Texas Tonic Bitters, prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote

Posted on 30 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
GAFootePortrait

Dr. Gerard Alexander “G A” Foote (Courtesy of Brian Gerard Foote)

Texas Tonic Bitters

prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote

McKinney, Texas

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V & James Viguerie

Mr. H. C. HERNDON, of the firm of FOOTE & HERNDON, druggists of this place, has presented us with a bottle of Texas Tonic Bitters

Apple-Touch-IconAWith continued research by James Viguerie on Price’s Patent Texas Tonic we now have another reference to a different Texas Tonic Bitters by Dr. G. A. Foote. It is quite odd that in various historical documents that G.A. is referred to as George, Gerald or Gerard. I believe ‘Gerard’ is correct. James has also come across material for a Prindle’s Texas Tonic Bitters. We will look at that later.

Bill Ham, author of Bitters Bottles with Carlyn Ring, has assigned the following number:

T 14.7  TEXAS TONIC BITTERS, Prepared by Dr. G. A. Foote, McKinney, Texas

Death notice in Collin County Democrat, July 24, 1902

Ferd,

Here is another Texas Tonic Bitters. I am not sure of its connection to the others.

Mr. H. C. HERNDON, of the firm of FOOTE & HERNDON, druggists of this place, has presented us with a bottle of Texas Tonic Bitters, prepared by Dr. G. A. FOOTE. It is claimed for these bitters that they are entirely vegetable, and quite useful in the cure of the various diseases peculiar to a southern climate, such as fever and ague, billious or remittent fevers, dyspepsia, also that they are a positive preventive of all malarial diseases. For sale at FOOTE & HERNDON’S.

McKinney Messenger. June 18, 1870, Vol. 15, No. 4.

Foote & Herndon – Dr. G. A. Foote and Mr. H. C. Herndon – Druggist, Corner of Front Row, Collin Co. TX – McKinney Messenger – 1871 – 1872

Attached is a receipt from Foote and Herndon. – James

Foote&HerndonReceipt

Receipt for Charles B. Moore from Foote and Herndon Retail Druggists, February 17, 1876 – University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History

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Gerard Alexander Foote clipping – Ancestry.com

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Dr. Gerard A. Foote 1823-1902 and Wife Annie B. (Simmons) 1829-1914, Photo C-1900 (photo Herbert Rickards)

Death of Dr. G. A. Foote 

He Was a Pioneer Texan and a Surgeon in Confederate Army.

Birth: Sep. 23, 1823, Oakville, Appomattox County, Virginia

Death: Oct. 24, 1902, McKinney, Collin County, Texas

Dr. Gerald (should be George or Gerard) Alexander Foote died at his home in this city at 9:30 tonight. The deceased was born on Sept 28, 1823, in Farqua County, Virginia. He emigrated to Mississippi in 1832, thense to Collin County in 1845. He practiced medicine in McKinney and surrounding country for over twenty years. During the Civil War he was surgeon in the Confederate Army in Col. William Young’s Eleventh Texas cavalry.

At the close of the war he entered the drug business in McKinney and has been in active business ever since, for many years president of the Collin County National Bank until January last. He was a nephew of Senator H.S. Foote of Mississippi. Nov 11, 1847, he married Miss Eliza Jones McGarrah at Old Fort Buckner, in this county. He was married a second time to Miss Corrine Lee of Clarksville, TX, who survives him. He was elected to the Texas Legislature in 1865 and again in 1874. – The Dallas Morning News – 1902-07-17

FooteObit

Death of G. A. Foote – Collin County Democrat, July 24, 1902

More….

Foote was a distant relative of George Washington, his uncle was a Senator from Mississippi and he came from Mississippi to Collin Co., Texas in 1845. G.A. Foote graduated from Centenary College in Mississippi and graduated from Memphis Medical College in 1856.

The Good Shepherd Montessori School has a rich history from the ground up. The school rests on 4 acres in McKinney, Texas, 1.7 acres of which originally belonged to G.A. Foote. Dr. Foote, in a handwritten deed from 1907, generously sold the land for $1.00 to the small community’s church. Included was a written provision for a portion of the land to be used as a school. This gesture showed a vision of the future for McKinney based on Christian principles with a high value placed on education.

The Collin County Bank, McKinney, Texas. Officers: Dr. G. A. FOOTE, President. H.M. MARKHAM, Vice-Presít. W. L. BOYD, Cashier. Partnership composed of the following persons: W. L. BOYD, Dr. G. A. FOOTE, J. W. THROCKMORTON, J. L. WHITE, Geo. A. WILSON, R. M. BOARD, Thos. B. WILSON, H. M. MARKHAM, Mrs. E. EMBERSON, J. A. ASTON, W. A. RHEA, W. J. ASTON, J. C. RHEA, T. C. GOODNER.

Saint John’s Lodge was granted dispensation November 27, 1848 and was chartered January 24, 1850.   There were eight charter members with Harrison G. Hendricks serving as the lodge’s first Worshipful Master.  The other charter members were Samuel Bogart, Langdon C. Searcy, Joseph M. Bounds, T.T. Berry, G.A. Foote, Leonard Searcy, and William Fitzhugh.

Annie B. Simmons Foote – Wife of Dr. George A. Foote 1823-1902 – Moved with her parents to Texas from Georgia in 1846 She met and Married a young Dr. Foote on June 19th 1850 they has 3 children George Jr. 1852-1930 Annie 1855-1918 Mary 1859-1867. Duing the Civil War her husband was Surgeon for the 11th Texas Cav. CSA After the war they Settled in McKinney Texas and lived there until George’s Death in 1902
She lived with her daughter Annie until her death in 1914 at age 75. She is buried beside her husband.

FootePlot

Foote plot at the Pecan Grove Cemetery, McKinney, Texas

Source for above

Posted in Bitters, Civil War, Druggist & Drugstore, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

G. A. B. – Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters, San Francisco

Posted on 30 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V
GermanArmyBitters_NaumanAd

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters and B 148.1 Herman Wolfgang’s Boonekamp Bitters – Daily Alta, California, Volume 24, Number 8196, 4 September 1872

G.A.B

G. A. B. – Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters

San Francisco

“Lightning Strikes Twice”

30 August 2013 | Ferdinand Meyer V

LightningstrikestwiceART

Apple-Touch-IconAIf you read below, I’m going to repeat a phrase I used yesterday to describe the situation when I came across two unlisted bitters with the same name on the same day. There is not much information on this brand with the exception of a few advertisements and San Francisco directory listings. I would like to thank Bill Ham and Brian Wolff for research assistance.

"It is not often nowadays to come across an unlisted bitters. It does happen and it is somewhat akin, I suppose, to finding a new species in the deep Amazon jungle or an unknown blind fish in the Mariana Trench. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I got an email from Gary Beatty about his new find, that being a German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. While researching this brand I also came across another unlisted Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters from San Francisco, California. Huh. Does lightning strike twice in the same place?

Read: The unlisted German Army Bitters – Ironton, Ohio

They were used in the Sanitary Department of the German army in the late war, and highly recommended as a tonic and also for their anti-dyspeptic qualities.

I am also hoping that Warren Friedrich can chime in on this brand. Obviously this is a German product made for the American western market. Where was the concoction made and bottled? Note that Walter (in various advertisements and listings) is noted as a Sole Agent, Importer, Distiller of Bitters and Wholesale Liquor Dealer for the Pacific Coast.

Where was the concoction made and bottled? Note that Walter (in various advertisements and listings) is noted as a Sole Agent, Importer, Distiller of Bitters and Wholesale Liquor Dealer for the Pacific Coast.

Bill Ham has provided the following number and listing for the Dr. Nauman’s advertisement find. The material will be added to the forthcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2.

Advertisement (see top of post)
N 15.3  Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters
Daily Alta, Volume 24, Number 8196, September 4, 1872
Walter & Marcuse, Importers. No. 414 Sacramento Street, Between Sansome and Battery, San Francisco
GAB1

1872 Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters – Elevator – San Francisco, California

GAB2

The same advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters with a ‘German’ influence and market projection – 1872 – California Journal und Sonntags-Gast – San Francisco, California

GAB_Ad2

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters – Daily Alta California, Volume 24, Number 8198, 6 September 1872

Walter&Marcuse

Listing for Walter & Marcuse (Max Walter), agents German Army Bitters, 414 Sacramento – San Francisco Directory 1874

Walter&Lieber_Clip

Listing for Walter & Lieber (Max Walter and Leopold Lieber), agents German Army Bitters, 621 Sansome – San Francisco Directory 1878

Walter&CoListing1

M. Walter & Co. (Max Walter) – Langley’s San Francisco Directory – 1894

Walter&Co_1895

M. Walter & Co., 811 Montgomery, San Francisco, Cal. – Pacific Spirit & Wine Review – 1895

Select Listings

1872-1874: Walter & Marcuse – 414 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, California (1872, 1874)
1877-1880: Walter & Lieber, 1877-1880, 621-625 Sansome Street
1881-1901: M. Walter & C0., 621 Sansome Street, San Francisco, California – (1881 – 1901)
1893: Max Walter (M. Walters & Co.), residence 308 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California – (1893)
1894: M. Walters & Co. (Max Walter) – 811 Montgomery, Langley’s San Francisco Directory – (1894)
1902-1906: Walter Distilling Co. (1902-1906)
1909-1911: Walter Distilling Co. Inc., 140 Clay (1909-1911)
Posted in Bitters, Digging and Finding, History, Liquor Merchant, Medicines & Cures, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The unlisted German Army Bitters – Ironton, Ohio

Posted on 29 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

GermanArmyBitters3_IrontonThe unlisted German Army Bitters

Ironton, Ohio

Ferdinand Meyer V & Gary Beatty

29 August 2013 (R•040919)

Apple-Touch-IconAIt is not often nowadays to come across an unlisted bitters. It does happen and it is somewhat akin, I suppose, to finding a new species in the deep Amazon jungle or an unknown blind fish in the Mariana Trench. Well, you can imagine my surprise when I got an email from Gary Beatty about his new find, that being a German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. While researching this brand I also came across another unlisted Dr. Nauman’s Celebrated German Army Bitters (read: G. A. B. – Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters, San Francisco) from San Francisco, California. Huh. Does lightning strike twice in the same place? First, Gary’s email:

Ferd,

I may have discovered an unlisted Bitters? It is not in Ham’s Bitters book or Supplement. It came out of the Ohio River Bank at Ironton, Ohio About 20 years ago. I am excited. Here is some info. It is small, 6 1/8 in. high, amber square, medicine flang top. Embossed in 3 lines on the front. Sloping shoulders, chamfered corners. GERMAN ARMY BITTERS DAVIES & CO IRONTON OHIO. When I clean it I will send you pictures. What you think? Have you heard of it? I never have in 40 years collecting. Also the flange top makes it almost certain it is late 1800s because after 1st World War the Germans were unpopular.

Best Regards, Gary (Beatty)

IrontonTanks

1922 Ironton Tanks – From History of Lawrence County, Volume 1 (Davies is pictured)

Ferd, here is all I can find out about Davies. There were two brothers in the 1880s. One was into Pharmaceuticals the other a teacher. There was also a C. T. Davies that owned a big Dry Goods Store.

There was a T. C. Davies called Shorty who was the son of one of these guys. (Most likely the teacher) who was an Ironton football star.

Now listen to this. There was a T. C. Davies called Shorty who was the son of one of these guys. (Most likely the teacher) who was an Ironton football star. Became Ironton’s head football coach and then finally Ironton High School principal in 1929. He defiantly was related to the Davies on the bottle. It gets better. He played for the Ironton Tanks semi pros. They dissolved and most of the players went over to play for the Portsmouth Ohio Spartans who became the Detroit Lions.

Boy if only these bottles could talk. Shorty elected to stay in education instead of pursuing a football career. The Davies were well respected in Ironton.

The local museum has never heard of this bottle and unless Ted Christ has one it is probably unique. As Gomer Pyle would say “Shazam it measures 6 1/8 in. high. It is mint except for a couple of minor scratches. It was dug by a bottle collector 20 years ago out of the Ohio River Bank at Ironton. He died and I purchased it from his daughter.

Best Regards, Gary

Bottle pictures by Gary Beatty

GeramanArmyBitters_Ironton1

An advertisement from 1872 in San Francisco for Dr. Nauman’s German Celebrated Army Bitters. I will pursue this brand later.

GermanArmyBitters_NaumanAd

Advertisement for Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters and B 148.1 Boonekamp Bitters, Herman Wolfgang, Manufacturer, West Cost Agent, San Francisco – Daily Alta, California, Volume 24, Number 8196, 4 September 1872

IrontonKentuckyShore

Ironton, from the Kentucky shore. – Lawrence Barrette, Photo, Ironton, 1887. J. N. Bradford, del., Ohio State University.

Next I wanted to find out about Ironton, Ohio and Davies and Co. Just the name Ironton tells me much and where it is probably located in the state of Ohio. Davies, not Davis, is a little but unusual so that will help.

An old fellow who dwells near Ironton, Ohio has a portable whiskey-shop. It consists of a jackass and two jugs. The jugs are swung across the animal, and thus the proprietor transports them where there is a chance of meeting a demand.

Brooklyn Eagle Newspaper 26 Jan 1870 page one

Ironton, Ohio

[from The City of Ironton, Ohio web site]

The city of Ironton was founded in 1849 and was built in the heart of Hanging Rock Region, once the largest center of pig iron in the world. As a terminal on the Iron Railroad and as a shipping port on the Ohio River, Ironton grew rapidly, becoming the county seat of Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1851.

IrontonSteelMill

Etna Furnace. Largest in the world until 1900. – Ironton, Ohio

The Iron Railway was incorporated in 1849 to haul mineral products from the fields of Lawrence County (Ohio) to the Ohio River city of Ironton.

The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad could trace its history back to the southern point of the railroad at Ironton. The Iron Railway was incorporated in 1849 to haul mineral products from the fields of Lawrence County (Ohio) to the Ohio River city of Ironton. The line opened in late 1851 and is one of the earliest rail lines to operate in the state. It made a northern rail contact later with a predecessor of the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis, a “super system” consisting of many smaller lines. Barge service to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway yard across the river in Russell, Kentucky provided another outlet of interchange for the Iron Railway, as did its connection with the Norfolk & Western at Ironton.

MuleHauling

Mule hauling iron on a tramway in Ironton, Ohio

The Detroit Southern Railway acquired the Iron Railway in 1902. The great success of the iron industry and its allied manufacturing created men of great wealth. The affluence of those early days is reflected in many of Ironton’s homes and churches, attractive reminders of a gracious Victorian life-style.

CigarBox

Workers posing at the Iron Cigar Box Factory

The city is famous for having the longest running (continuous) Memorial Day Parade in the country.

The city is famous for having the longest running (continuous) Memorial Day Parade in the country. 138 years in a row!

Watch: Ironton, The Boom Town of Ohio

Read: Former Ironton Newspaper Man Writes Of Good Old Days During His Time as Chronicler Of Local Events

The Davies name in Ironton, Ohio

I found two likely hits in period directories. Possibly brothers? Also an advertisement.

Drugs – C. B. Egerton, D. C. Peters, T. B. Ball, J. E. Warfield, Dr. Morris (Railroad St.), J. L. Barbour, Thos. C. Davies, D. Linn Goosh, Emil Arnold, J. W. Slater, A. Robinson, A. Winters, Samuel Sample, H. E. Norton, John H. Lucas, Ernest Merrill.

Dry Goods – D. W. Richards, C. Alderman, S. Ward, W. L. Bickmore, Jos. Ward, James Small, J. A. Raine, John Sanford, J. T. Davis, D. C. Davies, Chas. Carpenter, Thos. Kelly, C. H. Harmison, James Grooms.

BothDaviesAdIronton

T. C. Davies Manufacturing Druggist, 87 Second Street, Ironton and Thos. C. Davies, Druggist and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, (looks to be the same address but listed differently) – Ironton, Ohio Business Directory, 1882-83

And manufacturers of Davies’ Celebrated Diarrhea Cordial & Worm Candy

Bill Ham has just issued the following number for the upcoming Bitters Bottles Supplement 2:

G 17.7  German Army Bitters
G 17.7  GERMAN ARMY BITTERS / DAVIES & CO / IRONTON, OHIO. // f // f // f //
6 1/8 x 2
Square, Amber, NSC, Tooled lip, Extremely rare
Ironton, Ohio Business Directory, 1882-83
Thomas C. Davies, Manufacturing Druggist; Dealer in Perfumery, Toilet and Fancy Articles, Fine Cigars, Paints, Oils and Window Glass and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, 87 2d Street b Lawrence and Buckhorn, Ironton, Ohio

A German Drug Store reference:

The German Drug Store will pass from existence, and so ends the third drug store project in Ironton. – Ironton Register, March 16, 1871

DC_DaviesStore

D. C. Davies Store – The Lawrence Register

Thomas C. Davies

Thos. C. Davies, Druggist and Manufacturer of Patent Medicines, born 1861, died 1895

Thomas C. Davies (druggist), Ironton, O., son of Jas. J. Davies, has been appointed corresponding secretary for Lawrence County of the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy. – The Cambrian – 1882

D. C. Davies [father J. T. Davies]

D. C. Davies, Dry Goods and Millinery

The most prominent mercantile establishment in Ironton is the large and complete dry goods and millinery establishment owned by Mr. D. C. Davies. The business practically dates its inception from the establishment of J. T. Davies’ dry goods store in the early fifties. In 1885 Mr. D. C. Davies, who had for twelve years been an able clerk in the store, bought the stock and business. The location of the store was then in a part what was known as the City Hall Block, a handsome three-story building, 60 by 80 feet. Four years after Mr. Davies had bought the store his trade had grown to such proportions that he concluded to buy the whole block and convert the entire space into different departments, completing under one roof one of the best stores in Southern Ohio. Mr. Davies is a thorough man in the business, as his experience would indicate, and his patrons receive the benefit of a large assortment of goods in the different departments, which are bought and sold at the lowest prices consistent with quality.

Ironton Mar. 3, 1904 – Kemp Lands – Which Were Recently Purchased By The Ohio Real Estate Company Will Shortly Be Improved and Placed on the Market for Sale. – Ironton is shortly to witness important movements in the real estate line, to be inaugurated by the Ohio Real Estate Company, the corporation which some weeks ago purchased the well known Kemp property in the Fourth Ward. Several unsuccessful efforts have been made at various times to secure this property, which has long been in demand for residence purposes, and the new owners propose to put it into desirable shape and market the lots without delay. – The active purchasers connected with the deal are C. I. Lirkle, S. H. Bowman, and S. A. Moore, bankers from Philippi, W. Va., who are in the city today, completing arrangements for grading and making other improvements on the property which will be placed in the best of condition. For this purpose a large sum of money will be expended. A number of local gentlemen are associated with the company, among whom are A. H. Mittendorf, Captain J. F. Morgan, J. F. McConnell, F. L. McCauley, F. _. Martin, T. C. Edwards, Jas. I. Gorman, E. J. Merrill, F. C. Tomlinson, D. C. Davies and W. A. Murdock. The property, which is very favorably situated is one of the best in the city.

Samuel B. Davies [sons Benjamin and George B. Davies]

Samuel B. Davies, was said to have come to the United States with two sons, Benjamin and George B. Davies. Possibility that Samuel B. Davies immigrated from either Monmouth or Cardiff, Wales. Supposedly, he was run out of Wales because he wrote a series of pamphlets critical of wage practices.

Possibly, son Benjamin became a labor organizer and head of a union in Indiana. The other son, George B. Davies, apparently settled in Ironton, Ohio, after the Civil War, where he married Sarah Levering. They had 5 children: George, William, Lillian, Jennie, and Carrie. George (2) married Nina Mae Eakins and had 5 children also: Harold, George (3), Ralph (died at 6 mo.), Dorothy, and Nina.

Posted in Bitters, Digging and Finding, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Medicines & Cures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On the shelves of the Corning Museum of Glass

Posted on 29 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

Corning Banner

On the shelves of the Corning Museum of Glass

29 August 2013 | Noel Tomas

CMOG_logoFerdinand – On the shelves of the Corning Museum of Glass, these rarities sit among many other bottles on the various shelves in the “Study Room.” – Noel (Tomas)

CMOGbots7 copyRare Keene geometric “aqua” ink with three birds attached to top and a ‘tubular” opening.

CMOGbots10 copy

Pint General Washington, probably GI-6 or 14, and pint Masonic and Eagle probably GI-4 in a striation coloring.

CMOGbots copy

Half of original mold for Lafayette portrait Coventry pint flask & the actual bottle probably GI-85 with the missing “N” in “Coventry.”

Posted in Flasks, Historical Flasks, Inks, Museums | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More on the Harrison Campaign Historical Flask Scam

Posted on 28 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

487RedFlag

More on the Harrison Campaign Historical Flask Scam

28 August 2013

ScamCautionFerd, saw your posting on Peachridge on scams. Thought you’d like to see my version of the Harrison campaign flask, this from late July. I had a ‘wanted’ posting on Craigslist that this guy responded to. This was actually the 2nd time around that I had gotten targeted, the first time was a month prior in June when it came from Velma’s email, but I knew something was up right away then, just too good to be true. I mean why contact me from Kentucky when I’m in New York State?. She wanted $1,000 then, if I’d just send a check. Oh how tempting…but I just ignored it.

Then late July, I get another, same pictures, but this one from this Poorman Collectibles. This is the first of the emails we exchanged over the next day. I knew for sure then, so I tried to call them out a little but they wouldn’t bite. Better deal this time, I could have had the bottle for $800 bucks! Lucky me!

Mike Stephano

—–Original Message—–
From: poorman collectibles <04afdfe35662332590ecb45f1059a6ff@reply.craigslist.org>
To: phbpg-3884641891 <phbpg-3884641891@sale.craigslist.org> Sent: Sat, Jul 27, 2013 2:47 pm
Subject: flask

hello, i was wondering if you would be interested in this flask?

—–Original Message—–
From: Happy Collectibles <happycollectibles@gmail.com>
To: mjsantique <mjsantique@aol.com>
Sent: Mon, Jul 1, 2013 4:38 pm
Subject: flask

hello i have this campaign flask for sale if interested? thanks

Apple-Touch-IconAMore on the same flask being scammed: Read: “there’s a customer born every minute” – William Henry Harrison Flask Scam

More: The latest bottle Scams with Velma Craft or Anicia Benson or Reginald Offutt etc.

487

522

599

99

45

Posted in Historical Flasks, News, Scams & Frauds | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Humboldt’s German Bitters – Stephen Deschauer – Chicago, Illinois

Posted on 27 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

HenrySeipStoreART

HUMBOLDT’S GERMAN BITTERS

Stephen Deschauer – Chicago, Illinois

27 August 2013 (New photographs added 03 September 2013)

Apple-Touch-IconAIt must be Octoberfest in August this year because I keep stumbling on extremely rare or unlisted German bitters bottles. My first encounter of late involved the addition of a milk glass, German Balsam Bitters from San Francisco to my collection. Even though I picked it up in late July at the Manchester National Glass Works auction it set the wheels in motion. Next it was news of an unlisted German Army Bitters from Ironton, Ohio. That post will be ready on Thursday when pictures of the newly cleaned bottle arrive from Gary Beatty. While researching that bottle I came across another unlisted, Dr. Nauman’s German Army Bitters from San Francisco. That post too, will be published this Thursday or Friday.

Humboldts German Bitters1

Yesterday I received yet more news and pictures on a Humboldt’s German Bitters from Mark Newton saying:

Hi Ferd, I purchased this Bitters last week and the tag says “unlisted in Ring and Ham.” It was included in a box of bottles at the local Flea market. There was another German bitters (Dr. Bells ) in the box and eight other bottles and inks. I’m pretty sure it has an applied top but will have to make sure after work today. I don’t have the book but have not found anyone yet who has seen this one before. Would appreciate any info you can give me on it. Thank you! – Mark

Humboldts German Bitters3

Mark also posted this over on Bottle Collectors on facebook and a few of the super sleuths started looking for information. I could see they were having little luck so this piqued my interest even more. Obviously no ‘direct’ hits with searching for “Humboldt’s German Bitters” or “Stephen Deschauer in Chicago“. That’s a strong German name so I thought I would pick up the hunt.

New number issued by Bill Ham:

H 208.3  HUMBOLDT’S GERMAN BITTERS

HUMBOLDT’S / GERMAN BITTERS // f // STEPHEN DESCHAUER / SOLE AGENT / CHICAGO ILLS // f // // b // L& W
Square, Amber, Extremely rare

Humboldts German Bitters2

Looking at Google, Ancestry.com, Fold3 and other sources, I do see the following which is listed in various City of Chicago Directories:

Stephen Deschauer, 1861, 1862 (tinsmith), 79 Blue Island Ave., 1865 (tin and hardware), 1870 age 32 living in Chicago. Born in Austria around 1838, wife Fanny. Later listings: 334 Blue Island Ave. (1875, 1877) Dep, collr, water dept. (1878) (1882, 1885, 1888, 1889, 1904, 1906) Retail Hardware and Cutiery. Why would he be a Sole Agent for a German bitters?

Dr. Joseph Deschauer, (Dentist), 1887. This guy is listed all over the place and is listed in many Chicago directories. He obviously had a well-established Dental practice. He was the son of Matthias and Martha Deschauer from Austria. Interestingly, his fathers brother, Sebastian Deschauer, was Surgeon General of the Austrian Army. I can not find a Stephen in the family.

JosephDeschauer

Dr. Joseph Deschauer (Dentist). Son of Matthias and Martha rom Austria. Fathers brother, Sebastian Deschauer Surgeon General Austrian Army. I can not find a Stephen in the family.

Deschauer Bothers (Lake Zurich, Illinois). Lake Zurich is basically an old, predominately German, neighborhood and area north of Chicago. This is where it gets interesting as the Deschauer name gets co-mingled with Henry Seip who was an early druggist. Look at this except from:

Union Store to Drug Store to Hot Dog Restaurant

Building at Main and Paine has changed hands many times.

Seth Paine came to Lake Zurich in the middle 1800s and settled on the shores of Cedar Lake. Later he changed the name to honor Zurich, Switzerland. He opened a Union Store in 1841, printed the first newspaper in town called the Lake Zurich Banker and built the Stable of Humanity, which was a meeting hall and living quarters for people who needed help.

Paine also built a general store in 1850 on the northeast corner of Paine (Old Rand Road) and Main Sreet (Route 22). The store remained a general store until 1908. Some of the owners were: James Parker, who took it over later and ran it until 1874. Then Henry Seip ran it from 1874 to 1902 and Charlie Schultz had the store from 1902 to 1904. John Fink and William Algrin ran it together from 1904 to 1906. Algrin sold out to Fink and he continued to operate it until 1908.

In 1908 a new type of store was established that sold ice cream, candy and newspapers, this was owned by Emil Frank. Then in 1946 he sold the store to Harold Giese and continued the same business. During the 1920s through the 1950’s this store was a real treat for the young people and others who enjoyed ice cream and candy!

The penny candy counter was a place of wonder. With five pennies you could get a bag of candy – if you selected carefully. The Deschauer Brothers would wait very patiently as you tried to make up your mind.

Irving Deschauer was village attorney and a member of the Lions Club. His brothers owned a corner confectionery.

EraSmallBusiness

Above text from Era of Small Business and Where We Are Today – Lake Zurich, Illinois

Look at these old pictures of a store associated with the Deschauer name. I can only imagine the Humboldt’s German Bitters being sold to the German neighborhood around 1885 or so. Unfortunately imagining is all I can do as the trail runs cold. At least for tonight. This could be a red herring unless the father or grandfather is named Stephen.

FYI: There is an extremely rare, H 208 Humboldt’s German Bitters / C. H. Plantz / Chicago that is listed in Bitters Bottles. I will move here next.

Druggist, Hermann C. Plantz, 519 Milwaukee Ave. (1876)

 1880 United States Federal Census: Hermann Charles Plantz, born 1844 Prussia, wife Minnie. Son Herman W. Plantz, Druggist

1900 United States Federal Census: Hermann C. Plantz, born 1844 Germany, wife Minnie. Son Herman W. Plantz

HenrySeipStore

Henry Seip store at the intersection of Main Street and Old Rand Road, in Lake Zurich, a neighborhood north of Chicago.

If you look carefully at the false storefront you can see the original Seip House in the top picture.

DeschauerBrosStore1

Deschauer Brothers Drug Store to the left of the telephone pole. The small building on the right was also part of the store. If you look carefully at the false storefront you can see the original Henry Seip establishment in the picture above.

Main&OldRandIntersection

Intersection of Main Street and Old Rand Road in Lake Zurich, Illinois – site of original Seip and Deschauer Store. Store in upper left corner.

DeschauerDrugStore

A later picture of persons, Anna Frank and Mayme Hokemeyer Prehm enjoying a soda at the Deschauer’s Brothers Store.

FredSeipSaloon

Fred Seip Saloon – 1914

OriginalLocation

The northeast corner of Main Street and Old Rand Road – site of original Seip and Deschauer Store.

NEW PICTURES

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Humboldt’s German Bitters – photo Michael George

HumboldtsGerman2

Humboldt’s German Bitters – photo Michael George

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Humboldt’s German Bitters – photo Michael George

Posted in Bitters, Digging and Finding, Druggist & Drugstore, History, Questions | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The latest bottle Scams with Velma Craft or Anicia Benson or Reginald Offutt etc.

Posted on 26 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

ScamStamp

The latest bottle Scams with Velma Craft or Anicia Benson or Reginald Offutt etc.

26 August 2013 (Updated 28 August 2013)

*** See Update Steven Dujardin below ***

I’ve been reading the various scam reports and here’s what happened to me.

I received a phone call from a Chris Stevens, who said he lived in Covington, KY, and said he found me online that I bought bottles. He said he had a Anna pottery pig, and a Harrison flask. I declined and said since he lived in Kentucky, that I was looking for Louisville flasks. Without hesitation, he said a friend had one. His name was James Lamb who lived nearby. James and I talked and he was to send pictures. When he did, they were taken right out of Glass Works recent auction of the green quart GII-35.

Eagle_GII-36_GW98

Original green quart GII-35 from Glass Works Auctions

Next time we talked I asked why he sent me those pictures, he said his flask was just like that one. I told him I wanted to see a picture of the flask he had for sale not the one in the GWA auction. Later he sent pictures of the same flask but the background was a blanket with a printed pattern on it. Since the flask was transparent it showed the same background as the GWA flask.

FakedGII-35

The mysterious ‘hovering flask’ GII-35 Scammed image. Look at the blurred trees behind the glass.

He wanted me to send money. I wanted my representative to meet him and look over the flask and he would pay for it, providing it was acceptable. He tried every way to not do that including, saying that he did that before and he got robbed and they took his flask, that his father was in the hospital and might not make it and he didn’t have time. I told him my rep could meet him in a safe place, like the police station where they would have metal detectors to make sure that neither party had weapons. He just kept saying send the money and we will overnight the flask. I stood my ground and said when things quieted down for him to let me know and we could set up a meeting.

I never heard back from them since then.

So here’s my advice: let these people know you have a person in their area that can come over and check out the item for sale. And then just listen to the excuses they roll out, if they bother to get back to you on it.

Richard

Apple-Touch-IconAI thought I would try to keep a ‘running’ list of internet antique bottle scams that have been plagueing our hobby of late. There are more, I just need to track down the images and stories. Please keep me abreast if you have any updates. Education and communication is power!

Education and communication is power!

By posting information online, it makes it easier for a potential target to search information and possibly be tipped off. These type of scams typically rely on a paypal account or you send money first for an item that is not real. Once Velma (or whovever) offers the item; you use PayPal and she sends a fake tracking number; and then never sends any merchandise because she obviously is only using pictures of things she has chosen on the internet.

Some of the names that have been used this year are posted below. Of course these are aliases. It is thought that this is the same person. The url addresses, email addresses and phone numbers are being cross-referenced and the locale has been reduced to a certain area which is being watched.

Steven Dujardin | Alias List

ScamPictoLarge

Steven Dujardin | Clarksville, Indiana | New Albany, Indiana

Jennifer Diefenderfer (partner)

Steven Lamb (partner)

Ripoff Report Complaint Review: Steven Dujardin & Jennifer Diefenderfer

Ripoff Report Complaint Review: Steven Dujardin

Ripoff Report Complaint Review: Steven Dujardin

Facebook: Steven Dujardin

Mugshots: Steven W. Dujardin, Jeffersonville, Indiana

Mylife: Steven Dujardin

Steven Wayne Dujardin

Anicia Benson

Chris Sadler or James Lamb or Chris Stevens

poormancollectibles@gmail.com

Velma Craft

velvel76@aol.com

happycollectibles@gmail.com

Poorman Collectibles (Craigslist)

Reginald Offutt 

kentuckycollectibles@gmail.com

kycollectibles12

502.440.0480

Jeffersonville, Indiana

ScamMap

RedFlagWilliam Henry Harrison Flask Scam

This was an ebay scam that occurred in September 2012. It is thought that at least four persons were taken by this scam which used a seductive blue Photoshop color layered over an previous aqua example of the William Henry Harrison flask. Read: “there’s a customer born every minute” – William Henry Harrison Flask Scam

Read More: More on the Harrison Campaign Historical Flask Scam

photo of P T Barnum by Charles Eisenmann

Falsely colored William Henry Harrison historical flask

RedFlagThe Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters Scam

Another doctored image of a Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters.  This one tugged at me as I wanted it to be true. A color that was unlisted, this too was a scam that occurred in February 2013. Read: Curtis Cordial Calisaya Stomach Bitters Fraud? What was important here, was that many of us were able to see how easy it is to change a bottle color in Photoshop. Notice the slang e-mail language that the trickster is using below. This was a bottle owned by Mark Warne that was used as scam bait.

“do you buy old bottles i found this bottle in my attic don’t know if it has any value or if it worthless i looked on google for it but couldn’t find it thanks it says Curtis Cordial Calisaya The Great Stomach Bitters”

Anicia Benson (Benson Collectibles) – February 2013

VelmaCraftCurtisCalisayaFraud

RedFlagEmerald Green OK Plantation 1840 Scam

An obvious, too-good-to-be-true, doctored image of an OK Plantation 1840 bitters was shopped to numerous collectors throughout the United States during a multi-day period in mid June 2013. All emails came from a Velma Craft. Each email offered a different scenario on how the bottle was found. Read some of them below the images.

OKGreenScam

VelmaCraftSCAM_OKPlantation

[To Ferdinand Meyer] I PURCHASED THIS FROM A CONSTRUCTION WORKER OVER THE WEEKEND WHO SAID HE WAS TEARING DOWN A HOUSE AND FOUND IT DOES IT HAVE ANY VALUE AND DO U KNOW WHERE I COULD SELL IT – Velma Craft

[To Ed Gray] I recently acquired this at auction does it have any value? and do u know anyone interested in it – Velma Craft

[To Dale Mlasko] I PICKED THIS UP OVER THE WEEKEND TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT DOES IT HAVE ANY VALUE AND IF SO WHERE COULD I SELL IT THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – Velma Craft

[To Steve Ketcham] PICKED THIS UP OVER THE WEEKEND I DONT KNOW ALOT ABOUT BOTTLES IS THIS A COMMON ONE AND DOES IT HAVE ANY VALUE AND IF SO DO U KNOW ANYONE INTERESTED IN IT – Velma Craft

RedFlagThe funny green George Washington Flask

Yet another Velma Craft endeavor to push an altered George Washingtom historical flask. This time the picture used an inside background where the flask was set in the picture and colored.

GREETINGS,

I Just found this bottle in a old house that i’m restoring in the crawl space. DOES it have any value and if so do u know anyone that would be interested in buying it thanks!!!

Velma Craft

VelmaCraftFlaskScam

RedFlagLange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters Scam

No false coloring here on this scam that occurred last week. This is actually one of my bottles that was lifted from the Peachridge Glass web site and positioned on the background. Look how poor the photoshop crop job is on the upper left corner.

I just got a email from a guy yesterday about a Lange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters, It appears he stole the pictures from your website where you have them listed as the Meyer Collection. I looked at the pictures of the bottle and I knew it did not look right. I forwarded you a copy of it so you could see. Thanks…

EagleREDFLAG

CelebratedEagleTrio

RedFlagPittsburgh Double Eagle Flask Scam

This scam occurred at the same time as the Lange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters scam above. Same background. Some clipping of someone’s else’s image and transferring it into a new setting.

1170786_195536113955014_1481343345_nHi Ferdinand, Just wanted to let you and the collecting community know that the Pittsburgh double eagle picture was swiped from my website. www.antiquebottlesales.com. It can be found under the “sold items” at the bottom of the flask category on my page. Thanks,

Matt Lacy

RedFlagP. W. Seaton / Louisville, Ky. umbrella (ink) Scam

[From Lucy Faulkner] Scam alert: We just got an email with a picture of a J. P. W. Seaton / Louisville, Ky. umbrella (ink) asking if it was worth anything and if we knew anyone who would want it. She supposely found it in an attic! Something didn’t look right, so I checked several websites. The picture was copied directly from Antique Bottles (Reggie’s site). I asked for more pictures. We will see what happens.

RedFlagMini Stoneware Scratch Jug Scam

MiniJugScam

On ebay today, 27 August 2013 – Hello, You are bidding on a Nice Compliments Of The Ruby Saloon Yuma Ariz 1900 Mini Stoneware Scratch Jug,It Has No Chips,Cracks, Or Repairs.I acquired this collection from my grandfather and don’t know anything about them so i am selling with NO GUARANTEES!!!!!!!!.

Looks like the same writing on the same jug. Same background as Lange & Bernecker Eagle Bitters Scam (see above).  kentuckycollectibles@gmail.com and kycollectibles12.

I have seen hundreds of mini jugs, and NEVER seen that form. Terrible fakes. Also the glaze is wrong, and the font is too similar. The snake just is just terrible.

BS – Texas

 

Posted in Bitters, Historical Flasks, News, Pottery, Questions, Scams & Frauds, Stoneware | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Milburn’s Kola Bitters – Winchester Virginia

Posted on 25 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

MilburnsKolaBitters5

Milburn’s Kola Bitters – Winchester, Virginia

25 August 2013 (R•031614)

Apple-Touch-IconATom Leveille teased me late last week with a bitters bottle I was not immediately familiar with, which usually means I do not have an example. The pictures he sent represented an amber, Milburn’s Kola Bitters from Winchester, Virginia.

GW_Hotel

The past two or three years, I have spent quite a bit of time in Winchester as a consultant and typically stay at the renovated George Washington Hotel in historic downtown Winchester. George Washington is represented on many historical markers and Winchester changed hands many times during the Civil War, according to historical records so you really feel close to early America development, historical events and battles when you travel the area and walk the downtown mall.

George Washington spent a good portion of his young life in Winchester helping survey the Fairfax land grant for Thomas Fairfax

From Wikipedia: In February 1752, the Virginia House of Burgesses granted the fourth city charter in Virginia to Winchester; as Frederick Town was renamed after Colonel Wood’s birthplace in England. In 1754, Abraham Hollingsworth built the local residence called Abram’s Delight, which served as the first local Quaker meeting house. George Washington spent a good portion of his young life in Winchester helping survey the Fairfax land grant for Thomas Fairfax, Sixth Lord Fairfax, as well as performing surveying work for Colonel Wood. In 1758 Colonel Wood added 158 lots to the west side of town; In 1759 Thomas Lord Fairfax contributed 173 more lots to the south and east.

George_Washington_in_1772_at_age_40

George Washington in 1772 at age 40 (Steel engraving)
Source: Sparkes, Jered “The Life of George Washington” Boston: Tappen & Dennet 1843 – “The Cooper Collections of American History”

The order he was able to impose earned him the title “Hero of the Monongahela” and brought military glory and fame to the young colonel.

During the French and Indian War, relying on his knowledge of the area, George Washington volunteered as aide-de-camp to General Edward Braddock and joined his expeditionary march to Fort Duqesne at the age of 23. Also joining the march as a wagoner was Winchester resident Daniel Morgan. The march proved fatal for General Braddock, who was shot off his horse and killed at the Battle of Monongahela. Colonel Washington, however, had formed a rear guard, which allowed the remnants of the retreating British forces to disengage. The order he was able to impose earned him the title “Hero of the Monongahela” and brought military glory and fame to the young colonel.

WinchesterVAmap

Birds Eye View map of the City of Winchester, Virginia

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

M 81  MILBURN’S KOLA BITTERS

MILBURN’S KOLA BITTERS / MADE ONLY BY / JAS. A. MILBURN & CO. / WINCHESTER, VA. // f // f // f //
9 3/8 x 2 1/2 (6 5/8) 3/8
Rectangular, Amber, LTC, Tooled lip, Rare

There is scarce information available on this brand though I did find this recent listing on ebay for a bottle that did not sell.

MilburncylinderFresh dug today in an early dump site in the eastern end of the upper peninsula of Michigan. I have been digging and dealing with old bottles for a solid 27 years now and this is only the first one of this bottle that I have ever seen. The antique bottle does have damage. No cracks but it has a chipped mouth and in no way can you take away from the extreme beauty of this bottle and this is why I rescued it from the old bottle dump for it is still of historical significance to the right person who can still appreciate the bottle for how I believe very super rare it is.

The bottle is a small size and looks to be around a 6 oz. size., stands 8 3/8 inches, beautiful light golden honey amber in color. Looks stunning held up to the sun. I just did that to the bottle just a very short while ago and was the first time the bottle has seen the light of day in well over a solid century plus. Bottle dates to the 1890’s or earlier and is blown in mold with a tooled sloping collard mouth. Bottle is embossed around the shoulder boldly and reads: James A. Milburn & Co., boldly embossed on the bottom is: James A. Milburn & Co. Winchester, Va., I don’t see a makers mark embossed. [websbottles1]

MilburnBase

Boldly embossed on the bottom is: James A. Milburn & Co. Winchester, Va., – ebay

What is perplexing is that I keep pulling up a Milburn & Co. in Baltimore around the turn of the century. They made a Milburn’s Kola and Celery Bitters along with a few other bitters products such as:

Cocktail Bitters, Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md.
Milburn’s Kola and Celery Bitters, Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md.
Schroeder’s German Bitters, Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md.

Milburn&CoListing

Milburn’s Kola and Celery Bitters – Milburn & Co., Baltimore, Md – American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record, Volume 60 – 1912

Most believe, including myself, that the Smiths Druid Bitters was made in Baltimore. What is odd, is that most of the Smiths Druid barrels have shown up in and around Winchester, Virginia. So maybe the Milburn’s was made in Baltimore? I doubt it.

Somewhere, embedded in some notes or archives, we will most likely find that James A. Milburn set up shop in Winchester. Sure, maybe he sold out or moved to Baltimore but the story starts in Winchester.

Milburn’s Kola Bitters

Photographs: Ferdinand Meyer V

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Posted in Bitters, Civil War, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Two rare and early ‘Southern’ Bottles

Posted on 24 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

SouthernTonicFrag

Two rare ‘Southern’ Bottles

Southern Alterative | New Orleans

Southern Tonic | Matagorda

24 August 2013

Apple-Touch-IconAI received the above picture of a good piece of a Southern Alterative | New Orleans bottle (could be a word or two missing) and the below advertisement for Southern Tonic from Matagorda, Texas from James Viguerie who is conducting some related research. The advertisement mentions Horton & Clements in Matagorda in 1837. Wow, that’s fairly old for this bottle considering Texas was a Republic at that time. It would still be eight years until Statehood was granted on December 29, 1845. Kind of reminds me of the Price’s Patent Texas Tonic.

These are both MAJOR teasers that I put out here for further research and comments. Let’s help James out.

Checking in with Texas medicine authority Brad Seigler on this bottle, Brad says “I have seen a whole one in the past sell for big money, but as far as I know they 100% new Orleans bottles.”

The topic e-mail read:

I am attaching a newspaper ad for a “Southern Tonic” sold by Horton & Clements in Matagorda, Republic of Texas in 1837 (Matagorda Bulletin – Sept 27 1837). It was probably a paper label only medicine. I am also adding a picture of a broken open pontiled bottle I am doing research on. The only embossing I can make out is SOUTHERN ALTERATIVE / NEW ORLEANS / ??. Have you ever heard of it?

James (Viguerie)

Southern Tonic - Matagorda Bulletin - Matagorda RofTX - Sept 27 1837

Advertisement for Southern Tonic – Matagorda Bulletin – Matagorda, Republic of Texas – September 27, 1837

Albert Clinton Horton (September 4, 1798 – September 1, 1865) was a Texan politician, and the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

Horton&ClementsListing

Horton & Clements short ads – Matagorda Bulletin. (Matagorda, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 25, Ed. 1, Wednesday, January 24, 1838

It was really interesting checking up on Horton & Clements. Here we are talking about Albert Clinton Horton and Abner Lee Clements. The history with Horton specifically is astounding.

Albert Clinton Horton

Albert C. Horton 1989.43

Albert Clinton Horton (1798—1865) — Texan politician, first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

[Wikipedia] Albert Clinton Horton (September 4, 1798 – September 1, 1865) was a Texan politician, and the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

Horton was born on September 4, 1798 in Hancock County, Georgia to William and Mary Thomas Horton. William Horton died when Albert was young. His mother married Colonel Samuel Dent; they moved to Alabama in 1823. In 1829 Albert married Eliza Holliday. He was a representative in the Alabama House of Representatives from 1829-1830, and 1833-1834. He represented Greensboro district.

Albert Horton moved to Texas in April 1835. He was a supporter of the Texas Revolution. In 1835 he went back to Alabama to recruit volunteers for the Texas army. Horton served as colonel of a cavalry unit during the revolution. In early March 1836, his company joined James Fannin’s command in south Texas. He was sent by Fannin to gather carts and oxen at Victoria, Texas. Horton’s scouts located Col. Juan Morales nearing Goliad with the Jiménez and San Luis battalions on March 17. The next day Horton was busy skirmishing with General José de Urrea’s advance forces. On March 19, he was sent to examine the crossing of Coleto Creek. Upon hearing artillery fire, he returned to find that Fannin and his troops had been surrounded and possibly overrun, Horton and his men after assessing the situation turned and retreated towards Victoria, where reinforcements were expected to be located – an action that would shadow his political career. He served in the Texas Revolution until May 1, 1836.

After the Republic of Texas was founded in 1836, Horton was elected to the Congress of the Republic of Texas. He was a Senator in the First and Second congresses of the Republic of Texas from 1836–38. He represented Matagorda, Jackson, and Victoria counties. He wasn’t successful in his bid for the vice presidency of the Republic of Texas in 1838. He was appointed by the Republic of Texas Congress to select a location for the capital of Texas in January 1839. He was as a delegate to the Convention of 1845. In 1842, Horton would again serve as a military officer when he was recruited to serve as a captain against the invasion of Ráfael Vásquez on March 7.

After Texas became a U.S. state in December 1845, Horton became its first Lieutenant Governor. He was declared the first Lieutenant Governor of Texas on May 1, 1846. Texas governor James Pinckney Henderson was absent from governor’s office to command Texas troops during the Mexican–American War. Horton served as governor pro tem from May 19, 1846 to November 13, 1846. After he left the lieutenant governor’s office, he retired to private life. He attended the Democratic National Convention in Charleston, South Carolina in 1860 and the state Secession Congress in 1861. Before the American Civil War, he owned over 150 slaves, and was considered as one of the richest men in the state of Texas, but after the Civil war, he lost most of his fortune. He was an original member of the board of trustees that founded Baylor University.

He died on September 1, 1865 in Matagorda, and was buried in Matagorda Cemetery located on South Gulf Road.

Posted in Digging and Finding, History, Medicines & Cures, Questions, Tonics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The amazing, two-tone Warner’s Safe Diabetes Remedy

Posted on 23 August 2013 by Ferdinand Meyer V

DiabetesRemedy2tone1

The amazing, two-tone

Warner’s Safe Diabetes Remedy

23 August 2013

Apple-Touch-IconAIn 2012, at either the FOHBC Reno Expo or the 49er Antique Bottle Show in Auburn, I had the pleasure of meeting Jack, Kathy and Michael Craig through an introduction by Michael and Alice Seeliger. The Craig’s are royalty as far as Warner bottles are concerned. I saw some amazing photographs of their collection that still give me chills on this hot summer day.

CraigsSeeligerWarners

Mike and Kathie Craig with Mike and Alice Seeliger with the Craig’s Warner’s Safe Cure collection. – Warrner Safe Cure Blog

Mike was down at Peach Ridge this past weekend for the Houston Antique Bottle Show and to take color spectrometer readings of some of my bottles. Our discussion eventually circled back to the Warner Safe bottles, the Craigs and a specific two-tone Warner’s Safe Diabetes Remedy. I asked Mike to send me a picture of the bottle:

Ferd,

Here is the two-tone bottle the Craig’s purchased. They already have the green version and clear, they now want the aqua one. They also have a dark olive green Diabetes Remedy. All the unusual colors that Warner did after he got out of the business and the later owners didn’t seem to care much about bottle color variations.

I also attached the start of my redo on my book. It gives a quick history of Warner and his affiliation with Craig.

Michael (Seeliger)

DiabetesRemedy2tone3

DiabetesRemedy2tone2

See more super-freak color bottles:

Jerry’s Hippie Dippie Bottle

Swirls, Whirls, Twists & Twirls

Warner1Seeliger

H.H. Warner: His Company & His Bottles by Michael W. Seeliger, 1974

H. H. Warner His Company & His Bottles

by Michael W. Seeliger

To: Alice, my wife, who still continues with her gentle understanding of my need to collect and my enthusiasm toward bottles over the last 45 years and helped all of this become possible.

WarnersArtSeeliger

Introduction:

The original book H. H. Warner His Company & His Bottles was written out of an expanding interest in Warner and his bottles. Foreign branch bottles were just becoming popular and there was a great need for some classification of the vast difference in his bottles. Someone needed to set the standard for describing the unbelievable number of Warner bottles that H. H. Warner used throughout his company’s lifetime. I attempted to do that with the original book written in 1974.

Since that time more and more information on Warner has surfaced. Some excellent books have been written to classify all the currently known bottles and variants. The Warner Story continues to astound me. The complexity, the vastness of the Warner Empire, the sheer number of different bottles used by Warner, his triumphs and his pitfalls prove that Warner was truly the “King of the Patent Medicines.”

Alice and I sat in our backyard in Madison typing out the original manuscript on a manual typewriter. Our first son Matthew was born a month later. I drew the bottles by tracing templates and copied some of the pictures from Almanacs and Booklets freehand. It was truly a labor of love. It provided my life my 15 minutes of fame when it came out. 250 copies were printed at a total cost of $250.

Fast forward to today. We have two wonderful sons Matt and Jon. They have given us 5 grandkids that we truly admire and enjoy. Our lives revolve around family and our pursuit of bottles. We continue to go to bottle shows trying to attend as many as we can. I still collect Warner bottles but have branched out into all kinds of bottles. I really appreciate old American glass and try to acquire examples that I feel show American glass as the art form it truly is. As with all bottle collectors, today we enjoy the camaraderie of our life-long friendships we have made in the field.

Why write a new book? So much more information on Warner exists today. The technology to put all this information in one place is available. I decided to contact as many of the Warner collectors I know and have them assist me in compiling this information in one place. I also wanted to acknowledge the contributions made by all of them towards the complete understanding of Warner’s vast empire and his eventual fall. The story is truly fascinating and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did putting it together.

Contributing Authors:

Michael and Alice Seeliger
Stephan Jackson
Jack and Audrey Stecher
Jack, Kathy and Michael Craig
Andy Lange
Dave Kyle
Ed Ojea
Dan Cowan
Jim and Sandy Bell
Terry McMurray

H. H. Warner: World Renowned Patent Medicine King

Hulbert Harrington Warner (1842- 1923)

At his pinnacle in 1884, he was described as being six feet one inch tall of large frame, weighing 250 pounds, of light complexion, blue eyes, iron gray hair and bids to live to a hale and hearty old age.

h-h-warnerchamber

H. H. Warner was born near Syracuse NY in a small settlement still called “Warners,” named after his grandfather. The original house can yet be seen as one drives by the Warners ”rest stop” area along the main east-west roadway of New York State. His grandfather, Seth was one of the first settlers in the town, into which he moved in 1807, from Stockbridge, Mass. The Warners were true pioneers in central NY State and a family of early immigrants from England. Seth was the first of the family to move westward, coming in the late 1790’s. He took land and built a cabin on a hill just west of the present town. After traveling back to Stockbridge, he married Sarah Crittendon in 1798, to return that same day by wagon. He also brought his two brothers with him, who also built cabins. Very soon travelers began to call the area near the three brother’s cabins, Warners!

To be continued…..I will keep you abreast with the publication of Mike’s new book.

To see the most amazing web site by Steve Jackson dedicated to Warner products… Warner’s Safe Cure Blog

Read more Warner bottles on Peachridge Glass:

The Tippecanoe Bitters Figural Log and Mushroom

Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies

Posted in Collectors & Collections, Color Runs, Display, History, Medicines & Cures, Publications, Remedy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment