Courtesy of Joe Gourd, this trade card is the cat’s meow.
A Tilton Dandelion Bitters? You’re my *huckleberry if you have one of these
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alph Finch recently came across this auction item and writes: It is different, unusual, and of modest size … wait, that’s what Janet thinks about me. A Cazenovia, N.Y., auction house, Wm. Morford, described it as Lot 91, 11.75 inches high, “a nice, early wicker-wrapped amber medicine bottle featuring beautiful label under glass advertising label for Tilton’s Dandelion Bitters. Label is clean and displays very well w/ minor haziness in outer background; w/ a little scattered wicker loss to outer protective wrap.” In late August the Finches tried to soar, but we were an underbidder. It sold for $2,100 plus an 18 percent buyer’s premium. No, I’m not a bitters collector, but found it attractive. I also found only a modest amount of information about it, and most of what follows is courtesy of Ed and Kathy Gray of DuBois, Pa., Ferd Meyer of Peachridge Glass, and Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham.
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
One example is from GreatAntiqueBottles.com (Ed and Kathy Gray’s website), which described the bottle (previously sold privately) as: “TILTON’S DANDELION BITTERS on multicolored label under glass, cylindrical, amber, covered with wicker, 11 3/8” high, applied top, original metal stopper. Near perfect condition, a great example of this extremely rare bottle. Ex-Gardner collection Lot 2165, America circa 1870-80.”
“$935 in 1991 and $825 in 1993, respectively. I personally like the bottle and think it’s great. I’m not a label guy but this is nice. To me, the wicker makes it very cool.”
The Ring/Ham listing is as follows: T 30 L … Tilton’s Dandelion Bitters
Label is reverse painted on glass. Drug catalogs: 1876-7, 1880 and 1885.
On his Peachridge website, Ferd Meyer wrote: “I could not find any references to a Tilton’s Dandelion Bitters, but there are references to a Dr. J.C. Tilton’s Indian Balm Pills and Indian Balm Medicated Toilet Soap from Pittsburg (Pittsburgh). Dr. Tilton was also selling a D. Karsner’s Catarrh Remedy. I wonder if J. C. is our man? Interesting to note that Ed Gray is from the Pittsburgh area.”
Bitters expert Bob Strickhart of New Jersey did a little research and reported that two times the bottle has sold, for
Later, in 2015, www.peachridgeglass.com added: “Found the correct Tilton; this labeled example tells us: DR. TILTON’S
/ s // PATENT / b / DYOTTVILLE GLASWORKS PHILA 5 0 11 3/8 x 3 1/8 (6 3/8). Round, amber, LTCR, body is covered in wicker.
“It’s a great bottle; really rare,” said Ed Gray. “Until I heard of the Morford example, that’s the only one for years.” (See: E. Mishler Wild Cherry Bitters, a very similar bottle.)
