescriptions. Humphrey’s Witch Hazel Oil was sold by Tufts & Company as noted by the advertising trade card above. This is also when he produced and sold the Tufts Tonic Bitters. His business was located at No. 1 Highland Street and was described as a 30 foot by 60 foot store including a well-appointed laboratory. W. M. Peppard managed the business, along with two able assistants.

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After Tufts death in 1888, the business was taken over by John’s son, Nahum Wight Tufts who was a pharmacist in business with his father. He also died in 1888 of tuberculosis. William Merrill (born December 21, 1861), who had come to Plymouth in 1881, and who was a clerk in Tufts drug store, purchached the store in 1892, becoming the new proprietor. He married Alice Mason Tufts, who was the daughter of John Sullivan Tufts, which kept the business in the family.

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Label detail for a Tuft’s Tonic Bitters. The bottle is rectangular, aqua, NSC with 4 sunken panels. It measures 9 1/8″ x 3 3/16″ x 2 1/16″ – DeWolfe Collection

Question: Whenever I start a post like this I get excited because I want to know the ‘story’ behind the bitters bottles that I collect. I also like solving puzzles, connecting the dots and wiggling my way out of dead ends. I do wonder if John Sullivan Tufts was related to Charles A. Tufts (father Asa A. Tufts, chemist) who was a druggist in Dover, New Hampshire. I also wonder if these guys had any relationship to Charles Tuft of Tufts University. Charles Tuft was a descendant of Peter Tufts, an early colonist who came to America from England in 1638.

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Charles A Tufts advertisement – The Dover, Great Falls and Rochester, New Hampshire City Directory, 1871-72

Posted in Apothecary, Bitters, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Tonics, Trade Cards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Annable’s Mandrake & Antibilious Bitters – New Hampshire

Posted on 20 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Annable’s Mandrake & Antibilious Bitters – New Hampshire

20 April 2014

Apple-Touch-IconAMany of us had the opportunity to attend the great 2013 FOHBC National Antique Bottle Show in Manchester, New Hampshire last year and we look forward to our 2014 National Show in Lexington, Kentucky this year. Today we will revisit New Hampshire, and look at a rather nice example of a labeled, Annable’s Mandrake & Antibilious Bitters made by True Loverin, Proprietor, Colebrook, New Hampshire. Loverin also sold this bitters out of Nashua, New Hampshire.

Brandon DeWolfe (Spring, Texas) sent in the bottle picture in response to him connecting with the recent Russell’s Alterative and Tonic Bitters post which was also made in Nashua.

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Advertising trade card for Loverin’s Family Medicines, Loverin & Shurtleff, Nashua, N.H. Annable’s Mandrake Bitters listed on reverse side – Gourd Collection

This oval, aqua bottle, is listed as A 71 L in Bitters Bottles meaning it is a labeled bitters. The bottle measures 7 1/2 x 3 1/4 x 1 3/4 (6). Ring & Ham note a sign that reads, “Try Annable’s Mandrake Bitters”. They also note an advertising trade card saying Loverin & Shurtleff, Proprietors, Annable’s Mandrake Bitters. Of course, now I must contact Joe Gourd up in Chicago to see if he has the trade card mended in Ring & Ham.

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Advertising trade card for Loverin’s Family Medicines, Loverin & Shurtleff, Nashua, N.H. Annable’s Mandrake Bitters listed on front. Same card picture in Ring & Ham. – Gourd Collection

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Advertising trade card for Loverin’s Family Medicines, Loverin & Shurtleff, Nashua, N.H. Annable’s Mandrake Bitters listed on reverse – Gourd Collection

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Advertising trade card for Loverin’s Family Medicines, Loverin & Shurtleff, Nashua, N.H. Annable’s Mandrake Bitters listed on reverse – Gourd Collection

True Loverin | Loverin & Shurtleff

True Loverin certainly has a name that is easy to remember and sounds good.

The story starts with Alfred Loverin who was born in Loudon, New Hampshire on December 11, 1813. Loverin came to Colebrook, New Hampshire, which is at the top of the state and near the Canadian border, with his parents in 1819. His father lived on Harvey Brooks farm. In 1838, Alfred married Lucy Drew, sister of the Honorable Amos W. and Edwin W. Drew, and they settled on the John Gould farm. His wife died in 1842, and he afterward married Susan Fletcher. They had a son, True who was born in 1851. They lived on the farm until 1873, when they moved to Colebrook village, where Alfred died on April 7, 1884. Alfred was a farmer, and during the last twenty years of his life, was largely interested in the starch business, both in Colebrook and in Aroostook County, Maine.

Competition now became general, and a new mill was built by the Merrills at the village, and Alfred Lovering (sic) and D. W. Patrick built another in the Whittemore district. The price of potatoes had advanced from time to time till some years as high as fifty cents per bushel was paid for them; and starch was one year as high as $180 per ton. Colebrook was then one of the great potato-starch centers, one-twentieth of all the starch manufactured in the United States going from this community. After a few years the farmers learned that planting potatoes and selling them all off their farms, leaving nothing to be returned, was the cause of a too rapid depreciation of the soil, and the best farmers planted less and less each year for the starch-mill. Aroostook county, Maine, attracted many of our starch manufacturers, and the starch made in Colebrook has decreased from year to year, till, instead of 1,500 tons, it only sends out about 500 tons yearly. The loss to the starch manufacturers has been gain to the farmer, for he now raises crops that leave his land in better condition, and his potatoes are largely sold to be shipped to market, bringing him such prices that he can purchase the commercial fertilizers, and so keep his farm in a state of fertility. The starch manufacturers of Colebrook and vicinity have become wealthy and have realized fortunes from the industry. – History of Coos County, New Hampshire

True Loverin was born in New Hampshire about 1851. Up until he was 20 years old or so he worked on his families farm. At the age of 22, Lovering became a druggist when he purchases the drug business of Lyman H. Annable in Stewartstown, Coos County in 1869. Annable was a physician from Canada who arrived in town in 1867 and left in 1872.

I had pictured a lovely country woman being the inspiration for Annable’s Mandrake Bitters but alas, I suspect Lyman Annable put out the bitters and True Loverin inherited the brand.

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Photograph Lyman O. Shurtleff Drug Store in Whitefield, New Hampshire – ebay

Loverin, thru a string of transactions, sells the drug store to Lyman O. Shurtleff and goes in to business for himself, staying in Colebrook until at least 1880. Shurtleff then sets up shop in Whitefield, New Hampshire (see picture above). Eventually True Loverin moves directly south to Nashua, New Hampshire which is at the bottom of state near the Massachusetts state line and of course the major market of Boston. It is also due south of Manchester. He retains his foothold in Coos County when he takes on Lyman O. Shurtleff as a partner.

The trade cards in this post are all from Nashua and say, Loverin & Shurtleff, proprietors. Using the ‘Loverin’s Family Medicines‘ tag, Loverin & Shurtleff market Annable’s Mandrake Bitters, Loverin’s Magnetic Cough Syrup, Loverin’s Electric Liniment and Loverin’s Carbolic Salve. Later listings say that Loverin was primarily selling flavoring extracts along with his patent medicines.

True Loverin died on 08 January 1899 of pneumonia when he was 47 years old in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He even had a patent granted to him after his death for a Carriage Wheel. Lyman O. Shurtleff will take over the business and eventually take on his son and the drug business is called Shurtleff & Shurtleff in Whitefield, New Hampshire.

Select Milestones:

1864: Lyman H. Annable began the druggist business in 1869. – History of Coos County, New Hampshire

1873: Lyman H. Annable sells drug business to Loverin & Holbrook. They then sell to Caleb S. Dalton in 1881. He sells to Lymon O. Shurtleff. – History of Coos County, New Hampshire

1877: True Loverin, groceries, Colebrook, Coos County – New Hampshire Register, Farmer’s Almanac and Business Directory

1878: True Loverin, druggist, Colebrook, Coos County – New Hampshire Register, Farmer’s Almanac and Business Directory

1880: True Loverin (age 29), Druggist, Colebrook, New Hampshire, Wife Eva A. – 1880 United States Federal Census.

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True Loverin Pure Drugs (in Mortar & Pestle) Colebrook N.H. clear drugstore bottle

1885: Loverin & Shurtleff (True Loverin & Lyman O. Shurtleff), patent medicine and flavoring extracts, Dunlap building, Main – Nashua, New Hampshire City Directory

1887 – 1895: Loverin & Shurtleff, flavoring extracts, 133 Amherst – Nashua, New Hampshire City Directory

1896: L. Shurtleff and L. O. Shurtlef have bought a drug store in Whitefield, New Hampshire. – Western Druggist

 1901: Loverin Patent, Cora E. Loverin for True Lovern (deceased) did invent new and useful Improvements in Carriage-Wheels…(see below) – United States Patent Office

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Loverin Patent for a Carriage Wheel

1902: Shurtleff & Shurtleff, father and son drug store in Whitefield, New Hampshire. See token below.

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Token: SHURTLEFF & SHURTLEFF (L. Shurtleff and Lyman O. Shurtleff), DRUGGISTS AND STATIONERS CORNER DRUG STORE WHITEFIELD, N.H. GOOD FOR 5¢ ONE GLASS SODA

1921: Post card for L. O. Shurtleff Drug Store in Whitefield, New Hampshire.

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Post card for L. O. Shurtleff Drug Store in Whitefield, New Hampshire. – ebay

Posted in Advertising, Apothecary, Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Druggist & Drugstore, Ephemera, History, Medicines & Cures, Trade Cards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking at some Canadian Bitters

Posted on 18 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Looking at some Canadian Bitters

18 April 2014

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Apple-Touch-IconAOn some days, I think the bitters collecting community is small while on others, I am just amazed at how big it is. Today, I worked with Marlowe Morris up in Canada to post and catalog some rather tough-to-find Canadian bitters. One is even unlisted in the Ring & Ham books. I particularly liked the rawness of the pictures as they added character to the bottles. I did crop the St. Lawrence Bitters at the top of the post so we could focus on the wonderful bottle shape and label. Below is the initial e-mail I received from Marlowe:

Hello:

My wife and I were going through our collection tonight and weeding out bottles to sell. I was just hunting around looking for information on our Royal Crown Bitters and found a link to your website that also had information on our Royal Italian Bitters, which we both thought was neat. We are fortunate enough to have a Royal Italian with full labeling, although our label is not as bright as the one that you have on your website, it is more complete.

Read: Royal Italian Bitters by A.M.F. Gianelli – Montreal

Read: William’s Royal Crown Remedy and Bitters – Isaac Williams Company

I was wondering if you might be interested in pictures of it and another Toronto bitters we have, a St. Lawrence Bitters, Richard Lawrence, 18 Melinda St., Toronto. The label of the St. Lawrence sadly is very poor, but you can make out a steamboat steaming across the label. It is a 3-piece mold, whiskey style bottle. Thought you might be interested in a picture even though, as I mentioned, the poor condition of the label. I only wish that the label was in good condition because it looks fantastic. Anyhow, none of the above are for sale, interest only.

Happy Collecting
Marlowe

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Labeled Royal Italian Bitters – Morris Collection

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Labeled William’s Royal Crown Remedy and Bitters (center) – Morris Collection

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An unlisted, Buchan’s Bitters // A. Harvard / Toronto in Aqua – Morris Collection

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An extremely rare, Johnson’s Tonic Bitters // Collingwood, Ontario // A .H. Johnson & Co. (J 48.4) in a clear glass. Ring & Ham note one being dug in Ontario about 1974. – Morris Collection

Posted in Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Digging and Finding, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Photography, Remedy, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An unlisted Russell’s Alterative and Tonic Bitters

Posted on 18 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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An unlisted Russell’s Alterative and Tonic Bitters

18 April 2014 (R•041914) (R•040819)

RussellsCastanaine Apple-Touch-IconAYou may have remembered the 1836 Russell’s Stomach Bitters post from Vermont the other day. Bitters trade card authority Joe Gourd, saw the post and went looking in his collection. He found an unlisted ‘Russell’s Alternative and Tonic Bitters’ advertising trade card series, made and sold by E. S. Russell, in Nashua, New Hampshire. He asks, “Could this be a ‘shirt-tail’ relative of the Vermont Russell?”

Elias Smith Russell was born on 21 November 1819 (conflicting birth date: History of Amherst and Town Records: 21 November, Gravestone: 27 November) in Middleton, Strafford County, New Hampshire (some records oddly say Massachusetts). His father was David Russell and his mother was Lydia Jeffreys McIntire. Elias was first married to Caroline Southach Goss who died in 1845. He then married Sara R. Whittemore on 19 May 1846. John J. Whittemore would later become is partner. In 1870 and 1880, Federal Census records show that he was married to Helen M. Russell.

Elias S. Russell was typically listed as an Apothecary and Druggist at various address locations in Nashua, New Hampshire from around 1845 until after the turn of the century. The first advertisement I could find said he had a ‘Family Medicine Store’ and advertised the ‘Sign of the Good Samaritan’. He was a dealer in drugs, medicines, chemicals, European Leeches, Surgeons’ Instruments, Perfumery, Brushes, Trusses, Shakers, Herbs etc. Later advertisements say he was actually established in 1840.

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Some of the brands and bottles you might find by Russell include Russell’s Castanaine for the Hair and Skin, Russell’s Unrivaled Tooth Powder, Russell’s Worm Elixir and of course, Russell’s Alterative and Tonic Bitters which will need a catalog listing in Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

Trade Cards
R 127.9  RUSSELL’S ALTERNATIVE AND TONIC BITTERS, Made and Sold by E. S. Russell, Nashua, N. H.
Elias Smith Russell was a Druggist and Apothecary

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Russell’s business partner from 1868 until 1881 was John J. Whittemore who must have been his wife’s brother or father. In 1885, Bradford Allen became the proprietor of the noted drug store that was established by Elias S. Russell. Russell died on August 17, 1904 in Nashua.

I could not find any connection with Elias S. Russell to the Vermont Russell. Who knows? The day is only half over.

Select Elias S. Russell Milestones

1845: E. S. Russell, Apothecary, 5 Earys’ Block (see ad below), Nashua, New Hampshire City Directory
ES_RussellAd1845 1853: Elias S. Russell, Druggist, 18 Park Street, Nashua, New Hampshire City Directory
1860: E. S. Russell advertisement (see below) for Russell’s Castanaine for the Hair and Skin and Russell’s Unrivaled Tooth Powder.

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1870: Elias S. Russel & Co., Apothecaries and Druggists, 69 Main street – Nashua, New Hampshire City Directory
1883: Elias S. Russell, Apothecary, 69, Main (see ad below), 37 Franklin (house), Nashua, New Hampshire City Directory

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1885: Bradford Allen (see picture below) became the proprietor of the noted drug store that was established by Elias S. Russell – History of Nashua, NH

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1903: Russell as an honorary member of the New Hampshire Pharmaceutical Association (see below), from Proceedings – New Hampshire Pharmaceutical Association, 1904

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E. S. Russell Advertising Trade Cards from the Joe Gourd Collection

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Trade Cards from The Joe Gourd Collection
Labeled example courtesy George Waddy
Three E. S. Russell bottles courtesy Brandon DeWolfe
Posted in Advertising, Apothecary, Bitters, Collectors & Collections, Druggist & Drugstore, Ephemera, Hair Tonics, History, Medicines & Cures, Perfume, Questions, Tonics, Trade Cards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Holloway’s Orange Bitters by Canada Dry

Posted on 17 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Holloway’s Orange Bitters distributed by Canada Dry

17 April 2014

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Apple-Touch-IconAWell, certainly not the most exciting and early bitters product, but a bitters none-the-less. So it must be added to the Orange Bitters series. Plus, who knows, maybe there is a story here with the Holloway’s Orange Bitters? I would like to thank Ken Previtali, the Ginger Ale authority, for tipping me off to this eBay listing. Ken said the listing came up in his daily eBay ginger ale search. It is priced now at $3.50 with no bidders with a ‘Buy it Now’ option for $5. Quite a bit less than a couple of other bitters bottles that I am chasing. The three pictures of the bottle within this post are from the eBay listing.

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What is interesting is that this is a Canada Dry Ginger Ale Incorporated distributed product. Canada Dry was deeply involved with liquor distribution for a while according to Ken. If you read the label closely, it looks like it says, “Proof 28”,  “Made and Bottled By English? American Distillers, Inc., New York, NY, As By Holloway’s Distillery Co. London, Eng, Distributed By Canada Dry Ginger Ale Incorporated, New York, NY. Quite a lot of hands here for a labeled bitters bottle that looks like a flask. And there is a pretty cool, 6 1/4 cent State of Wisconsin tax stamp to boot affixed to the front of the bottle. Note a similar stamp from 1939 below that says “Occupational Tax on Intoxicating Liquors”.

1939 - Wisconsin

The eBay listing is as follows:

Variety of Vintage bottles: Empty Half pint Holloway’s Brand Superior Quality Orange Bitters 28 proof with stopper. The label has a picture of the Royal Exchange 1644. State of Wisconsin tax sticker. Distributed by Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Inc. New York, NY. This bottle is 7 1/4″ and 3 1/8″ wide. The clear milk bottle is half pint size, 4 1/4″ tall and 2 1/2″ wide. Duraglas is embossed on the bottom. The last bottle is blue Parmint Double Strength International Lab. Binghamton, NY. It is 3 1/4″ tall and 1 1/8″ diameter. It is cloudy inside. No chips or cracks. See photos for details.

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Here below is the original drawing where the ‘Royal Exchange in 1644’ drawing on the Orange Bitters label came from. Kind of cool. Within and without the Royal Exchange, it was reported that: “Here one may meet persons assembled from all parts of the universe, either to procure bills of exchange, to hire shipping, to learn news of the army, or the sailing of any particular vessel: in short, at London is known every thing that passes on the sea, and almost in all parts of the world to which they trade; for it must be allowed, that the English well understand the maritime art, and that they are true merchants on all seas with marvellous success and profit.”

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See More: Grandfather’s Perfect Orange Bitters

Posted in Bitters, eBay, Flasks, Ginger Ale, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Tax Stamps | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An 1836 Russell’s Stomach Bitters Advertisement

Posted on 17 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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An 1836 Russell’s Stomach Bitters Advertisement

17 April 2014 (R•041814)

Apple-Touch-IconAI found this Russell’s Stomach Bitters advertisement rather interesting for a number of reasons. First, it is rather old, coming from the Burlington Free Press (Vermont) in 1836. An earlier advertisement from 1827 has been reported by Ring & Ham. Second, the bitters comes in a form that “May be Used in Wine or Water”, “One box will tincture one gallon”, “Price 25 cents a box”. Third, look how they spelled, ‘cellebrated’.

Russell also made Russell’s Itch Ointment, Russell’s Vegetable Billious Pills or Family Physic (huh?) and Russell’s Cellebrated (yes, that spelling again) Salt Rheum Ointment. These products originated out of Vermont and were sold in New England and ‘generally’ by druggists throughout United States.

In Bitters Bottles by Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham, this bitters is listed as:

R 131  RUSSELL’S STOMACH BITTERS
Box, containing dry or powdered bitters
Dr. Russell’s Stomach Bitters to be prepared in wine or water, are purely vegetable. A box will tincture a gallon of wine or water. 25 cents a box.
Columbian Centinel, August 25, 1827

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1836 Map of Vermont (left) and New Hampshire (right) – David Rumsey Map Collection

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Early Cod Liver Oil Bottle

Posted on 16 April 2014 by Ferdinand Meyer V

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Early Cod Liver Oil Bottle

16 April 2014

Apple-Touch-IconARon Krupa sent in these great pictures of a rare oddity found at a flea market on 13 April 2014. This early Cod Liver Oil bottle is probably the nicest example I have ever seen! What character and color1 Looks like a real fish.

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Cod liver oil is a nutritional supplement derived from liver of cod fish. As with most fish oils, it has high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Cod liver oil also contains vitamin A and vitamin D. It has historically been taken because of its vitamin A and vitamin D content. It was once commonly given to children, because vitamin D has been shown to prevent rickets and other symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. [Wikipdia]

See another Cod Liver Oil Bottle from the Meyer Collection.

Fish Candy Container 009

Fish Candy Container 011

Fish Candy Container 008

Fish Candy Container 012

Posted in Cod Liver Oil, Digging and Finding, Figural Bottles, Medicines & Cures, News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment