Lot
Number | Description | Number
of Bids | Final Bid |
|---|
| | |
35. “DR. WONSER’S / U.S.A. / INDIAN ROOT / BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, W-146), (Wischmann, pgs. 115 & 117), California, ca. 1871 - 1875, yellow with good olive tone cylinder with fluted shoulder panels, 10 7/8”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
A faint 3/4” cooling radiation is in the applied mouth, otherwise in perfect condition.
Strong impression. One of Dave’s favorite ‘California forms’!
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| 15 | $ 6,500 |
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36. “B.T. 1865, S.C. / SMITHS / DRUID BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, S-124), Maryland, ca. 1865 - 1875, medium yellowish olive barrel, 9”h, smooth base, applied mouth.
A 3/4” long in-making horizontal cooling crack is located at midpoint of a mould seam, otherwise in pristine perfect condition!
Produced at the Baltimore Glass Works, (famous for its wide array of attractive colors) and one of the more difficult to find of the desirable ‘barrel’ bitters bottles! Records show the most prevalent colors for a Smiths Druid (none are considered to be common) to be shades of reddish amber, tobacco amber and copper. You are bidding on an extremely rare color for this mould. Yes it has a minor issue, but when considering the importance of the color, and the possibility of never seeing another, could be easily overlooked!
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| 10 | $ 4,750 |
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37. “PROFESSOR / GEO. J. BYRNE / NEW YORK - U.S.A. - THE / GREAT / UNIVERSAL / COMPOUND / STOMACH / BITTERS / PATENTED / 1870”, (Ring/Ham, B-280), New York, ca. 1870 - 1880, olive yellow, 10 7/8”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
A 2” long stress crack starting on a ribbed corner panel travels to the base. Fortunately it is mostly on a side label panel.
Boldly embossed and believed to be one of only a few known examples in the exciting color!
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| 6 | $ 2,000 |
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38. “PROFESSOR / GEO. J. BYRNE / NEW YORK - U.S.A. - THE / GREAT / UNIVERSAL / COMPOUND / STOMACH / BITTERS / PATENTED / 1870”, (Ring/Ham, B-280), New York, ca. 1870 - 1880, clear with strong amethyst tone, 10 5/8”h, smooth base, double collar mouth.
Perfect condition.
Believed to be one of only two known examples in clear glass (the other formally in the Charles Gardner collection now residing in a New Jersey collection) and the only one with this deep amethyst tint!
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| 8 | $ 4,500 |
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39. “THE / FISH BITTERS - W.H. WARE / PATENTED 1866”, (Ring/Ham, F-46), Pennsylvania, ca. 1866 - 1875, yellowish green figural fish, 11 3/4”h, “W.H. WARE / PATENT 1866” on a smooth base, applied ring mouth.
Pristine perfect condition, extremely bold impression and no trace of wear.
As nice as any we’ve sold and in a most impressive color! If you’re looking for the best in this mould, get your hooks into this one!
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| 16 | $ 6,500 |
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40. (Arabesque motif) / “DRAKES” / (arabesque motif) / “PLANTATION / BITTERS - PATENTED / 1862”, (Ring/Ham, D-102), New York, ca. 1862 - 1875, medium yellow with olive tone 6-log cabin, 9 3/4”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
About perfect (a tiny paper-thin open surface bubble is on the edge of a roof peak).
This very desirable arabesque embossed Drake’s has an extremely bold impression (one of the best we’ve seen) is full of tiny air bubbles and in an unusual color. For a Drake’s Plantation advocate, this is a ‘must have’ bottle!
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| 10 | $ 900 |
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41. “WHEELER’S - BERLIN - BITTERS - BALTIMORE”, (Ring/Ham, W-83), Maryland, ca. 1850 - 1865, yellowish olive green, 6-sided, 9 5/8”h, open pontil, applied double collar mouth.
In ‘as found’ dug condition having a number of tiny imperfections mostly in the form of light scratches and tiny ‘picks’. Also a minor base chip at a corner panel edge.
Nice glass whittle and considered by many to be one of the most attractive and pleasing forms of all early pontiled bitters bottles!
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| 8 | $ 7,500 |
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42. “WHEELER’S - BERLIN - BITTERS - BALTIMORE”, (Ring/Ham, W-83), Maryland, ca. 1850 - 1865, medium olive yellow, 6-sided, 9 5/8”h, open pontil, applied double collar mouth.
A lengthy pontil crack travels across the entire base and 2 1/2” along the edge of the Baltimore embossed panel.
Fortunately when viewed from the Wheeler’s - Berlin panels the damage is not visible. Still a desirable bottle despite the obvious damage.
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| 7 | $ 1,500 |
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43. “WHEELER’S - BERLIN - BITTERS - BALTIMORE”, (Ring/Ham, W-83), Maryland, ca. 1850 - 1865, aqua, 6-sided, 10 1/8”h, open pontil, applied double collar mouth.
Cleaned to its original luster, but a few tiny imperfections remain. Also it appears that a tiny chip on the edge of a shoulder panel has been polished out.
Originally we thought it to be from the same mould as the other Wheeler’s bottles, but when placed side-by-side it has an obvious smaller base diameter! Possibly the earliest and considerably rarer as only three or four are known to exist in this aqua coloration.
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| 7 | $ 2,750 |
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44. “ST / DRAKE’S / 1860 / PLANTATION / X / BITTERS - PATENTED / 1862”, (Ring/Ham, D-110), New York, ca. 1862 - 1875, olive yellow 4-log cabin, 10 1/4”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
A tiny spot of possible in-making roughness is on the underside of the collar at the neck. Also some light internal haze.
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| 7 | $ 475 |
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45. Unembossed Cabin Bottle, American, ca. 1865 - 1875, deep amber cabin with four indented panels, 10 1/4”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
A tiny chip is off the top edge of the lip, otherwise perfect. Two of the indented panels have slug plate marks.
This is one of a small group of various unembossed bottles designed to take advantage of the ‘cabin’ form bitters market without infringing on their patents. We auctioned this bottle at the 2017 F.O.H.B.C. National Convention in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was part of the ‘Watson one’ auction.
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| 8 | $ 550 |
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46. Figural Pineapple Bottle, (similar to Ring/Ham, P-100), American, ca. 1860 - 1870, medium yellow green or citron color, 9”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
A 3/16” in size minor rough chip (possibly in-making) is on the tip of a kernel at the base.
Rich vivid color and although lacking the ‘W & Co / N.Y.’ embossing is possibly from the same company and fits perfectly with the other examples in the Kyle collection.
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| 14 | $ 2,000 |
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47. “WORMSER BROS / (indented circle) / SAN FRANCISCO.”, (Ring/Ham, W-162.5), (Wishmann, pg. 118), California, ca. 1869 - 1875, olive yellow barrel, 9 1/2”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
A very clean, shallow 1/4” in diameter lip repair has been made to the side of the lip.
Nice glass whittle and plenty of air bubbles. An exceptional looking example, wonderful character of glass and in an extremely rare and most desirable color for this mould!
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| 16 | $ 5,000 |
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48. “OLD / HOMESTEAD / WILD CHERRY / BITERS - PATENT”, (Ring/Ham, O-37), New York, ca. 1865 - 1875, light golden yellow 4-roof cabin, 9 1/2”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
A shallow 3/4” open surface bubble is on the label panel, otherwise in perfect condition.
Very strong impression and some various size bubbles throughout. We’ve auctioned a number, but can’t recall having one in this yellow a color! Ex. Tom McCandless Collection.
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| 9 | $ 1,200 |
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49. “OLD / HOMESTEAD / WILD CHERRY / BITERS - PATENT”, (Ring/Ham, O-37), New York, ca. 1865 - 1875, medium yellowish citron green 4-roof cabin, 9 5/8”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
A 2 1/2” long crack starting in the shoulder below the ‘Bitters’ embossing travels across a corner and into a side panel.
Yes it has damage, but what a wild color with considerably more green then others we’ve seen!
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| 10 | $ 1,300 |
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50. “KELLY’S / OLD CABIN / BITTERS - PATENTED / 1863”, (Ring/Ham, K-21), New York, ca. 1863 - 1870, light to medium blue green log cabin, 9 1/4”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
The upper 3/4” of the neck and the mouth are a professional repair. With the exception of this repair it is in perfect condition.
Here is a rare opportunity to acquire an example of the rarest and most prized color for a Kelly’s Old Cabin Bitters. Of the very few that exist in this color (possibly three or four), only one is believed to be in perfect condition!
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| 8 | $ 4,250 |
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51. (Mortar and Pestle) / “M.G.L.” (monogram) - (Griffin) / (Front view of the Sphinx) / (Human Headed Lion). The neck in the form of an Egyptian Obelisk and is covered with hieroglyphics as is other areas of the bottle. (unlisted), Illinois, ca. 1883 - 1885, yellow amber, 12 1/4”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
About perfect (a shallow open bubble is on the side of the base and a less than pinhead in size flake is off the outer edge of the lip.
Extremely rare believed to be one of only two known examples. On March 6, 1883 a patent was issued to Moses G. Lansberg for this unusual ‘Sphinx Bottle’. Moses Lansberg certainly had a flair for designing and patenting unusual embossed bottles. In 1882, one year before the ‘Sphinx Bottle’ he was awarded a patent for his ‘Lansberg’s Century Bitters’. Despite having very ‘catchy’ embossing neither appears to have sold well, probably the reason that very few exist today. For the lucky collector who has both variants of the Lansberg Century Bitters, imagine the ‘Sphinx Bottle’ sitting on a shelf between them! We auctioned this bottle in 2018.
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| 14 | $ 6,000 |
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52. (Mortar and Pestle) / “L S & CO” (monogram) / “CHICAGO, ILL” - (Griffin) / (Front view of the Sphinx) / (Human Headed Lion). The neck in the form of an Egyptian Obelisk and is covered with hieroglyphics as is other areas of the bottle. (unlisted), Illinois, ca. 1883 - 1885, medium amber, 12 1/4”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
A 1/8” chip is off a tip of a pointed shoulder panel. A tiny flake is off the outer edge of the lip.
Like lot 51 this is extremely rare one of only a very few known examples. With the exception of the L S &Co monogram and ‘Chicago, Ill’ embossing it is identical to lot 51. What a feat Dave was able to achieve to add both of these extremely are and important bottles to his collection. Will they now be separated or will an advanced collector decide to own them both!
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| 1 | $ 2,500 |
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53. “OLD CONTINENTAL / WHISKEY” - (motif of a standing Continental Soldier in full uniform) / “1776”, (Denzin, OLD-43), Massachusetts, 1870 - 1875, medium golden yellow amber, 9 1/4”h, smooth base, applied mouth, perfect, 98% front and 90% rear original labels in part read: ‘Old Continental, 1776, Whiskey, Messr. G.R. Peirce & Co., 42 Central St. Boston’.
An area of rough glass adhered to the base is the result of glass left in the mould from the prior blow. Strictly in the making and mentioned only for accuracy. Pristine perfect like new condition!
Great impression and possibly one of only a very few with original labels! Bottled to celebrate America’s 1876 Centennial and the center piece for any early collection of American whiskey bottles!
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| 10 | $ 4,750 |
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54. “GREELEY’S BOURBON / BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, G-101), Massachusetts, ca. 1860 - 1870, medium olive green barrel, 9 1/4”h, smooth base, applied mouth.
About perfect (a tiny flake is off the outer edge of the lip).
Fine example in both clarity of glass and pure green color that lacks any trace of gray coloration. If you are looking for a true green Greeley’s, here it is!
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| 1 | $ 2,500 |
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55. “BAKER’S / ORANGE GROVE - BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, B-9), Massachusetts, ca. 1865 - 1875, medium yellow with amber and olive tones semi-cabin, 9 5/8”h, roped corners, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
A premium example, in both color and overall character of glass. Bright, clean and no trace of wear.
One of the desirable ‘roped corner’ bitters bottles!
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| 11 | $ 1,100 |
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56. Three sides have six embossed Civi War Cannons, the forth side has an embossed Tent, Cannonballs are on two of the corner panels and all four shoulder panels have Crossed Swords, (Ring/Ham, C-33L), American, ca. 1865 - 1875, medium amber, 10”h, smooth base, applied tapered collar mouth.
A 1/2” by 3/8” ‘U’ shaped chip off the side of the lip has been repaired. Some light spotty external haze.
An extremely rare bottle! The only other example we’ve sold was in 2020 when we auctioned the Ballentine collection. Probably sold by an entrepreneur taking advantage of the veterans returning from the Civil War. The bottle may have a Southern connection in that an advertisement in The Charleston Mercury reads: ‘The best bitters for Southern climates’, and mentioned ‘Cannon’s Compound Vegetable or Blood Purifying Bitters’. Ex. Bryan Grapentine Collection.
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| 9 | $ 2,750 |
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57. “1866 / NAPOLEON BITTERS - 1866 / DINGENS BROTHERS / BUFFALO, N.Y.”, (Ring/Ham, N-2.5), New York, ca. 1865 - 1875, emerald green semi-cabin, 10 5/8”h, smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
A potstone on the Dingens panel has three in-making cooling cracks emanating from it, the longest being 1/2” in length.
This is the extremely rare large rectangular form bottle that has very few auction records and none in the staggering pure green color! In-making damage aside this would be an impressive looking addition to any bitters bottle collection!
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| 2 | $ 2,750 |
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58. “NATIONAL / BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, N-8), Pennsylvania, ca. 1867 - 1875, bluish aqua ear of corn, 12 1/2”h, “PATENT / 1867” on smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
Perfect condition, no wear or scratches. Scarce bluish aqua color!
Several subtle olive striations can be seen in the neck and shoulder. A little something extra adding to an already very appealing bottle!
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| 18 | $ 10,000 |
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59. “NATIONAL / BITTERS”, (Ring/Ham, N-8), Pennsylvania, ca. 1867 - 1875, medium puce ear of corn, 12 1/2”h, “PATENT / 1867” on smooth base, applied double collar mouth.
Pristine perfect condition.
A prime example with nice glass whittle and in a color that when seen is usually considerably darker and less attractive. Lots 26, 58, and 59 are radically different in color and make a perfect trio to add to any bitters collection. A base sticker indicated that this was at one time in the Elmer Smith Collection.
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| 5 | $ 5,000 |
