LETTERS
to the Editor
Bob, Great article, I may be able to shed some light on all the street changes. If you look at a map of Boston, Great fire of 1872, you’ll see that many of these streets were burnt or blown up. This adds some more great history to those variants of bottles. Hope I’ve been of some help, Joseph Wilbur
also talked about family, life, and business. Mark had a tremendous heart and genuinely cared about all those he knew. Mark was passionate about his family and shared many stories. He also enjoyed his profession, citing the diverse range of customers that he served. Mark enjoyed an unparalleled reputation in his community.
The aftermath of Boston’s Great Fire of 1872.
I was unaware of Boston’s Great Fire of 1872, but this certainly does make great sense. The 1872 fire would certainly have affected the Langley brand one way or another. At least, it must have been one heck of a fire! I emailed Joe and explained how some of these mysteries really puzzle me and I was very glad to get his take on the dilemma.
Dr. Langley’s Bitters Update
So Joe, your help is much appreciated. Thanks so much for that bit of the puzzle.
Matt Lacy Austinburg, Ohio
Bob Strickhart Pennington, New Jersey
Picture this: Two Jigsaw Puzzles
In the February issue I wrote an article concerning the Dr. Langley’s Root and Herb Bitters bottles. In that article, I questioned why there were two addresses to be found on the bottles, namely 76 and 99 Union Street in Boston. Tried as I might, I was unable to come up with any real reason why the change in address until just a day or two ago. One of the best benefits of writing these articles is the conversations that I have had with members of our bottle fraternity. I have met many, many new and fascinating people who are always quite positive and appreciative of the effort put into composing these articles. From time to time, members of our bottle family come forward with additional information and interesting tidbits that enhance and sometimes complete the stories. Sure enough, it’s happened again, and it may just explain the mystery of the Langley’s change of address. I received a short but much appreciated email from Joseph Wilbur shortly after the article was published. It read as follows:
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
In Remembrance of a Great Man Dear John, Mark Vuono was among the greatest men I will ever come to know. Mark was more than a friend and mentor, he was family. Many years ago, I emailed Mark about an unusual marked eagle flask. I was incredibly nervous to email such a giant in the hobby. Mark excitedly replied that he was not familiar with the mold. We quickly became very close friends and Mark began to mentor me. This relationship resulted in several years of amazing adventures and dealings. We had more fun than I could recount in a novel. We continued to grow very close and talked via phone, email, and text on a regular cadence. We not only talked about the latest auctions and bottle news, we
Mark absolutely loved sharing his knowledge of flasks with others and encouraging new collectors. He took the time to invest his knowledge into those he knew. Mark’s legacy will live on through each of us.
Hi, John, When I saw the article in the AB&GC May issue with the picture of a bottle jigsaw puzzle I wasn’t too surprised, because I have two of them. The first (and best) is of a Charles Wysocki painting with a background of bottles in a pharmacy window. The bottles must have been drawn from real examples because many are recognizable as to shape and color. We also have a large print of the same picture that we hang in our den from time to time. The second one is a photograph by Walter Wick that also has a window full of bottles and other colorful glass objects. This one has a “Seek & Find” aspect, for when you finish the puzzle you can look for the things listed on the box top. So, add another two puzzles to your list of things to do while waiting out the virus. Ed Faulkner Moseley, Virginia
