Vol. 33 $7.00
No. 1
January - February 2022 March – April 2022
The People’s Friend
Also in this issue...
Humble Pie Dr. E. Champlain’s Ligneous Extract Jacob & David Hostetter– Dr. J. Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters A row of corn almost lost to the Grim Reaper Nosy writer Ralph Finch wants to poke around your privates and so much more!
The official publication of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
Vol. 33
No. 2
$7.00
Vol. 33 No. 2
March–April 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
No. 260
On the Cover: Two Pond’s Extract bottles on a Pond’s Extract advertising trade card.
To Advertise, Subscribe or Renew a subscription, see pages 66 and 72 for details.
FOHBC Officers 2021–2022 ................................................................................. 2 FOHBC President’s Message ................................................................................ 3
To Submit a Story, send a Letter to the Editor or have Comments and Concerns, contact:
Shards of Wisdom “Heard it Through the Grapevine” ........................................................ 4 FOHBC News–From & For Our Members ................................................................ 6 FOHBC Regional News .......................................................................................... 9
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Pond’s Extract–The People’s Friend by Fred DeCarlo ...................................................... 14 Virtual Museum News by Richard Siri .......................................................................... 20 Humble Pie by Jeff Mihalik ..................................................................................... 25
Nosy writer Ralph Finch wants to poke around your Privates .......................................... 30 Dr. E. Champlain’s Ligneous Extract by Eric McGuire & Frank Sternad ............................. 35 25
Jacob & David Hostetter–Dr. J. Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters by Ferdinand Meyer V ............................................................................................ 44 A row of corn almost lost to the Grim Reaper by Michael Seeliger .............................. 56 Lost & Found ....................................................................................................... 60 Member Photos .................................................................................................. 64 Classified Ads .................................................................................................... 66
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FOHBC Membership Additions & Changes ........................................................ 67 FOHBC Sho-Biz–Calendar of Shows .................................................................. 68 History’s Corner ................................................................................................... 70 Membership Application & Advertising ................................................................ 72 Page 48
Elizabeth Meyer FOHBC Business Manager FMG Design, Inc. 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 phone: 713.504.0628 email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Fair use notice: Some material in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector has been submitted for publication in this magazine and/or was originally published by the authors and is copyrighted. We, as a non-profit organization, offer it here as an educational tool to increase further understanding and discussion of bottle collecting and related history. We believe this constitutes “fair use” of the copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this material for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use”, you must obtain permission from the copyrighted owner(s). Antique Bottle & Glass Collector © (ISSN 10505598) is published bi-monthly (6 issues per year) by the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. (a non-profit IRS C3 educational organization) at 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002; phone: 713.504.0628; Website: FOHBC.org, Non-profit periodicals postage paid at Raymore, Missouri 64083 and additional mailing office, Pub. #005062. Postmaster: Send address changes to Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002; 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Annual subscription rate is: $40 for standard mail or $55 for First Class, $60 Canada and other foreign, $85, Digital Membership $25 in U.S. funds. Life Membership: Level 1: $1,000, Level 2: $500, The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. assumes no responsibility for products and services advertised in this publication. See page 72 for more details.
Membership Benefits, Ad Rates, Donations to the FOHBC ..................................... 71
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Coming next issue or down the road: Eli M. Gatchell, Charleston Briefest Doctor and Soda Bottle Manufacturer • Abraham Klauber, an early San Diego Pioneer • George P. Morrill–Druggist and Soda Bottler • Pike’s Peak or Bust • Stockton’s Port Wine Bitters • The case of the ‘missing’ flasks of the St. Louis Bottle-Jar Expo • A Clinton Physician Dr. Carl Gruber • The Wisconsin Connection • M.E. Phelan’s, Indianapolis First Manicurist and Hair Tonic • Capers Bottles • Facts, assumptions, and stories about round bottom bottles: which ones stand up, and which don’t? • The House Had an Illness • Early Potteries of Queen City and so much more! 56
March – April 2022
So you don’t miss an issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, please check your labels for expiration information.
The names Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc., and Antique Bottle & Glass Collector ©, are registered ® names of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc., and no use of either other than as references, may be used without expressed written consent from the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. Certain material contained in this publication is copyrighted by, and remains the sole property of, the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc. while others remain property of the submitting authors. Detailed information concerning a particular article may be obtained from the Editor. Printed by Modern Litho, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.
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FOHBC Board of Directors
The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors is a non-profit organization for collectors of historical bottles, glass and related collectible items. Our primary goal is educational as it relates to the history and manufacture of historical bottles and related artifacts.
Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
The FOHBC is presently looking for candidates to fill the Open Positions indicated below before the next scheduled elections. Please contact board president John O'Neill or business manager Elizabeth Meyer.
FOHBC Officers 2021–2022 President: John O’Neill, 1805 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, California 94002, phone: 650.619.8209 email: Joneill@risk-strategies.com First Vice-President: Jeff Wichmann, American Bottle Auctions, 915 28th Street, Sacramento, California 95816, phone: 800.806.7722, email: info@americanbottle.com Second Vice-President: Michael Seeliger, N8211 Smith Road, Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521, phone: 608.575.2922 email: mwseeliger@gmail.com Secretary: Position Open Treasurer: James Berry, 200 Fort Plain Watershed Road, St. Johnsville, New York 13452, phone: 518.568.5683 email: jhberry10@yahoo.com Historian: Position Open Magazine Editor: Ferdinand and Elizabeth Meyer, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 FM phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com EM phone: 713.504.0628 email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Membership Director: Position Open Conventions Director: Position Open Public Relations Director: Position Open
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Merchandise Director: Position Pending Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 phone: 713.504.0628, email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Director-at-Large: Ferdinand Meyer V, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 phone: 713.222.7979 x115, email: fmeyer@fmgdesign.com Director-at-Large: Position Open Director-at-Large: Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, California 95402, phone: 707.542.6438 email: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net Midwest Region Director: Steve Lang, 13173 N. Paddock Road, Camby, Indiana 46113, phone: 317.734.5113 email: slang14@yahoo.com Northeast Region Director: Fred DeCarlo, 11 Sheely Place, Utica, New York 13502, phone: 315.725.7577 email: fdecarlo117@gmail.com Southern Region Director: Jake Smith, 29 Water Tank Drive, Talladega, Alabama 35160, phone: 256.267.0446 email: syl_bottleguy@yahoo.com Western Region Director: Eric McGuire, 1732 Inverness Drive, Petaluma, California 94954, phone: 707.778.2255 email: etmcguire@comcast.net
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
President’s Message John O’NeilL President Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
1805 Ralston Avenue, Belmont, California 94002 650.619.8209 Joneill@risk-strategies.com
First, I would like to welcome all of the new Antique Bottle & Glass Collector subscribers to the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC). We hope you will find our inaugural issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector (AB&GC) informative and enjoyable. Yes, the Bottles and Extras name is now part of Federation history and has been retired. I would also like to thank our members for bearing with us during these extraordinary times as we strive to make our organization stronger and our great hobby even better. We are thrilled to be able to provide good content and well-written articles on digging, historical information, and even fiction behind the antique bottles we collect. We are also trying to give you the best of both publications coming together in a united magazine that will keep you informed on so many fronts. This issue and the planned issues ahead are packed with information and great articles. I encourage all of our members to go to our FOHBC.org website and look at FOHBC history that goes back to 1959 with the founding of the Antique Bottle Collector’s Club by John Tibbitts in Sacramento, California. That was the official beginning in 1969 of the Federation of Historical Bottles Clubs, as it was first called. Our FOHBC website has all sorts of great information and content. We have a members portal where you can gain additional access to the site with a password. On our website, you can find the latest FOHBC news, information about our officers and board members, history, national convention information, a member list, and even readable copies of all the previous magazine issues going all the way back to our original newsletters forming the roots of our organization. Additionally, we will also be archiving all the past issues of AB&GC. The site also provides the latest information on the Virtual Museum, which keeps adding so much great glass that it is hard to keep up with. Our regional directors are well-known across the country. They frequently attend shows in their regions and act as liaisons between our members and the board. I am always open to receiving positive and negative comments to better your organization. I encourage participation on all levels. I want to personally thank John Pastor for gifting his AB&GC magazine to the FOHBC which will allow him to focus on his antique bottle auctions at American Glass Gallery. I also want March – April 2022
to thank Jeff Wichmann for his significant contributions as Vice President. Jeff (and an anonymous donor) donated the proceeds of a green Drake’s Plantation Bitters to the FOHBC, which amounted to $27,000, and John Pastor graciously donated his commission on this sale. Jeff, who also runs American Bottle Auctions, also provided new FOHBC memberships to all winning bidders in his recent auction. A huge thanks to Ferdinand and Elizabeth Meyer, who put this magazine together, keep the engine on the tracks, and all the other board members who graciously give their time and dedication. Nothing happens without our volunteers, so consider participating by giving some of your time back to a hobby from which everyone receives a great deal of pleasure. Since we have so many new members, I hope you will take the opportunity to consider serving in some capacity to work with your fellow collectors. This might involve serving on a local club board or stepping up and joining our board of directors for the FOHBC. We have several open positions that we would love to fill to complete our board which is working well together to put out our magazine, virtual museum, national convention, and conduct the business of the organization. A dozen or so other significant initiatives are in the works. It may be as simple as writing an article and having it published in our magazine, whether a report on a recent dig or your specific collecting interest that you would like to share with our readers. We appreciate anything you wish to contribute. Our upcoming Reno 2022 national show will be a blockbuster, so I encourage you to get your room reservations as soon as possible. If you want to participate by buying a sales table or helping with any of the scheduled components or events, just visit our website for the information. I thank Richard Siri, our show chairman, and our Reno 22 team for their outstanding work to date. The closing out of 2021 ended a year filled with tremendous challenges due to the pandemic and some of the most rewarding digging I had personally done in a number of years. 2022 looks like another year of wonderful opportunities with lots of plans on the drawing boards. Life is what you make of it, and you need to get out and do what you’re comfortable with while still maintaining your safety. The more you seek, the more you will find. I wish you a successful search for new acquisitions and additions to your collections in 2022, and I sincerely hope you will reach out and say hello to our board members when you see them at the local shows, which are the backbone of the hobby. Let them know if you have suggestions the board should consider, or just a simple thank you for their efforts on behalf of the hobby. 3
Shards of Wisdom “Heard it Through the Grapevine”
Rare soda bottle stolen from Georgia collector
5, 800 Year-Old Egyptian Beer Unearthed
COLUMBUS, Georgia – What is the absolutely worst experience collectors of antique bottles could ever suffer? Just ask Allen Woodall of Columbus. He’ll tell you. When fellow collector Jack Hewitt recently visited Woodall to check out his museum, Woodall decided to show off one of his glass prizes: a cobalt blue John Ryan from the company’s Columbus branch with an embossed capital R on the back. So Woodall went to its hiding place in his office and was stunned when the ultra-rare bottle could not be found. Some sticky-fingered thief had preceded him. Woodall reported the theft to the Columbus Police Department and is taking his own steps in hopes of getting the bottle returned. One of those steps is this story about my friend’s great loss. So if one of you readers is offered the bottle, Woodall asks that you contact him at 706.332.6378. Another of his steps is that he is offering a $1,000 cash reward and will ask no questions if the bottle is returned.
In the words of The Bangles: Drink like an Egyptian. According to new archaeological research, beer was widely consumed and produced in Ancient Egypt, as far back as 5,800 years ago. The study was published in the December issue of the Journal of Anthropological Archeology, and led by Professor Jiajing Wang from Dartmouth University. The work of Wang and colleagues determined that beer was not only a commodity in pre-unified Egypt, but used for ritual purposes.
By Bill Baab
Update: The worst 18 days of Allen Woodall’s life ended on Sunday, November 21, when he received a phone call from one of his employees who told him where to find his ultra-rare Columbus, Georgia John Ryan soda bottle stolen from his office earlier in the month. His employee had received a phone call from an unidentified woman who said, “Tell Mr. Woodall to look inside the workman’s black lunch box and he’ll find the bottle!” It should be noted here that Woodall owns a collection of some 2,000 lunch boxes, not all of them black. Not only is Woodall a collector of antique bottles, he also owns and operates a multi-themed museum featuring, among other subjects, historical material from the Chero-Cola Company which was founded in his hometown in the early 1900s. “We didn’t touch the lunch box or the bottle because a Columbus Police Department detective we had hired to pursue the theft will dust both for fingerprints,” Woodall said. Could it be that the missing bottle was inside the lunch box from the day of its theft? “We just don’t know,” its owner said. Perhaps that answer will be found when footage from the museum’s security system is checked to see if the perpetrator of the theft was recorded in the act. John Ryan was a well-known Savannah soda bottler whose Excelsior Bottling Works was established in the port city in 1852. He set up branches in Atlanta, Augusta and Columbus. The bottle in question is cobalt blue and sports a large “R” on its back. There is another Columbus Ryan without that letter which is not as rare. Note: Example pictured for reference only. 4
From Vinepair, Julia Larson
Wang’s team studied fragments of pottery found at the Hierakonpolis dig site in southern Egypt; one of the largest urban centers along the Nile before the unification of an Egyptian state. Hierakonpolis is also the same dig site where the Narmer Palette was discovered, one of the world’s oldest political texts. The fragments from the studies were dated between 3800 and 3600 BC, 600 years before the rule of Pharaoh Narmer, who historians considered to be the founder of the First Dynasty and the first pharaoh of Egypt. The research states that the beer produced at one of the Hierakonpolis sites was used for rituals at a closeby elite cemetery, proving that beer was not just a part of everyday life but symbolic of status and authority. Microfossil residue analysis, conducted on 33 ceramic vessel fragments, found traces of yeast cells, starch granules, and “beer stones.” Upon further diagnosis, the analysis suggests the ancient beer was thick and cloudy, almost like a porridge, and would have been lower in alcohol content. “The beer was probably like a thick porridge, very different from the IPAs we drink today,” Wang told the Daily Mail. “Beer was likely a staple food consumed by everyone, and at the same time, it was also ritually consumed on special occasions.” In data and evidence collected from previous excavations, brewing and the consumption of beers is suggested to have been a highly organized and specialized industry in Ancient Egypt. Recentlyconducted excavations have found more than a dozen breweries, with some archaeologists suggesting that beer was crucial in the development of Egypt as a civilization, especially in its implications of power.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Shards of Wisdom “Heard it Through the Grapevine”
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Email #1: I just returned from my first-ever visit to CMOG on Tuesday, and was stunned to see a pristine, perfect Jared Spencer on display (next to several other great rarities). The experience was almost too much for my heart to bear. I spent several hours attempting to devise a way of slipping it out of the case and into my pocket… Email #2: I enjoyed my first-ever visit to CMOG a couple of weeks ago so much that I went back again this last weekend—this time with camera in tow. Attached are several photos, taken from various viewpoints, of my favorite display. I must have spent two hours staring at the Jared Spencer. What a flask! Museum personnel had to restart my heart several times… I’ll be sending a second e-mail momentarily containing photos of several other great rarities that were on display. I hope that you enjoy! Regards,
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A Display group shot B GVII-1 Tippecanoe Cabin and GI-85a “Lafayette” And Bust “Covetry C-T” - Stars And Liberty Cap “S&S” Flask (Coventry misspelled)
Chris Bubash, Dayton, Ohio
C Bininger’s Great Gun Bourbon cannon display
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D GX-24 “Jared Spencer” Medallions and Diamond Diapering Flask E GX-21 “The American System” Steamboat Sheaf of Rye Flask
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C
March – April 2022
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F GII-59 American Eagle Charter Oak Flask G GX-26 American Eagle Charter Oak Flask
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FOHBC News From & For Our Members
Letter to my Wheeling Friends I’m always writing about digging privies and finding stuff (bottles) in Wheeling, Virginia, but only a few local people get mentioned. OK, just one, Thaddeus Podratsky, Thad, who gets to walk to most of our digs, LOL. I’ve never focused on a story on what I have found in Wheeling, which are the resident city dwellers who, for whatever reason, currently live along Wheeling’s main roads and make positive contributions to local life. OK, so Thad is a long-time resident of Main Street, whose home (which he since has sold) is a masterpiece of early Wheeling architecture, albeit in need of mucho dinero to bring it back to its “Golden Times.” Thad has restored other homes along Main Street, and his master’s skills are a local legend. I believe the first time I met Thad was when he came to a dig site in Wheeling (when I was digging with people previous to Thad), and he offered to buy a yellowware chamber pot we had just dug. Twenty bucks, he offered, though it had a small chip, and he loved it. I think that was the first time that another digger came to a dig I’ve been on and bought something. Little did I know or understand then how much he was into chamber pots (see Bottles and Extras, May–June 2018, page 27). Since we first met, Thad and I have become great friends, digging buddies, and he has been a mentor in many ways. One of the best things is that he knows almost all the locals and has family and many friends in town. Over time, this has led to many introductions and other in-road interactions with “downtowners.” Yes, we dug all the privies we could with permission from the local friends and neighbors. But guess what? Getting to know many of these eccentric but always wonderful people has more than made up for the lack of bottles in most of the pits we have dug, LOL. It is a great feeling to head downtown, but instead of probing or seeking permissions, you hang out with everyone and learn the local “goings on.” Good to know that there is always a cold one over at Lisa and Johns, who are gracious Main Street stalwarts. Roger is always working on like 20 restorations (mainly historical in nature) within the town at any one time. Roger is so cool that he recently saw a likely privy spot, got permission from the owner, and let us know we were good to dig! At the end of the day, you know that these friendships will grow and last as long as any glass we may dig. I’m just hoping to return the favor at some future time. I attempted to do this with Vera and Chuck (neighbors along the block), who are avid historians, working on many home restoration/reconstruction projects, and have plans to open a bookstore coffee shop along Main Street. They have provided us with many dig permissions and mentioned recently that they could envision a bottle showcase in their store. No problem, a box of early (1830-60’s) bottles, tableware, and 6
shards of pottery were presented to them, with more to come! So thankful to have health and be able to get out to dig, meet folks, and enjoy life. I pray that others find their paths to joy (enjoyment), spread the good news, and maybe brighten up someone’s day. As I moved my home another 1.5 hours away from Wheeling to chase work, I want to thank all the wonderful Wheeling residents, local characters, and others I have yet to meet. Wheeling is resilient, diverse, and will pass through the current crises and economic downturn in good shape. There is always the next privy to dig, and hopefully, deeper friendships to make. Thanks to all you Wheelingites! Jeff Mihalik, Poland, Ohio
FOHBC News—Magazine Merger Ferdinand, thank you for your thoughtfulness and kindness in sending out the merger information (FOHBC newsletter blast). It is clear that both the FOHBC board, and John Pastor have worked tirelessly to make sure that our wonderful hobby is strengthened during this time of seemingly less interest in our hobby. Like you, the board and John, I believe this decision is monumental to ensuring the viability of, and instilling new life, into antique bottle collecting. I am a current member of both magazines (subscriber/ member) and I look forward with eager anticipation to the investment all parties have made to health and well-being of our fabulous hobby! Kudos to all who have worked so diligently to ensure our survival. You will have my continued support as a new “subscribing member” to this rebirth of antique bottle collecting. Stay well and be safe. All the best, Charlie Martin Jr., West Newbury, MA
FOHBC Virtual Museum News Ferdinand, thanks for all the work that you do (along with that of a precious few others) to keep our hobby in good shape, not least of all in regard to the forthcoming combined magazine along with this wonderful virtual museum. I hope there will one day be a subsection within medicines for cures. A visit to John Wolf or Bob Jochums or even to me (my cure collection now exceeds 500) would allow your photographer to get a visual jumpstart on this substantial sliver of antique medical glass. I look forward to hearing more about all the FOHBC developments in the last official edition of Bottles and Extras. Warm regards, Bruce Shephard, Tampa, Florida [FOHBC] Thanks for the nice note Bruce. Michael Seeliger is moving Cures up in the schedule. Michael and Mike and Kathy Craig with their Warners is planned. The Agee books have been scanned and are two of the first books in our Research Library Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
FOHBC News From & For Our Members
coming very soon. If it is OK, I’ll work with you, John and Bob to develop a want list of 75-120 Cures or so to start, excluding Warners. Could you get me an excel spreadsheet in the next three months or so? The goal would be to have one of our three imagers visit each collection after we develop a game plan. We can get 35 or so rotational shots a day. They key is, we do not want duplicates. We can also add to the collection. Ferdinand Meyer V (Houston, Texas)
Happenings [In response to the following posted recently on FOHBC.org] March 1995 – Bottles and Extras The contributions to the bottle collecting hobby by Scott Grandstaff and Kitty Roach commenced in 1988 when the magazine Bottles & Extras took form on the kitchen table of their home in Happy Camp, California. With the help and support of FOHBC Hall of Famer Dr. Cecil Munsey, of Poway, California, they published their first edition in 1989. In 1995, when the publication had grown too big for both of them, they decided to turn over the magazine and subscribers list to the FOHBC at no charge. Bottles & Extras became the Federation’s most tangible asset. The first issue was March 1995, Volume 6, No. 3. Hi Ferdinand, I was never concerned with the Bottles and Extras name. I started a place where more ordinary collectors could feel welcome and even cherished. This is what was important to me. This is why it was a success. Bottle collecting had become a blatant snob-a-torium then. New collectors and collectors with lesser means were being ignored or made to feel outright unwelcome. When any hobby does this, and I have known a few, they snob themselves out of existence. Conventions are moved to places nobody could afford, complete with big charges to buyers and littleto-no charges to sellers who are “on the list.” The average collector couldn’t or certainly wouldn’t go. There were few collectors who cared about nothing but the biggest money this or that and always bickering over some real or imagined advantage they can take. Inkwells are gone. Infant feeders ditto. I know you aren’t like this. I have seen your heart and I know it’s big. Please fight to get more average people involved, if you can. This is the only chance of bottle collecting surviving in the long run. Yours, Scott Scott Grandstaff, Happy Camp, California
Revolutionary War Cannon Ball I found this ball when digging a garden in the far Northwest corner of my property. It was buried about 10” down, weighs a little under 2 lbs., and is a little under 2 1/2” in diameter. I live outside of Philadelphia in the Whitmarsh area. After the battle of Germantown, the British forces would come out of Germantown to engage the Continental Forces which were encamped in the surrounding hills. I March – April 2022
live between these two locations. Hence this was the area of skirmishing. I was in a Revolutionary War reenactment group during the Bicentennial years and another group we worked with (the 4th Continental Artillery Unit) verified its authenticity. I have seen similar balls at various historical museums. David C. Hess, Flourtown, Pennsylvania
President’s Message To: John O’Neill, President FOHBC, 22 November 2021,
Hello John: I hope this note finds you well. There is great interest, on my part, concerning your observations and comments in the most recent President’s Message dealing with the perception that the FOHBC is an elitist organization. This is a topic I have discussed with federation officers and collectors for many years with very much the same outcome year to year. In my opinion, this is more an issue of optics than actual actions. I agree with the fact that FOHBC members are hard working and dedicated but most collectors don’t see this because they do not belong to the Federation or attend Federation shows. It would be great to have national shows in conjunction with a larger local show such as Baltimore or similar. The cost for set up and visiting would need to be similar. As far as the collectors go, those who collect local or regional are rarely on the same page as those who collect on a national basis. I have collected on a local and national basis for over 50 years and see both sides of the hobby. When I attend shows, this is observed by those who seem to congregate and discuss like interests. Collecting is like life in that regard; it is highly unlikely that a bitters collector will have much in common with a collector of ACL soda bottles and herein lies the perception. In which category do you place those who manage FOHBC? Bottles and Extras is much-appreciated and has done a lot to address different topics, but the distribution is limited. Also, the FOHBC Facebook page has never been a focal point for most collectors. The distribution of Bottles and Extras pales in comparison to the more than 40,000 combined members of dedicated Facebook groups such as: Antique Bottle Collectors, Antique and Vintage Bottle Collectors, California Antique Bottles, Hardcore Bottle Collectors, etc. I know this has been a topic of discussion by the Board and will be even more important in the future. Hopefully, as time goes on, the Federation can find a way to reach more collectors so this perception will no longer exist. Regards, David Tingen, Raleigh, North Carolina
Correction: Dan Lakatos provided the images for The Maine Event article in the January issue of AB&GC.
Continued...
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FOHBC News From & For Our Members
More on that Spooky old mansion Hi there, Jack Klotz here in Missouri. I was thrilled more than usual to see my stories in the latest magazine issue and got a real kick out of the skull embellishment. You guys always knock it out of the park but this was a grand slam in my opinion! I am emailing with a request, if I may, to obtain a half-dozen extra copies of not only the Jan–Feb 2022 issue but also of the July–Aug issue, as I have a story in that one as well. I would greatly appreciate it as I have found myself offering more copies than I imagined to family and friends. Thanks again and hope you all are having a good holiday season. Hope to see you all in Reno! Jack Klotz, Louisiana, Missouri
Post-Sale Press Release—American Bottle Auctions (Part 1, Mel Hammer, Dec. 10-19) Dear Editor or Journalist–Attached is a press release with accompanying images for the online sale of Part 1 of the Mel Hammer bottle collection, held Dec. 10-19 by American Bottle Auctions, based in Sacramento, Calif. (see FOHBC News online for link). The 137 bottles included many of Mr. Hammer’s favorites, to include schnapps and gin bottles, bitters bottles, and inkwells. The top lot of the auction was a Dr. Renz’s Herb Bitters bottle (San Francisco, circa 1868-1881), 9 1/2 inches tall, with a uniquely styled applied tapered top (pictured). It sold for $24,150; a new record for that bottle. Online bidding was driven through the American Bottle Auctions website. If you need additional information about this auction, you may call Jeff Wichmann at 800-806-7722; or, you can email him at info@americanbottle. com. Thanks, and best regards,
“real” museum or other place to put them. Am not sure they show well in the “round” format. Jack Sullivan, Alexandria, Virginia
Bottles and Extras Nov–Dec 2021 issue correction Dear editor, your magazine is exceptional and I very much enjoy reading every issue. In addition to being a passionate collector of American antique bottles, I also collect comic books from the 1950s-1970s. I’m fortunate enough to have picked up a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Spider-Man, around 1979, paying $33 for it in good condition (rated a 3.0 by the CGC). With this background, I was very interested to see your report in the November–December 2021 issue of Bottles and Extras; Lost & Found section, page 63, on the sale of a CGC 9.6 copy of Amazing Fantasy #15. I noticed a few errors in this report that I’d like to point out to my fellow readers: This record-setting price for any comic book ever sold (at least in a public auction) was for an Amazing Fantasy #15 in a CGC graded 9.6 condition (not 9.4 as your report stated—though your picture of the book does show it as a 9.6). Your report refers to the book as both “Amazing Fantasy No. 15” and “Spider-Man No. 1.” It is the former. Your report states it sold for $241,000. In fact, this CGC 9.6 (highest known grade for this book) sold for $3.6 million at the Heritage Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction on September 9, 2021. Additional information: “This sale topped the previous world record set by Superman. The Man of Steel’s first appearance in Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5 sold for $3.25 million in April 2021 in a private sale brokered by ComicConnect.” More details can be found here: https://www.previewsworld.com/Article/254580Amazing-Fantasy-15-CGC-96-Sells-for-36-Million-at-HeritageSets-World-Record. Thank you! John Savastio, Latham, New York
Ken Hall, Atlanta, Georgia
1853 Auntie Annette Nerve and Blood Tonic Jasper Texas
Largest all-glass American “whiskey” paperweight
I was referred to you by Mr. Dennis Fox. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. I’ve run across a bottle in Zavalla, Texas. The bottle came from grandma’s house after she died... probably been outside as it’s dirty–but amazing if the date is real. It has a cork stopper that’s disintegrating and holding liquid so no cracks. Embossed on front; “1853 Auntie Annette Nerve and Blood Tonic Jasper Texas.” I’ve talked to the Harper Historical Assoc., area museums and collectors, and spent many hours online with no luck.
Here is what I believe is the largest all-glass American “whiskey” paperweight. It is dated 1900 and is from Simon Hirsch & Company of Kansas City, Missouri. The object is four inches at its base, two and one-half inches high, and weighs 2.8 pounds. It bears a pontil scar of three quarter inches. No idea of the maker. PS: I would like to give my collection of whiskey paperweights to the FOHBC upon my demise but am aware the Fed has no 8
Cindy Pruitt Smith, Lufkin, Texas
FOHBC News online Remember to go to FOHBC.org for the latest antique bottle and glass news. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
FOHBC Regional News
Northeast Region [Fred DeCarlo, Director] The northeast is buzzing with activity from shows to meetings and so on. Unfortunately, a few events were canceled due to some Covid restrictions, but most have been able to go on. Life has been getting pretty busy with a lot of work shifts that I have had to pick up at work due to so many people out. This additional commitment has led me only to attend one show in the last month, but it was a fun time. I managed to get out to the Little Rhody Show in Taunton, Massachusetts. Attendance was a little low due to rough weather and Covid being so abundant, but it was a great show with many great bottles and people. I drove from central New York and drove through over 180 miles of freezing rain, which caused me to get there a little late. Chairman Bill Rose submitted an excellent write-up with pictures that you can find on our website, “Editor’s Picks.” There is a bunch of antique bottle shows coming up also such as on March 27 in Cicero, New York, the Empire State Bottle Collectors Association show, April 3, Baltimore, Maryland, the Baltimore Antique Bottle Club Show & Sale, April 24, Rochester, New York, GVBCA’s Rochester Bottle and Antiques Sale. If you are in the northeast and have news you would like to report; please reach out to me. I’d love to hear from bottle collectors and to share your information. Midwest Region [Steve Lang, Director] Well, 2022 is off to a great start! January 15 was the Midwest Fruit Jar & Bottle Club’s 50th annual show held in Muncie, Indiana. What a great way to start the year. As always, great fruit jars and other glass were available. From what I was told, the room hopping that occurred a couple of days before was as exciting as the show itself. Thanks to show chairman Dave Rittenhouse, club president Jerry Dixon, wife Colleen, and the other club members for putting on a great show. Larry Munson, acting as a fruit jar liaison, introduced me to several dealers-collectors, including Tom Sproat and Bill Burgess, during the show. The Jelly Jammers Club also met in conjunction with the room hopping and jar show on Friday the 14th with some great show-and-tell items, and I, for one, learned something new about jelly jars. At their November meeting, the Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club had an interesting show-andtell on the Uncle Jo Bottling Company. The Iowa Antique Bottleers Club announced their 52nd annual Show and Sale scheduled for June 25, 2022, in Johnston, Iowa. The 1st Chicago Bottle Club’s November meeting featured a presentation on medicine bottles from the Chicago suburbs and nominations for 2022 officers. The Flint Bottles and Collectibles Club held their November meeting with lots of interesting show-and-tell items and the announcement of their 52nd annual show to be held March 19, 2022, in Flint, Michigan. Christmas dinner occurred on December 9 at the Bavarian Inn located in Frankenmuth, where 24 people gathered for the feast. The Circle City Bottle Club in Indianapolis held its annual Christmas party on December 15 at The Coachman in Plainfield, Indiana. The 12 members and spouses had a great time with fellowship and food. I spent a great couple of hours with a 50-year bottle collector in early January. The people and places he remembered and shared with me, along with his collection of great bottles and go-withs, were amazing. Happy Collecting! Southern Region [Jake Smith, Director] I’m sorry to write that the southern region doesn’t have much of an update of recent bottle shows. I will say that the southern region has some newly announced shows and is rumored to have even more in the works. The Pee Dee Antique Bottle Club has set a show date for November 5. I have also been working closely with Jason Herron on his new Chattanooga Antique Bottle & Advertising Show that occurs in Dalton, Georgia, on March 19. On March 5, there is a Deep South Artifact Show In Bainbridge, Georgia. It is billed as the “largest artifact March – April 2022
show in the Deep South with amazing fossils, antique bottles, and the finest arrowheads ever found.” On March 26, there is the 49th Mobile Antique Bottle Show in Daphne, Alabama. Also, on the 26th is the Deland Antique Bottle Show in Reddick, Florida, then on April 9, there is the 3rd Annual North Texas Bottle Show in Willis Point, Texas. Then there is the 49th Columbia South Carolina Antique Bottle Show on April 23. On April 30, the River City Toy Fest is in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Email me if anyone wants contacts for any of these shows, a copy of my show list, or knows of a show I need to add to my list. Of course, all antique bottle and glass shows are listed on the FOHBC.org Show Calendar. There are also display ads for many of these upcoming shows in this issue of the magazine. I hope all these events turn out great and hope to see y’all soon. Western Region [Eric McGuire, Director] As I write this (January 2022), Covid has again raised its ugly head, which has directed us to an uncertain future with regard to what may be termed a “normal” life, including our free association with friends and family. I hope this will not impact our currently scheduled bottle shows on January 22 in Anderson, California; February 18 in Aurora, Oregon; and January 18 & 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also, February 25, in Phoenix, Arizona, and April 22, in Antioch, California. It is no secret that this is one of the busiest times for shows in the Western Region. We keep our fingers crossed. It is important to note that we have lost two of our dear members of this region’s pioneer collectors. On December 12, 2021, we lost Betty Sue Zumwalt in Keizer, Oregon (near Salem). She co-authored three bottle-related books with her first husband, Bill Wilson–“Spirits Bottles of the Old West,” “Western Bitters,” and “19th Century Medicine in Glass.” In 1980 Betty published her final book, “Ketchup–Pickles–Sauces, 19th Century Food in Glass.” She was a long-time member of the Northwestern Bottle Collectors Assoc. headquartered in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County. Several years after marrying Ernie Zumwalt in 1971, the couple moved to Sand Point, Idaho, and after his death, Betty moved to Oregon. Along with being instrumental in the formation of the FOHBC, she was the last keynote speaker at the FOHBC 2016 Expo banquet in Sacramento. Always gracious, she will be sorely missed by many. Betty was 89.
Theodore “Ted” Siri was another early member of the Northwestern Bottle Collectors Association and brother of Richard Siri, former president and current board member of the FOHBC. Raised in Santa Rosa, California, he was closely allied with the construction trade for many years but finally gave way to his love of antiques. Ted moved to Watkins Glen, New York, and became a successful antiques dealer. Ted assembled what is considered the finest collection of early western beer bottles—a feat that will likely never be duplicated. He passed away on December 18, 2021, at age 78, while visiting his son in Utah. 9
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Antique AntiqueBottle Bottle&&Glass GlassCollector Collector
F O H B C N AT I O N A L A N T I Q U E B O T T L E CO N V E N T I O N
TOP 25
WESTERN WHISKEY DISPLAY INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE You are invited to participate in the centerpiece bottle display at the upcoming FOHBC Reno 2022 National Antique Bottle Convention from July 28th - July 31st, 2022 at the Grand Sierra Resort & Casino. This display is designed to show the best of the best of the Top 25 Western Whiskey bottles known. The quintessential bottle that represents our old west is the iconic fifth-size whiskey bottle. As the new western frontier developed, the hard-driving, hard-drinking pioneers often turned to whiskey to lessen the burden of life. As a result, many whiskey dealers marketed their product in what was termed “glass labeled” bottles—that is, appealing bottles blown in molds heavily embossed with lettering and symbols usually reserved only for paper labels. They are generally highly desired by collectors and some were even produced in different colors and crudeness that make them aesthetically pleasing. Others are quite rare as well, which makes them even more precious. The FOHBC is inviting possessors of these rarities to participate in a joint display at the Reno convention in a secure display area on the showroom floor. This display is expected to attract a special grouping of bottles that will easily approach one million dollars in total value. Such a display may never happen again, and with the help of the collecting community, will provide an attraction that, alone, is worth attending the RENO 2022 Expo to witness. Because of the monetary values involved, the display will be guarded with security and other methods not publicized. Nearly everyone who possesses these rarities understands what constitutes bottles considered to be in the “Top 25.” However, for more information, you are invited to contact the show chairman, Richard Siri, at rtsiri@sbcglobal.net or 707.542.6438. Bottles must be in the secure Summit Pavilion display cabinet from Friday 11:30 am to show close on Sunday at 2:00 pm. March March––April April2022 2022
FOHBC.org
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FOHBC 2022 CLUB & MEMBER CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT Announced at the FOHBC Reno 2022 National Antique Bottle Convention!
A W A
CATEGORIES 12
- Newsletter Contest - Show Poster / Flyer Contest - Writer’s Contest (Including AB&GC Articles) - Club Website Contest - Club Social Media Contest
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Please don’t delay, as our deadline is June 1, 2022
Get more information by contacting Elizabeth Meyer 713.504.0628 or fohbcmembers@gmail.com Download the applications by visiting FOHBC.org, scroll across the top to “Members,” scroll down to “FOHBC Club Contests” and left click. All winners and awards will be announced during the banquet in the Crystal Ballroom at the FOHBC Reno 2022 National Antique Bottle Convention in Reno, Nevada this coming July 29th, 2022. You do not have to be present to win. Thanks and Good Luck!
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
March – April 2022
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POND’S EXTRACT The People’s Friend
Ponds Extract “Baby floating in a Pond” advertising trade card.
By Fred DeCarlo A look into the early days of this well-known patent medicine and how its roots stem from an ancient recipe from an Oneida Tribal medicine man. Many bottle diggers have found bottles with the simple embossing “Pond’s Extract.” It became widely used during the turn of the century and was at one time known as “The People’s Friend” and, eventually “The People’s Remedy.” Pond’s products are still sold today in the form of face creams and cleansers by Unilever worldwide. Here we will look at the early beginnings of this patent medicine, how it came to be, and some early pontil bottles I have excavated in central New York privies. [Fig. 1] Utica, circa 1855
The research project that was undertaken here started as many do: with a bottle and a story of local ties. The local connection here happened to be with my hometown of Utica, N.Y. [Fig. 1]. Many people collect bottles for various reasons. Some enjoy the glass, others rarity, some a specific variety, and so on. My love for bottles happens to be with local history. I enjoy researching a name on a bottle that is tied to my hometown. This desire is where Pond’s Extract had grabbed my attention. Many small articles and stories had been written, and tales of pontiled bottles existed, but I had never seen one when my interest in this so-called local bottle began. Who was the name behind the bottle? Theron Tilden Pond [Fig. 2] was born in central New York, just outside of Utica, in the year 1800. The earliest records I can find on Theron began in the later 1820s when he was listed as the captain of a packet boat in a newly formed company called the “Citizens Six Day Packet Boat Co.” [Fig. 3] The company advertised new, light, and substantially built packet boats that [Fig. 2] Theron T. Pond will deliver citizens from Utica to Schenectady in much less time than older boats. Theron’s packet boat days did not last very long as he moved to Auburn, New York, around a year later. Here he met his wife, Sarah, and they were married in 1831. Theron was listed in several advertisements in the 1830s as running a grocery store in Auburn. Theron went on from this endeavor and returned to Utica, NY, and 14
[Fig. 3 below] 1830s packet boat. Theron T. Pond was a captain of a similar boat in the late 1820s.
is recorded as owning a saddle, harness, and trunk manufactory and retail store on Genesee Street in Utica during the later 1830s and early 40s. This business he ran with a man named Samuel Gordon for
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Pond’s Extract, sold only in bottles with buff wrappers, the vegetable pain destroyer advertising trade card.
[left] Ponds Extract “First Aid Book” price 10 cents.
several years and then alone for a few more. I cited these earlier career ventures because many articles and stories on this subject proclaimed Mr. Pond as a pharmacist, doctor, and chemist. Still, I could not find any evidence of this in any of the directories or census listings. Most of these titles were born in advertisements from competitors who sold witch hazel medicines and cited Theron Pond in their ads. One such was “Applebys Distilled Extract of Witch Hazel” put up by the Buffalo Homeopathic Co. In their advertisement March – April 2022
from 1880, they noted that thirty years earlier, Dr. Theron Pond had created a witch hazel extract that immortalized his name and the use of witch hazel. These titles must have made the medicine sound more appealing. Sometime in the early 1840s, Mr. Pond became acquainted with a medicine man from the nearby Oneida tribe. He became very 15
interested in many of the medicine man’s recipes of ancient cures and remedies that were passed down through the generations. One concoction that grabbed his attention was a tea made from boiling the bark of a specific bush. The medicine man had told him this tea-like medicine could be used to cure bruises, cuts, burns, and many other skin ailments.
[Fig. 8 right] Rolled lip example of a small-sized, open pontil Pond’s Extract excavated by Andy Goldfrank in a New York City privy.
The Oneida medicine man had told him the bush, which was a witch hazel bush, had only grown in secluded areas of central New York. He taught Theron how to identify the bush and showed him how he steeped the bark in a teakettle to make this clear medicine with a particular aroma. The medicine man made sure Theron understood the exact bush to use and only collected it himself to bring back and immediately boil. This medicine hung on Theron Pond’s mind, and he began to obsess about how to market his medicine. It was written that in or near his residence on Bridge Street, in the city of Utica and situated near the Erie canal, he set up a makeshift laboratory and began to experiment with distilling the witch hazel tea. He followed a process known at the time to distill essential oils and continued to improve on his methods. He soon found that, by adding alcohol, he could create a shelf life also for this medicine. His first attempt was to add a 3% alcohol content to his medicine, but it was not enough in warmer weather. He slowly added more until he had just the right amount.
[Fig. 4] Late 1840s Pond’s advertisement. “The People’s Friend.”
In the early days of Theron’s endeavor to create this new medicine for the public, he called it “Golden Treasure.” I do not believe that this name was ever used in any marketing or advertisement for Pond’s medicine. The earliest advertisements I found were in 1847, and the medicine was listed as “Pond’s Pain Destroyer and Healing Extract.” [Fig.4] I could only guess at this, but he had most likely called it this in his early stages of developing it. When it went on sale to the public, this name seemed to have vanished. Some people thought Theron first used this name because of the yellow flowers on the witch hazel bushes. Perhaps this was a reason he initially called it Golden Treasure. Many of the previously written articles state the name was changed to Pond’s Extract after his death in honor of him, but this is not true. Theron Pond died on February 22nd, 1852. The use of Pond’s Extract on the bottle was already occurring. The names used in the 1840s and 50s were “Pond’s Pain Destroyer and Healing Extract” and “Pond’s Vegetable Pain Destroyer,” but the bottles were embossed “Pond’s Extract.” There is a very scarce version embossed “Pond’s Pain Destroyer,” but I do not have an example or photograph as of this writing. Either way, the “Golden Treasure” name never stuck and ended up being used by another witch hazel medicine in Essex, Connecticut called “Hawes Healing Extract” and embossed 16
[Fig 6. below] Pond’s Extract pint pontil.
[Fig. 5 right] Pint-sized, open pontil Pond’s Extract excavated from a privy in Utica, N.Y. It stands 9-¼” tall and is the only large- sized Pond’s from the pontil era.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
[Fig 9. left] Small-sized, open pontil Pond’s Extract I excavated in a Utica privy with a crude lip finish.
[right] Buster Brown’s Experiences with Pond’s Extract published in 1904 by Pond’s Extract Co.
[Fig 7 above] Pond’s Extract pint lip detail.
[below] Pond’s Extract “Beach Girls” advertising trade card.
March – April 2022
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“Golden Treasure.” This medicine originates from Dr. Charles Hawes. Dr. Hawes was a missionary who also learned the method of distilling witch hazel from Native Americans. He gave his recipe for witch hazel to Alvin Whittemore in Essex, Connecticut, who sold the product to the public. Theron Pond formed a company called T. T. Pond & Co. in the later 1840s. It is said that the company was comprised of Theron Pond and the Oneida medicine man. A pair of businessmen, Alexander Hart and Edward Munson of Hart & Munson Co., a business of burr millstones, bolting cloths, flour, and Rhode Island Lime, provided the new company with investments and an early place to do business. The early T. T. Pond Co address listed in advertising is the same address as Hart & Munson’s factory at 27 Washington Street in Utica, NY. Theron Pond fell ill in the early 1850s. Some say it was from exposure and others say he died from consumption, but either way, Theron passed away on February 22nd, 1852. Many articles written have varying accounts of what transpired. Still, I discovered in my research that on February 7th, 1852, the company was sold from the T. T. Pond & Co name to Hart & Munson, two of the original investors. They remained the owners of Pond’s Extract until 1857. They continued selling bottles that were embossed Pond’s Extract, and the label had Pond’s Vegetable Pain Destroyer with instructions on how to use the medicine. In 1857, Hart & Munson sold their interest in Pond’s Extract. This transaction is where the story differs from all other accounts as the medicine Pond’s Extract began to be sold under the name
[Fig. 10] Frederick K. Humphreys
Humphreys & Palmer from 1857 to around 1860. Azariah Palmer was said to be a close friend of Theron and possibly helped shape the company early on. Frederick Humphreys was a homeopathic physician and was said to be Theron’s doctor. [Fig. 10] Humphreys & Palmer were listed as partners in several advertisements for Pond’s Extract and may have still been using the name T. T. Pond & Co., as I have seen it on a labeled Pond’s Pain Destroyer bottle that was also embossed Pond’s Extract.
The Humphreys and Palmer partnership did not last for long. Around 1860, the two seemed to have separated as partners. Humphreys Homeopathic Medicine Co. became Dr. Frederick Humphreys Company and was an avenue for him to sell Pond’s Extract. Azariah Palmer shows up in the Utica directories with the business name of Palmer’s Popular Remedies. Palmer also begins selling Pond’s Extract through his business. Palmer used a bottle embossed on the front “Pond’s Extract of Witch Hazel.” The sides were embossed A.S. Palmer and Utica, NY. This bottle has a smooth base. [Fig. 11] I am not exactly sure how Humphreys fashioned his bottles, but I do know he listed them for sale through his New York City company. At some point in the early 1870s, Palmer and Humphreys were entrenched in a legal dispute over Pond’s Extract, each claiming that they were [Fig 11. above] Azariah S Palmer’s bottle. given the right to manufacture Smooth base, embossed “Pond’s Extract of and sell the medicine. Palmer Witch Hazel. A.S. Palmer and Utica, NY.” had filed a lawsuit against Humphreys, which finally led Humphreys to sell his interest to F. W. Hurtt, who sells Pond’s Extract. As part of the deal, Hurtt makes Palmer part owner in this new company, and this deal finally ended the legal battle over Pond’s Extract. The early advertisements stated that Pond’s came in two sizes: a small size and a pintsized bottle. The large pint bottle that I had excavated in a Utica privy is believed to be the only large-sized, pontil-era Pond’s Extract bottle to exist. It is 9-¼” tall with an open pontil scar on the base. [Figs. 5-7] Early Pond’s advertising was found in many newspapers throughout New York State, including New York City, neighboring states to New York, and North Carolina. The North Carolina advertisement proclaimed
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
they loved the medicine so much down south they had ordered 300 dozen more bottles. Following are two early advertisements typed out as the newspaper’s copies were too blurry to use. 1848 Oneida Morning Herald – “Burned Child” The public good seems to demand that someone should give the community the facts relative to the child that was so badly burned a short time since in my neighborhood. An infant child nine months old had its clothes entirely burnt off on one side from head to foot, taking off the skin and burning very deep in many places. The sight was horrible to behold, and the agonizing cries of the poor little sufferer soon drew in a large number of neighbors. Mr. Pond, the proprietor of “Pond’s Pain Destroyer and Healing Extract,” was sent for, and I was present when he came. The child had been burned about one-half hour when he took it in hand. He covered it with cotton wadding as the most convenient thing at hand and then poured on the Extract, keeping it wet until the fire was all out. It would be difficult to describe the sensation of joy and astonishment that filled every bosom on witnessing its effect. The pain began to abate in one moment, and in less than twelve minutes, the child was perfectly easy and quiet and nursed and fell into a pleasant sleep. There seemed to be no soreness of pain about the child, and in three days, half of the sores were healed up. I have never before seen anything that possesses such power to remove pain or to heal, and I have been led to give this statement, which can be attested by twenty witnesses, that the public may know what to apply with certain success in like cases. – Abraham Philips. 1848 Oneida Morning Herald - “The People’s Friend,” Pond’s Pain Destroying and Healing Extract. This is a medicine newly discovered by Mr. T. T. Pond of Utica, who, experiencing in his own
person the astonishing power of the plant from which it is derived, to entirely remove pain, has, at considerable expense brought it into a form, both convenient and pleasant for use. The Hon. John Spencer, in a certificate of great length detailing a great variety of cases cured by this simple medicine, says: “its effect in calming and quieting nervous agitation is surprising. It is a remedy perfectly invaluable and is so gently astringent, so soothing, and so healing that it cannot injure. It cures, not merely relieves, all sorts of aches, pains, and inflammations where it can be applied to the diseased parts. It not only entirely reduces inflammation and sores of all kinds, but it gives new flesh – healthy flesh. It is recommended for the best remedy for the following complaints: Inflammation, Bleeding from Lungs or Stomach, Burns and Scalds, removing in a few minutes all the fire, bruised or broken limbs, Nervous affection, Dysentery, Cholic, Croup, Cholera Morbus, Sores and Tumors, Canker Sore Throat, Swelled and Broken Breast, Piles, Tooth Ache and more. In all these complaints, the Extract is warranted to give satisfaction. It is perfectly safe to take under any circumstances, is agreeable and pleasant, causing no pain or disagreeable sensation when taken or applied, and comes cheap. The Pond’s story continues to this day, the name being bought and sold several times. The bottles were so plentiful in the 1910s and 20s that some bottle diggers did not even take them. Pond’s Extract Co. was eventually merged with Chesebrough Manufacturing Co and finally Unilever. Since this article was written about Pond’s early days, I didn’t touch on what happened in the company later. The early bottles always fascinated me, mainly the 1840s to 1860s. As with most early research, it is always an ongoing project. I really hope the reader found this article enjoyable and informative, and I ask if anyone finds information or photos of the early bottles to reach out to me.
Meet Fred DeCarlo FOHBC Northeast Region Director. Fred DeCarlo was born and grew up in Utica, New York. He is currently a firefighter-EMT with the City of Utica Fire Department and has been with them for 20 years. He is married to his wife of 15 years, Curry McMahon-DeCarlo, and they have two children together. His bottle interest began over 20 years ago but really picked up steam in the last five years. He collects bottles from Utica and does research on them, as he loves local history. He recently started a website Utica Bottle Directory dedicated to Utica bottles. He is vice president of Mohawk Valley Antique Bottle Club and also co-editor of their newsletter. He is also an avid privy digger, dump digger, and metal detectorist. Exploring and researching are his favorite past times. March – April 2022
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VIRTUAL MUSEUM NEWS By Richard T. Siri, Santa Rosa, California
The two magazines, Bottles and Extras and Antique Bottles and Glass Collector, will have been joined together when you read my message. This significant development should bring a lot of new people to the doors of the Virtual Museum. With 600 spins planned by the end of January and another 100 by May, we stand an excellent chance to be at 1,000 by year’s end. Alan, our chief imager, is hard at work processing each example and then getting the files to Ferdinand Meyer for history and design and Miguel Ruiz for website upload. After all this, the bottle or glass piece is placed in the correct museum gallery. Eric McGuire, our newest West Coast imager, besides Gina Pelligrini, is gearing up and, with Alan’s help, should be ready to start imaging very soon. Miguel addressed some major issues with the website mechanics, storage, and processing over the holidays. He is working from Almaty, Kazakhstan, and is experiencing internet stoppages because of the recent civil unrest in that city and country. The Research Library is ready to open, and Ferdinand will work with Miguel to take it live on the museum website. You can purchase Virtual Museum merchandise through the FOHBC at this point. A gift shop is being developed within the Museum in a future phase. We have been receiving enough donations to provide access to the Museum at no charge to viewers and will be working to find corporate sponsors to fund galleries in the future, and that would enable us to keep the free sign on the door. So please take advantage of the free access and enjoy the Museum as there is nothing like it anywhere. **************** Virtual Museum Committee–Team Meeting The notes below reflect the items discussed and decisions reached during the Wednesday, January 12, 2022, 7:00 pm CST Zoom call. This call was attended by Alan DeMaison, Eric McGuire, Ferdinand & Elizabeth Meyer, John O’Neill, Gina Pellegrini, Michael Seeliger, Richard Siri, and Jeff Wichmann. Not Present, Ron Hands and Terry Crislip. 1.
2.
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General Overview (Meyer): Ferdinand gave a general overview of Virtual Museum (VM) progress covering architecture, floorplans, gallery spaces, new additions, future components, website size and server etc. Financial (DeMaison) (account, fundraising, donor wall, bank account etc.): Alan reviewed VM finances and noted that he had sent out a report earlier in the day. He noted the following donations since his last update: Robert Hagge Jr. $1,000
The FOHBC Virtual Museum has been established to display, inform, educate, and enhance the enjoyment of historical bottle and glass collecting by providing an online virtual museum experience for significant historical bottles and other items related to early glass.
and Chris Bubash $1,000 lifetime now $3,010. Alan discussed a few corrections concerning the $27,000 Drakes Plantation Bitters sold at recent American Glass Gallery auction. These were the John Pastor/American Glass Gallery $1,350 VM donation for waved fee, lifetime $1,450, Jeff Wichmann $12,825 lifetime VM donations $17,825, and Anonymous $12,825. Total lifetime donations to the VM is $80,391.48. Current status: USBank–$32,220.06, PayPal–$4,621.09. Total $36,841.15. Still to be paid this month is December invoice from Miguel for website development/maintenance. Ferdinand noted the January 6, 2022 email to the FOHBC board outlining financial history of the Virtual Museum. The document was displayed. 3.
USBank: John O’Neill to help with USBank VM account signature situation.
4.
Design (Meyer): Ferdinand briefly discussed and displayed the Google.doc museum inventory. He discussed the various stages from planning, imaging, website spinner, research, secondary images, page set-up and placement in museum gallery. The Inventory list was displayed.
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Technical (Ruiz): Miguel could not attend call. Ferdinand gave an overview of issues since Thanksgiving 2021. This included website stoppages, movement and migration to new larger server, Miguel’s workload, technical issues, new apps, and testing. It was noted that Miguel is still living and working abroad (for the FOHBC and FMG) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. His city and country is experiencing civil unrest. Internet stoppages have been occurring. Miguel and family are OK. We are now back on track with our website and new pieces are being added daily.
6.
Imaging (DeMaison, Pellegrini, McGuire): Alan, Gina and Eric gave an overview of their imaging progress and plans. Eric is having problems syncing his camera with the turntable. He will work with Alan and Gina to resolve.
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History (Meyer): VM History timeline updated and with Miguel to make the update on the website.
8.
Research Library (Meyer): Research Library is ready to open. Ferdinand will work with Miguel to take live on the website.
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Marketing (Meyer): Ferdinand gave an overview of daily VM new addition emails to the VM team, board members and VM guests. Mass emails using MailChimp are now occurring to FOHBC members. A few examples were referenced on screen. List will be expanded with AB&GC subscribers, Peachridgeglass.com emails and Antique Bottle Auctions emails.
10. New Discussion: A: Add bios and pics of major donors. B. Develop first Exhibition. C. Ferdinand confirmed receipt of Eric’s thumb drive of scanned Federation Journals. D. For the time being, the Virtual Museum will continue to have free access. E. Start interacting with potential large donors and glass museums. F. Sell Galleries. G. Gift Shop has not been developed. All VM merchandise sales are presently run through the FOHBC. H. Direct FOHBC membership link added to every Virtual Museum specimen page. **************** Virtual Museum Team: Terry Crislip (Imaging Assistant), Alan DeMaison (Imaging Director & Treasurer), Ron Hands (Imaging Assistant), Eric McGuire (Imaging & Research), Ferdinand Meyer V (Director, Design & Research), Gina Pellegrini (Imaging), Richard T. Siri (Director), Miguel Ruiz (Website) Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
March – April 2022
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Presents our absentee mail-phone bid cataloged Auction #77 of Patent Medicines, Pills, Tins, Apothecary-Drugstore and Advertising items.
Featuring many items from the extensive Jerry Phelps Collection!! Closing Saturday, March 26th, 2022 at 10:00 pm EST.
Some of the highlights include: Labeled Patent Medicines: Warner’s = Log Cabin Scalpine with Hair Tonic Label & Box, Safe Kidney & Liver Cure, Safe Remedies Co. - Compound - A Diuretic. L.Q.C Wisharts Pine Tree Tar Cordial, partial case = Reid’s German Cough & Kidney Cure, Da Costas Radical Cure, Dr. Burdick’s Kidney Cure, Hagenbuch’s Lung Balsam, Kennedy’s Medical Discovery, Radium-Radia, Cole Bros. Vegetable Bitters, Manner’s Sarsaparilla, Dr. Shoop’s Rheumatic Remedy, Dr. McLean’s Strengthening Cordial, Lehman’s Indian Cough Balsam, Dr. Wright’s Indian Vegetable Syrup, Dr. Harters Fever & Ague Specific, Dr. Fenner’s Dyspepsia Cure, D. Ransom & Co. King of the Blood (Buffalo), aqua, Paine’s Celery Compound, Dr. Jayne’s Expectorant w/Opium etc... Label–Pontiled Medicines: Clemen’s Indian Tonic, F. Brown Boston Sarsaparilla & Tomato Bitters, Dr. B.W Hairs Sarsaparilla, Unique Form = Circassian Lymph (Ex. Greer), Dr. W.S Lunt’s Family Medicines (Ex. Greer), Dr. Fitch’s (Ex. Greer), Bogle’s Hyperion, three different color labeled = Lawrence’s Carminative Childs Pain Killer, Mrs. Winslow’s etc. Labeled Bitters: Dr. Herbert John’s Indian Bitters, amber, Dr. Langley’s Root Bitters, Compound Hepatica Bitters, Mt. Vernon, ME (Ex. Gardner), Boerhave’s Holland Bitters, Genuine Turkish Rhubarb Bitters (Cincinnati), Germania Magen Bitters (Cleveland). Also, some of the above with original boxes!!! Part 1 of a Dr. Kilmer Collection Featuring Bottles, Paper & Advertising: Rare, 4 ¼” tall Cylinder Dr. Kilmer’s Cough-Cure Sample, Early U.O.A Anointment Jar, 3 1/8” tall Kidney Remedy Sample. Large size, Dr. T.J Kilmer’s Special Remedies from Schoharie, NY. Labeled Examples (Most with boxes): Large-size Ocean-Weed Heart Remedy (Embossed Heart), Medium-size Heart Medicine, early, Dr. Kilmers Cough-Cure Consumption Oil, small-size Cough Syrup, two sizes Swamp-Roots, Dr. Kilmer’s Autumn Leaf Extract, Early, Dr. Kilmer’s Female Remedy, three Different U&O Anointment Jars, U&O Anointment Sample Tin, Early and rare box of Prompt Parilla Pills, Cylinder Vial for Prompt Parilla Liver Pills. Rare, Dr. Kilmer’s Pile Pipe and More!! Also, a nice selection of early Almanacs, Trade Cards (Including the Rare Standard Herbal Remedies Card), Guides to Health, Swamp-Root Record, Advertising Envelopes, Bill Heads, Two different Office Hours Cards, Letterheads, Blotters etc... Also, Check the Advertising Section for two different Dr. Kilmer Advertising Signs!! Tins: Kickapoo Indian Salve, Dr. Classe’s German Liver Regulator, Dr. Sharpsteen’s Hindoo Salve, Wetmore’s Anti-Dyspeptic Charcoal Tablets, Sykes Comfort Powder, Victory Vapor Balm, Cornbane Corn Remover, seven sample Talc Tins: two different Mennen’s, Colgate Eclat, Monad, Florient and Cashmere Bouquet. Group lots etc... Tooth Powder Tins: ADS Tooth Powder, Pro-Phy-Tol Toothe Powder, Allen’s Sanitary Tooth-Ease, Sample William’s Tooth Powder, Dr. Tepper’s Gum Lyke. Tooth Bottles: J.I Brown & Sons Oriental Tooth Powder, Teaberry Tooth Powder, Pearl Dentifrice, World’s Par-More Tooth and Gum Treatment. Ceramic–Oriental Tooth Paste pot and lid. Pills: Lydia Pinkham’s Liver Pills, Dr. Shoop’s Nerve Pills, Piso’s Tablets, Shawnee Liver Pills, Dr. Marvin’s Mandrake Pills, Frog in Your Throat Lozenges, Warner’s Cathartic Pills and a sealed pack of one dozen Warner’s Log Cabin Liver Pills, Munyon’s, Humphreys, group lots etc... Apothecary: Important = Samuel Alcock & Co. Handled Leeches Jar!! Early, carboy-shaped amethyst Storage Jar, Label Under Glass Jars in amber, green and cobalt blue! Nice, Mander Weaver & Co. Ceramic Pill Tile, two sizes: Sir Hiram Maxim’s “Pipe of Peace” Inhaler, two different Poison Registers, Hearing Horn and more!! Veterinary: Labeled Bottles = Dr. Lesure’s: Cough and Tonic Drops, Healing Balm, Special Liniment and Veterinary Fever Drops. Dr. Claris’ Colic Medicine, Wilbur’s Spavin Cure, large size, Green Merchants Gargling Oil, small size cobalt Merchants, Stouder’s Distemper and Cough Remedy, Sloan’s Spasmodic Colic Medicine, Free Sample Sloan’s Family Liniment, Sloan’s Antiseptic Wart Remover, Sloan’s Quick Relief. Early, Dr. Daniels Cough, Cold & Fever Drops, 1 Staniford St. Boston. Norwood’s Chill & Fever Drops, etc... Packages: Rare, Wilbur’s Sure Louse Killer, Sloan’s Worm and Tonic Powders for Horses. Cans: Large size Dr. Hess Instant Louse Killer, Pratt’s Worm Powder, We-No-Nah Louse Powder, Dr. Lesure’s Dusting Powder. Tins: Heckler’s Drawing and Healing Salve, Van Dyck’s Big V Gall Cure, Dr. Lesure’s Gall Cure. Nice, 1915 Truax, Greene & Co. Veterinary Instruments, Sundries, Drugs Catalog. Rare, Sloan’s Sure Colic Cure Sign and more!! Advertising: Signs: Great, Dr. Kilmers Standard Herbal Remedies Roll Down with Body Inside a Bottle, Dr. Kilmer’s Swamp-Root = “Old Friends Are Best” cardboard sign with easel back. Early, color broadside for: The Celebrated Oxygenated Bitters for Dyspepsia, Dr. Harters Wild Cherry Bitters = Topless Nude Image, Two = Dr. Jayne’s Tonic Vermifuge and Expectorant Posters Featuring George & Martha Washington, Nice, larger size reverse glass: Dr. D. Jayne’s Expectorant Coughs and Colds. Scarce, Drink - Queen Sherbet - Celluloid Sign, McLean’s Volcanic Oil Liniment Thermometer, Walla-Walla Pepsin Gum Counter Jar, Dr. Miles’ Anti-Pain Pills Celluloid Dexterity Puzzle. Selection of wood shipping crates and more!!! For a fully illustrated catalog with color pictures send $15 to: McMurray Antiques & Auctions, P.O. Box 393, Kirkwood, N.Y. 13795. Post auction price list included. Entire Catalog should be viewable on my website March 15, 2022 Next Auction Summer 2022 Currently accepting quality items for future sales. Email: mcmurrayauctions@aol.com
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Website: www.mcmurrayauctions.com
Phone: (607) 775-5972 or Phone–Fax: (607) 775-2321
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
WANTED! Articles for
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector Our editor, staff and designers eagerly await helping you in any possible way. We do the layout and design!
Please consider telling us about your collection or someone else’s. Tell us about your latest digging or picking adventure. Write a fictional bottle story. Tell us about an area or component of antique bottle and glass collecting that you find interesting. Every bottle has a story. Tell us about your favorite medicine man, merchant, or proprietor who are related to our bottles or about a glasshouse. Write an auction or show report. Tell us about a club outing, or maybe a visit to a glass museum. Maybe it is something you have learned in the hobby or have concerns with. Really, the sky is the limit. Don’t be shy. Young or old, new to the hobby or a veteran, please unmask that author that is hiding inside! To submit a story, send a letter to the Editor, or express comments or concerns about Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, please contact the Editor, Elizabeth Meyer at fohbcmembers@gmail.com
March – April 2022
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CA LL FOR H I S TORICAL IM AG E S The FOHBC, led by board member Michael Seeliger, has started a major new initiative to preserve our history. We would like your assistance in locating potentially long-lost images before it is too late as they could potentially be forgotten forever. We are looking for photographs, either in black and white or color, of the great collections, collectors, bottle shows and displays of yesteryear. Our goal is to gather, enhance and index this material digitally and make it available to our members and collectors for generations to come.
Send photos to: Michael Seeliger We prefer images in digital format, jpg or pdf format, or original photos that we will scan and archive, or return. Please specify. The highest resolution possible. Please caption each image. If you know of anyone who may have some of these images, like club historians, or old collectors, please let them know or provide contact info for them. We are also looking for older bottles books to scan and archive on our web sites. Thank you.
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N8211 Smith Road Brooklyn, Wisconsin 53521 mwseeliger@gmail.com 608.575.2922
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
humble pie
noun Definition of humble pie 1. (Cookery) (formerly) a pie made from the heart, entrails, etc., of a deer. 2. eat humble pie to behave or be forced to behave humbly. 3. a figurative serving of humiliation
By Jeff Mihalik For sure, this article is not about eating an actual humble pie! It is, however, about how the privy and hobby of privy digging can have the effect of compelling you to accept and, more importantly, remember how you enjoyed your humble origins in the pursuit of bottle digging and collecting.
would be good, and by good, I mean we would find 50+ bottles with a few of them being worthy of putting on your shelf. As time went on, I started to realize that maybe you could expect one out of ten digs to be productive. Now, I often think that maybe one in twenty-five or thirty are going to be better digs. Heck, I just saw where a longtime digger said that he had dug 100 privies without much luck.
I love to collect the bottles I have dug through I started to think about privy digging. But I this, and one thing that often wonder, if I didn’t stood out was that I was have so many great and finding a lot of botsuccessful privy digs tles, many interesting over the years, would [Fig. 1] Wm. G. Reid, Shindler Mfg. Co. Nacogdoches, Tex. Hutchinson bottles, but not many I still love it? I started or any that I would put on my bottle shelf. So, although many of in this hobby like many others by digging bottle dumps. I can my digs were productive, I had lost my beginner’s mind. With still remember finding my first ketchup bottle in a dump and how knowledge came a sort of arrogance. If you have ever dabbled thrilled I was! I still have the first Hutchinson bottle I found there with western religious philosophy, especially Zen Buddhism, [See Fig. 1]. Like many others, I kept at it, made many friends along the way, learned about bottles, glass manufacturing, local history, you may have heard the term Zen Mind Beginners Mind. Sort of related to ignorance is bliss, but without ignorance, if you know and became knowledgeable. what I mean. Fast forward a lot of years!! No longer does a “3-in-1 Oil” make I realized that I needed to eat some bottle digging humble pie, get me smile, but when I see some online video of someone who is back to experiencing the moment, appreciate what I am finding, now first getting into the hobby and digging a dump and how and be grateful I can dig as much as I do being over 65. they get so excited about what they are finding, I do smile as it reminds me of my first digs. So THANKS to all those who are “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” posting and or publishing their digs and finds! In the end, it is not about the monetary value of a find (although that’s not a bad Confucius thing, and I would admit that value can turn up the excitement), but how it makes you feel when you first make your discovery. TO THE DIGS I still dig with my good friend, Rick, who first taught me about privy digging. On many days, when we find no “good” bottles, we always make an effort to enjoy our time together (grab some food and a few beers and find stuff to laugh about), so that longtime, great friendship helps in making not-so-productive digs, enjoyable. So, friendships aside, every privy digger, whether just starting or having been at it for a long time, will tell you how crazy demanding this hobby is. I remember my first privy dig being good, and I thought every dig would be similar. I was so wrong! Then it seemed like we used to believe that one out of every five digs March – April 2022
For many years I often dug 15 or more privies that have pontiled bottles. This year, just one pit was pontil age. Some of this was due to starting a new business, covid, and other obstacles, and I really didn’t dig as much as I typically do in a year, but I probably have dug 50 or more privies. I had been trying to get permission for a couple of years at this house with five windows across the front, which usually indicates civil war or earlier structures. I finally had a chance to talk with the owner this summer, and he was all good with what I wanted to do. I am not a door knocker and typically wait until I see someone outside. 25
I probed for about 30 minutes and found a nice-sized spot along the back fence. I was alone but decided to open it up. The first bottle was a nice 1870s era “Dr. Keyers” from Pittsburgh but with a hole in the bottle. It seemed all the bottles were damaged. Just under this layer, I started to find pontiled bottles, but all were broken, including a huge 9-inch, clear pontil “E. Roussel” from Philadelphia. Finally, near the bottom of the pit, I found my first whole bottle, a “Dr. McLanes - American Worm Specific,” a smaller-sized one with a pontil and bold embossing. Other than that, the only other whole pontiled bottle was a small medicine embossed “Pure and Genuine” with both “N’s” in “genuine” being backward [See Figs. 2 & 3]. It took a while, but I learned to appreciate these bottles, the humble worm specific and aqua med, and on the shelf they went. [Fig. 2] Dr. McLanes - American Worm Specific [Fig. 4] my take-home included a couple of hobble skirt cokes, a nice Nehi, a Jumbo peanut butter, and, a bunch of other miscellaneous stuff, including an “Indian Celt!”
“He who is not contented with what he has would not be contented with what he would like to have.” – Socrates
[Fig. 3] “Pure and Genuine” with both “N’s” in “genuine” being backward
This fall, I was digging in a small local town. Over the years, I’ve dug here many times before and have made some nice discoveries, so available and better pits were getting scarce. However, I was permitted on a lot that I have not dug where the 1870s map showed a couple of structures. I located two spots that felt very crunchy! After opening the first pit, I started to hit bottles; but, they were the 1930s, maybe 40s or even 50s! Nothing I would typically dig, but I thought, what the heck, I’m here digging, and there are bottles. Well...my take-home included a couple of hobble-skirt cokes, a nice Nehi, a Jumbo peanut butter, and a bunch of other miscellaneous stuff, including an “Indian Celt!” [See Fig. 4]
[Fig. 5] Painted milks fresh out of the hole.
Also, I found something I have never dug before, painted label milks! I found three local milks, all nicely embossed. [See Fig. 5] However, the best milk had a picture of a cow on one side and a woman on the other. Unfortunately, it didn’t do well upon getting some water on it. That said, the other two milks actually held up, and I could get them to look very presentable. [See Fig. 6]. I’ve never collected milks, but given the local history, which I have only been able to get via oral history from some local old-timers, I appreciate them for what they are, and didn’t let what they were not, become foremost in my mind.
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not” - Epicurus
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[Fig. 6] The other two milks actually held up, and I could get them to look very presentable.
The other lot produced many bottles, with the best one being an embossed local creamery bottle [See Fig. 7]. I was pleased with this find as the locals kept telling me of the local creamery, and now I had both a painted label example and an embossed one! On the shelf it went!
[Fig. 7] Embossed local creamery bottle.
[Fig. 8] But, at the bottom of the pit, we did find a couple of older whole bottles. First out was a “Warners Safe Cure.”
In October of 2021, Rick and I were in another local town where we have dug many pits. I always liked this one home; although it did not show up on the 1870s map, it just looked old enough to have some privies. Well, we got the permission, probed, and found one pit that seemed rock-lined. Rick’s daughter was with us as well as her boyfriend. They have been to several of our digs, but they were all busts, so we were hoping to find some bottles for them to see! And did we find bottles? LOL, about 200 clear and non-embossed whiskeys! But, at the bottom of the pit, we did find a couple of older whole bottles. First out was a “Warners Safe Cure.” [See Fig. 8] Then I uncovered two bottles side by side [See Fig. 9]. When I initially saw this amber, embossed, round-shaped bottle, I thought it was a USA Hospital Dept bottle! However, it turned out to be a “Weyman’s” snuff jar! [See Fig. 10 cleaned up some]. Heck, now I wish I hadn’t traded that Weyman’s jar lid I dug some years ago! Next to the Weyman’s was an embossed ale from Youngstown, but when I pulled that one out, the lip was 70% missing.
[Fig. 9] Then I uncovered two bottles side by side [See Fig. 9]. When I initially saw this amber, embossed, round-shaped bottle, I at first thought it was a USA Hospital Dept bottle! However, it turned out to be a “Weyman’s” snuff jar!
[Fig. 11] Jeff Mihalik on the cover of the September–October 2017 issue of Bottles and Extras. Feature article Cheers to the Privy!
So there you have it—no green scroll flask with an anchor [See Fig 11], no colored bitters or rare pontil medicine, no loads of unusual
[Fig. 10] Two embossed “Weyman’s Copenhagen Tobacco Co. Snuff jars.
March – April 2022
or valuable finds, just humble pie bottles. And, yes, I do feel very good about what I did find and the new additions on some of my bottle shelves. They remind me to enjoy the moment, appreciate what is given to us, and it’s good to eat humble pie and remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for!
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Antique Bottles & Advertising Show March 19, 2022
Dalton, Georgia Convention Center 2211 Tony Ingle Pkwy, Dalton, Georgia 30720 (Exit 333 off I-75)
Tables are 8 ft. and $30 each.
Free Appraisals Available. There will be Concessions at the show.
Set up: 6 am to 8 am
Show Chairmen:
Early Buyers: 8 am to 9 am ($20 for early buyers)
Jason Herron 205-913-9748
Admission Free: 9 am to 3 pm
Buddy Lasater 423-718-3521 chattbottleshowinfo@gmail.com
Parking is FREE.
Contact chairmen for contracts or information
March – April 2022
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[Photo C]
[Photo D]
[Photo E]
[Photo A]
[Photo F]
[Photo G]
[Photo B]
Nosy writer Ralph Finch wants Ralph poses this observation: If I were to visit the homes of a thousand FOHBC collectors, we would likely find... a ton of old bottles, old pottery, etc. But will there be one thing that would cause a sharp-eyed observer to pause and say... “what the heck is that? That doesn’t belong!” So, let’s break into a few collectors’ homes and try to find what’s questionable.
[Photo H] [Photo I]
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John Pastor’s bucket list: If you visit John’s lovely Michigan home, you would be surrounded by really great and beautiful early-American glass. In the corner, there is a plain-looking 50-year-old lunch bucket: “In it, I can still smell banana,” admits John. It was John’s late father’s lunchbox reminiscent of his dad’s favorite fruit. [Photos A & B]
[Photo J]
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
[Photos A & B] A lunch box filled with memories of John Pastor’s father. Photos: Liz Maxbauer
[Photo C] Jim Peake selected a pair of salt and pepper shakers in the form of flirtatious snails. [Photo D] Terry Kovel holds her “priceless” cup, which cost 25 cents. [Photo E] Bill Baab’s The hound-handled pitcher is attributed to the Baynham pottery in Aiken County, S.C., and dates to the early 20th century. [Photo F] Poison queen Joan Cabaniss can tie one on with one of her string holders (taken from the deck of her Virginia home). [Photo G] An item that brings back childhood memories for Steve Ketcham of Minnesota. [Photo H] The Kokles’ rubber chicken purse named Henny which Mary has carted around the country while Kim photographs at historic sites. [Photo I] Bob Strickhart’s father made this hand-made device that was given to Bob when he was seven. Its purpose? To show how gears work. [Photo J] Ralph shows his 61-year-old
Purse your lips and If you visit Kim and Mary Kokles in Texas, major collectors/dealers, you will be surrounded with a variety of top-notch Americana antiques, including museum-quality wooden Indians; maybe even a wooden nickel. And one rubber chicken purse named Clucky which Mary has carted around the country while Kim photographs it at historic sites. [Photo H] Some other contenders included the only wooden nickel I have, and Lord knows where it is, which is one that someone hands you when you say, “I will do it when I get around to it.” Hence, the wooden nickel is printed on one side “Round TUIT,” so now you have to do your procrastinated chore because you have a round TUIT in your hand. Ingenious but stupid. We also have a very eclectic mix of objects which have strong visual interest. Not as varied as the Finches’ world of Toilet Paper to Toasters, but introduce us to something visual, and we can get addicted pretty easily. Many have said, “I would buy that if I had a place to put it.” That is on the lowest priority of our totem pole of necessity of ownership. I started collecting when someone took me bottle digging at age 15, and I dug one embossed “Snake Oil.” Having grown up in the world of TV westerns and traveling snake oil salesmen, I was immediately addicted.
As a side note, the only thing on my bucket list is to dig a pontiled pontil. And Kim corrects me: “It’s NOT Clucky; it’s Henny!” Kim then adds this about the Kokles Kollection (sic): When my grandfather immigrated to this country, another gentleman came along but decided to try his luck in the Yukon gold rush. He returned to live with my grandfather here in Texas, sick and broke, and he paid his room and board with these walrus ivory carvings and baleen baskets, scrimshawed and woven by the native Eskimo. These objects adorned my grandparents’ mantle and, as a kid I stared at them with wonderment, and they have been passed down in my family. Perhaps it was this fascination which started me on my collecting.” I asked Kim again for a photo, but he replied: “Henny has been in hiding in fear of all the ‘Eat more chicken!’ commercials, but I will see what I can do.” And, before I could finish this article, Kim changed his selection, thinking it should be the theme for most collectors. We have a WWI poster [Photo K] encouraging you to buy war bonds. But this sign talks to us the most of everything we have, and it helps us stay on course if we lose our way. I think I choose this for your article.
to poke around your… privates. sumo umpire’s “fan.” He now doesn’t remember if it started or stopped a match, but when he sees it he can clearly remember the event; even the sound of it! (Recently, a young Japanese friend commented, “I tried to find the meaning of the moon and the sun but I could not find the good explanation, but … the sumo umpire uses this fan when wrestlers start the sumo match and raises the fan in the direction of the winning sumo wrestler.”
Easily sidetracked, New Jersey’s Robert Strickhart, a major flask and bitters collector, replies:
Photo: Janet Finch
So, I have a hand-built O Gauge Camelback locomotive in live steam. I have a stationary live-steam locomotive. And, there’s a stand with hand-made naval specification gears that don’t do anything really, except demonstrate how all types of gears operate. Life with my mom and dad was never boring. I was lucky.”
[Photo K] Kim Kokles’ Komments: “During World War I, the U.S. needed to raise money to pay for the soldiers, tanks, airplanes and other equipment it needed to fight the war, and to be repaid after the war.” It sounds like a poster most collectors should have. [Photo L] Joe Gourd is happy to give us the bird (just to release some steam).
March – April 2022
“When you are the son of the man who handbuilt parts for missile guidance systems, the guidance mechanisms for Redstone rockets, gyroscopes for Mercury and Gemini space missions, as well as fire-control systems for Iowa class battleships, you had interesting toys. [Photo I]
Perhaps England’s No. 1 collector/researcher, John Ault, admits that the only odd thing in his home is him.
[Photo K]
[Photo L] [Photo M]
Continued...
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Jim Peake is the glass and British ceramics specialist at Bonham’s Montpelier Street branch in London and says: “I collect some 18th century English wine glasses, but my main personal interest is impressionist bronze sculpture (particularly portrait busts). I don’t have many, but those have kept me happy enough. When I was a child, I used to collect Victorian glass bottles—I still have the collection, quite a number, but always prefer the ones with a hint of colour or attractive iridescence from excavation. My background is in archaeology, so, unlike many collectors, I tend to prefer things which look like they’ve been dug up rather than perfect!” So, the oddest thing in his home? “It’s hard to pick just one thing out of the masses of sentimental rubbish I’ve hoarded over the years! I think the one that sticks out like a sore thumb is a pair of salt and pepper shakers in the form of flirtatious snails.” [Photo C] “I have a cabinet filled with various curiosities and these now sit on a shelf in there. They belonged to my mother. I have no idea where she got them, but she gave them to me as a child and I used to play with them. Essentially, they were my first ceramic! They used to have painted eyes and red lips, but most of the paint has chipped away. They are truly horrible, very kitsch, made in Japan sometime in the ‘70s I’d guess. But they’re fun, and remind me of home.” Name your poison? This Huddleston, Va., collector lives for poison. Surrounded by 600 American poisons amassed over 42 years, Joan Cabaniss, who turned 82 last October, explains her antidote to her poison addiction: “I collect antique string holders, which visitors are always asking: ‘What are they?’ They also are green, clear, and pink and come in different molds.” [Photo F] And I ask Joan if she knew Jerry and Lori Jaffe, the “king, and queen of poisons,” in Connecticut, whose car license plate said POISON. Joan replies, “I knew the Jaffes and bought poisons from them… My Virginia license plate is POISON, and I had lots of fun with it, including when the Virginia State Police wanted to know why.” My reply to Joan, “What a coincidence; we must be related. Although I sold my tiny poison collection some time ago, I still have my glass string holder—clear, with a thumb-print design and a blue rim. Wow. Great minds, etc.” Cups fit this kid to the tea: The popular Steve Ketcham of Edina, Minn., is known for bottles, advertising, and stoneware, but beyond that, “a collection of several dozen Victorian children’s china cups has become my cup of tea. Most were made in Germany. All bear colorful, wonderful, whimsical scenes of youngsters playing at being youngsters. Shown here are four favorites, three of which include a bottle as part of the scene.” [Photo G] (And we have shown our favorite.) Joe Gourd gives us the bird: In his Winfield, Ill., residence, Joe Gourd is famous for his thousands of trade cards—especially bitters bottle trade cards and adds: “If you were to visit our home, you can and would expect to find posters and other colorful bitters ephemera displayed everywhere. What you would not expect to see would be a vintage dark blue, Spongeware, pie bird.” Pie birds or pie whistles, pie vents, pie funnels, or even pie chimneys are hollow ceramic statuettes that bakers can use to vent steam from their pies. [Photo L] “As anyone knows, my limited kitchen skills consist of feeble attempts to toast bread. On the other hand, my lovely and talented wife, Edie, can perfectly bake anything from Apple pie to Zucchini Bread. Yum, Yum!” 32
Terry has a mustache: Visit the Cleveland home of Terry Kovel, queen of the Kovel antiques publishing world, and you will literally see thousands of valuable collectibles. At age 92 (along with her late husband, Ralph), she has helped write 100 books on antiques and collectibles. And, amid rooms of tons of serious material, there is a mustache cup Terry purchased when she was a child. [Photo D] The original cost? Twenty-five cents. Its current value? Priceless! Terry explains: “I bought it for me; it was the beginning of a collection. My mother and brother both had collections, and I had empty shelves in my room. I liked the gold flower decoration. We were at Niagara Falls, and I had been given a dollar to spend,” she recalls. “So, I looked around and decided to buy this cup for a quarter. I didn’t know it was a mustache cup, and neither did my family for a few years. A family friend with a mustache admired it and used the name. I was delighted because I had something old and rare to look for when we all went antiquing.” Plus, Terry admits, “I had to buy something, or my mother said I had to return the dollar.” (And Terry kindly adds: “I like your article; it isn’t often antiques writers get a new idea.”) Weaving a story for a buck: Georgia’s noted fishing expert and Augusta bottle collector, Bill Baab, tells us about... “This basket is attributed to the Cherokee tribe and was made in the late 19th or early 20th century. The hound-handled pitcher is attributed to the Baynham pottery in Aiken County, S.C., and dates to the early 20th century. You can just make out the trophy buck with antlers which is being pursued by a hound on the left.” [Photo E] Ralph shovels the dirt: At the Finch home (Ralph & Janet Finch) in Michigan, a visitor will see a truckload (a dump-truck load?) of old (and odd) this-and-that, although mostly glass: snuff jars, demijohns, glass canes, glass (or wood) flytraps, and some non-glass: a large, 1899 tricycle (on it sits an old teddy bear wearing a Phantom of The Opera mask), and, above his computer, a very large (and appropriate) sign that proclaims “Fertilizers of all Kinds,… etc.” You’ll also see a 61-year-old souvenir of a sumo-match umpire’s fan (to start and halt bouts), “which reminds me of my adventures of three years in Japan when I was 20. Whenever I see that ‘fan,’ I can hear the sound of those humongous bodies slam together and echo about the arena.” [Photo J] “And on our bedroom wall is a ratty, 78-year-old, one-eyed teddy bear. I don’t know what happened to the one eye, but I can still remember cuddling it at night, pulling off its fur (and possibly its eye). And then there’s my 74-year-old reverse-on-glass painted zebra. It’s not very good, but I was only 11.” (Yet with the artistic skills of a six-year-old.) And I ask you: Don’t all collectors, regardless of having amassed thousand-dollar flasks, have that one particular object important only to them—their personal Rosebud, (the closing line to Citizen Kane, where director Orson Welles used it as an illusory flashback effect of memory that may affect everyone: We have amassed all of this, but… what really is important?) OK, what item in your home, no matter how small or even seemingly silly, appears to be out of place? Fess up, photo it if possible, and e-mail rfinch@twmi.rr.com. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
visit
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When You Discover Good Bottles & Glass... Send Them to Heckler’s! We welcome your conversation to discuss consignment options for a singular item, group or entire collection.
www. hecklerauction.com 860-974-1634 79 Bradford Corner Road, Woodstock Valley, CT 06282 34
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
DR. E. CHAMPLAIN’S LIGNEOUS EXTRACT
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By Eric McGuire and Frank Sternad
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When this little medicine bottle started turning up in Northern California digs in the late 1960s, the first impression was that the product was imported, possibly from Europe or Canada. The inscription “Patented” was reminiscent of nostrums produced in 18th and 19th century England, and the name Champlain suggested France or Quebec. Plus, there was that word “Ligneous.” Definitely not American, right?
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As it turns out, I’m afraid that’s not right. The authors started exploring the U.S. Patent Office records a few years later and were surprised to learn the product did not travel across the Atlantic, or from Canada, or even the eastern U.S., but originated in the fledgling town of Cloverdale, California, in Sonoma County.
[above]
Cloverdale, California in Sonoma County map. [left]
The oval, embossed “DR. E. Champlain Ligneous Extract Patented” is typical of bottles blown by glassworks operating in San Francisco at the time. Bright aquamarine in color and rather crudely finished with applied tops.
Erastus Champlain, the eponymous patentee and a blacksmith with no medical training, along with a partner, Daniel Mayon, outlined the process for manufacturing “Ligneous Extract” in their patent application. In truth, very few “patent” medicine makers had their inventions documented by the U.S. Patent Office, but the Cloverdale proprietary was an exception. The two men convinced officials that their “Mayon and Champlain’s Ligneous Extract” was a new and unique invention and received Letters Patent No. 510,318 on August 13, 1872. March – April 2022
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q In reading the details, it is amazing that the patq q q q q q q q
ent examiner didn’t challenge the subtitle, “Improvement in medical compounds for the cure of dyspepsia, etc.” The text reveals a process based on the destructive distillation of wood in an earth-covered charcoal pit, with smoke and other vapors captured in a condenser. Fluid, as it runs from the condenser, “can be drawn into bottles for use.” A reporter witnessing the process in Cloverdale in mid-November 1872 remarked that a large brick kiln had replaced the charcoal pit; and also observed, “…a liquid is produced amounting to 20 gallons per day. This liquid is said to contain extraordinary medicinal qualities, and when refined, has a golden color and acid taste. In the new factory building, which measured 40 x 60 ft., there are departments where the bottling, sealing, labeling, wrapping, and packing are done. Nine men and women are now employed in these works.”
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Medicine Factory announced, October 3, 1872
q Jumping ahead again: several unopened Exq q q q q q q
tract bottles were found in the attic of a Cloverdale building in the 1970s. Printed information wrapped around the bottles fully confirmed Erastus Champlain as proprietor, living in Cloverdale during August–October 1872 when the product was being readied for market. Most importantly, the century-old corked bottles contained a dark, shiny precipitate swirling around in a watery liquid that smelled suspiciously of creosote. Although described as “golden color” when first bottled, the contents had decomposed during the ensuing century into something entirely different. The 19th-century patient was directed to take a half teaspoonful of the Extract in water, and we can only hope that the odorous potion was somehow safe (harmless) and effective (provided relief).
q Wood-tar creosote is a colorless to yellowish q q
liquid with a smoky odor. It is obtained by the fractional distillation of resinous woods such as pine and fir and in the eastern U.S. from beechwood (Fagus grandifolia). Wood creosote combines natural phenols, primarily guaiacol 36
Mayon & Champlain convinced officials that their “Mayon and Champlain’s Ligneous Extract” was a new and unique invention and received Letters Patent No. 510,318 on August 13, 1872.
and creosol, both of which have medicinal properties. The substance became popular among physicians in the 19th century for both external and internal applications. A dilution of creosote in water was sold in pharmacies as Aqua creosoti, prescribed to “quell irritability of the stomach and bowels, treat ulcers and stimulate mucous membranes.” Champlain’s Extract was likely just that—a dilute solution of creosote in water. Champlain’s advertising in 1872 claimed, “The Extract contains no alcoholic or mineral substance, but is purely vegetable.” This was a reassuring, yet misleading, statement that deflects from the chemical irritants being distilled from “sugar pine, fir and three kinds of oak”— the varieties of wood reportedly harvested for the process. The term “ligneous,” by the way, is no more than a $2 adjective meaning woody. It is theorized that Daniel Mayon, a lawyer from
Vermont, heard about Champlain’s folk remedy and developed a plan to put it on the market. This process included the usual charade of endowing the blacksmith with the title “Dr.” When the first newspaper advertising appeared in late 1872, Champlain claimed he discovered his cure for dyspepsia in Ohio, 28 years earlier in 1844. The oval, embossed bottle reads, “DR. E. CHAMPLAIN - LIGNEOUS EXTRACT - PATENTED,” and is typical of bottles blown by glassworks operating in San Francisco at the time, meaning bright aquamarine glass and rather crudely finished with applied tops. Only one size is known, roughly 5.5 inches tall. Since the bottle reads “PATENTED,” the first batch was probably blown in August or September 1872, after the patent was issued. The earliest advertising appeared in the Cloverdale Bee on November 2, 1872. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Several unopened Extract bottles were found in the attic of a Cloverdale building in the 1970s. Printed information wrapped around the bottles fully confirmed Erastus Champlain as proprietor.
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Erastus Champlain was born in New York in about 1817. It is not known what brought him west to Ohio, but he was in Wayne County at least by 1839 when he married Adaline Moore the day after Christmas. A little more than three years later, on February 16, 1843, Champlain married again for reasons we can only guess, this time to 31-year-old Margaret McCartney of Richland County. Seven years later, according to the July 1850 census, the couple’s residence was in Ashland County, Ohio (formed from part of Richland County in 1846). Margaret’s children from a previous marriage, John 17 and George 10, had taken the Champlain name and welcomed half-sister Sarah when she was born in 1845. Regardless of his obligations in Ohio, the irresistible pull of potential wealth had lured Champlain to California, where he was listed in the same 1850 U.S. census at two different locations between September 23 and November 9, both near Coloma in El Dorado County. John A. Sutter’s saw mill at Coloma has been celebrated as “ground zero” for the 1848 discovery of gold in California, and Champlain likely spent some time prospecting this hallowed ground. However, most immigrants who enjoyed success during the California gold rush acquired their “fortune” by supplying goods and services, which in Champlain’s case was selling his skill at blacksmithing. Champlain was also one of many gold-seekers who found California to their liking and put down roots there rather than return home. Whether he traveled back to Ohio for his wife, Margaret, or summoned her, the couple is known to have settled into a home in bucolic Cloverdale by 1865. Erastus set up a blacksmith’s shop in a small frame building on the east side of West Street, the main thoroughfare. After discovering a rock quarry on his property outside of town in 1870, he erected a large stone building on West St. between Broad and Second. An 1870 news article notes that Champlain had “discovered a new stone quarry near town.”
verdale newspaper, became general agent for the Pacific Coast, with an office at 231 California St., San Francisco. Agent for the four North Bay counties of Sonoma, Marin, Napa, and Mendocino was Andrew J. Murphy. A Santa Rosa paper stated: “Mr. Murphy is satisfied that this medicine is valuable, and says that he will work zealously for its introduction…Success to him.” (Sonoma Democrat, December 14, 1872, 4:5) Erastus Champlain’s success during the following year of 1873, however, is rather sketchy. It is known that he abruptly left California and relocated to the town of Liberty, Clay County, Missouri, probably in late spring or early summer. Liberty newspapers (August and September editions) describe how a local sheet iron business was busy constructing “retorts and purifiers and all the strange fixtures for the new factory of Dr. Champlain & Co., being erected in our city for the manufacturing of his celebrated medicine.” Then, just as suddenly, a notice in the Liberty Tribune for January 23, 1874, gives mention of him, but only to report his death. His Masonic brethren were notifying the town of his passing in a “Tribute of Respect” and committing to wearing a badge of mourning for 30 days. Yet, no other news item or obituary can be found that provides details about his demise. It is unlikely that Champlain ever achieved production of his Ligneous Extract in Missouri since none of his bottles have been found in that part of the country, and the Tribune never advertised the sale of the product. Notes: Cloverdale was no more than a sleepy stage stop in the upper Russian River Valley until 1872 when the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad reached the town, effectively connecting it with Petaluma, the northern head of navigation on San Francisco Bay. While Champlain was living in Cloverdale, the retail price for his Extract was not mentioned in newspaper advertising (the last insertion was May 10, 1873), but the bottle wrapper stated $2. When Pacific Coast advertising shifted to Portland, Oregon, with Hodge, Calef & Co. as wholesale agents (August 29, 1873 to March 4, 1874), the price was lowered to $1. Liberty, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City, had become famous for the first daylight, armed bank robbery in peacetime America (February 13, 1866). It was committed by a large gang led by Frank James and Cole Younger, former Confederate guerrillas intent on taking all the “Yankee money” deposited in the Clay County Savings Association. Daniel Mayon remained in Cloverdale until at least 1875, but his location during the following eight to nine years is a mystery. There is a record of him ending his stay in Paducah, Kentucky, in June 1884 and heading up the Ohio River to Evansville, Indiana, where he spent the better part of two years.
Erastus set up a blacksmith’s shop in a small frame building on the east side of West Street, the main thoroughfare; after discovering a rock quarry on his property outside of town in 1870, he erected a large stone building on West St. between Broad and Second.
On October 10, 1872, two months after the Ligneous Extract patent was issued, Margaret Champlain died at age 60. Nevertheless, the business venture was in motion, and two agents were secured to distribute the medicine. George D. Bonham, the building owner that housed the Clo38
Daniel probably developed another nostrum in Evansville: Mayon’s Spinal Remedy, for nervous exhaustion and rheumatism. By January 1888, he and his family had moved to Cincinnati, where they were actively marketing the Remedy. After Daniel Mayon died from acute meningitis in 1893, the medicine business was operated by his sons, John R. and Daniel W. Mayon, until 1900 when Daniel’s widow, Margaret, took over. John became head doorkeeper of the Grand Opera House, and Daniel went on the road as a contracting agent for the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show. John was born in August 1866 in Sacramento and died in CinAntique Bottle & Glass Collector
q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q March – April 2022
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cinnati on June 12, 1923. His brother, Daniel, was born in November 1872 in Cloverdale and died October 15, 1903, in Tucson, Arizona. A sister, Ellen L. Mayon (1870-1923), took the reins of the Mayon Spinal Remedy Co. in 1907.
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Daniel probably developed another nostrum in Evansville: Mayon’s Spinal Remedy, for nervous exhaustion and rheumatism.
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[left]
The oval, embossed bottle reads, “DR. E. Champlain Ligneous Extract Patented” and is typical of bottles blown by glassworks operating in San Francisco at the time. It is bright aquamarine in color and rather crudely finished with an applied top.
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James F. Hoadley of Cloverdale advertised in the May 10, 1879 issue of Cloverdale News, “200 dozen bottles of Champlain’s Ligneous Extract—Something NEW, for sale cheap.” This apparently referenced unsold stock, and a lot of it! Daniel probably developed another nostrum in Evansville, Mayon’s Spinal Remedy, for nervous exhaustion and rheumatism.
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Champlain’s daughter, Sarah D. Hall, lived in Cloverdale until she died in 1926. Today’s Champlain Avenue runs between Cloverdale Blvd. and Jefferson St., north of Cloverdale High School. 40
[left]
Several unopened Extract bottles were found in the attic of a Cloverdale building in the 1970s. Printed information wrapped around the bottles fully confirmed Erastus Champlain as proprietor.
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l a u n n A 2nd
B a o m t a t b a lA e le & u S q i h t o n w A Saturday May 14, 2022 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Free Admission & Appraisals
Gardendale Civic Center 857 Main Street Gardendale, Alabama 35071
(10 minutes north of Birmingham)
Featuring: Antique Bottles, Advertising, Pottery, Table Top Antiques and much more Dealer Set-Up: 7:00 AM Early Buyer: 8:00 AM ($20)
For dealer information contact Show Chairmen: Keith Quinn: 205-365-1983 / email: klq1812@gmail.com or Steve Holland: 205-492-6864 Visit Our Facebook Page @ Alabama Bottle Collectors’ Society
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
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Jacob & David Hostetter
DR. J. HOSTETTER’S CELEBRA By Ferdinand Meyer V David Hostetter was a millionaire manufacturer of one of the most, if not the most, famous and successful bitters ever produced: Dr. J. Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters. Much has been written about the brand. I thought I would try to tie it all together. Of Dutch extraction, David Hostetter was the eldest child of Jacob Hostetter by his wife, Mary Landis, and was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on January 23, 1819. Dr. Jacob Hostetter was born on October 13, 1785, in York County, Pennsylvania, and actually developed the original formula for the bitters. Dr. J. Hostetter prescribed the medicinal tonic to his clientele, and it did not occur to him to place the product at the disposal of others outside of his practice. David Hostetter
In the following September, Hostetter’s entire stock was destroyed by fire. The San Francisco Fire of May 3rd and 4th, 1851, was a catastrophic conflagration that destroyed as much as three quarters of San Francisco, California. During the height of the California Gold Rush, San Francisco endured a sequence of seven destructive fires, of which this was the sixth and by far the most damaging. In terms of property value, it did three times as much damage as the next most destructive of the seven fires. With this disaster, Hostetter returned home to Pennsylvania, where he worked as a paymaster for McEvoy & Clark and a contractor for the railroad at Horseshoe Bend.
Hostetter & Smith In 1853, Hostetter associated himself with George W. Smith, a boyhood friend, and organized the firm of Hostetter & Smith selling Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters. George. W. Smith, Esq., was a junior partner and a native of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was born in the city of that name on February 22, 1823. David Hostetter married Rosetta Cobb Rickey in Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 13, 1854. She was born on October 06, 1829, and died on July 03, 1904. She was a daughter of Randall Hutchinson Rickey by his wife, Susanna McAuley.
Dr. Jacob Hostetter
David Hostetter was educated in Lancaster County and, at the young age of 15, was employed as a clerk and salesman in a dry goods establishment in his native town. He worked in this capacity until 1842, when he began a business of his own that met with moderate success. In 1850, David Hostetter moved to California to capitalize on the Gold Rush and settled in San Francisco with a grocery business. The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when James W. Marshall found gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the United States and abroad. 44
At that early period in its history, the firm of Hostetter & Smith occupied part of a building on Penn Street in Pittsburgh at a rental of $175 per annum. The entire staff of employees engaged in the manufacture of the bitters would scarcely number half a dozen. The medicinal compound was manufactured in Pittsburgh following the formula discovered by his father. By 1853, Dr. Jacob Hostetter retired from medical practice and gave his consent to his son, David, to continue. David had realized the value of the medicine and began to manufacture and sell the formula to the American people. The first few years of business were somewhat discouraging. Still, the partners were young men with Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
ATED STOMACH BITTERS Three large Dr. J. Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters in shades of green glass.
Two framed Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters advertising pieces. Left is authentic. Right is recreated.
Four of many Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters labels.
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HOSTETTER KNOCK-OFF LABELS
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
COPYCAT PRODUCTS
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limitless ambition. After a great deal of missionary work and what was considered a significant expenditure for advertising, the business began to grow during the late 1850s. Naturally, the reputation that the medicine obtained in Pennsylvania reached neighboring states and was finally known, not only in the United States but also in South American countries. The trademark of St. George and the Dragon early on became synonymous with Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters. According to tradition, Saint George (c. 275/281 – April 23, 303) was a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a soldier in the Guard of Diocletian, venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography, Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic (Western and Eastern Rites), Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His memorial is celebrated on April 23, and he is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints. Later in the 1850s, Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters would become a national best-seller. With the increase of business, Hostetter & Smith moved to Nos. 57, 58, 59, 60, and 61 Water Street in Pittsburgh. Additional space was added until the concern occupied five three-story buildings fronting 110 feet on Water Street, with a depth of 160 feet to First Avenue. Their footprint covered an area of over half an acre. The company was also admirably situated for shipment purposes by rail or river. As a testament, large quantities of Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters were shipped to all parts of the United States and territories, to South America, Australia, and other foreign countries. The earliest Hostetter’s bottles could be from John Agnew and Son, Pittsburgh, 1854-1866, or Adams and Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., 1854-1891. One of the most significant early mass producers of bottles for Hostetter’s was Lorenz and Wightman (L&W), Pittsburgh, Pa, 1862-1871. Another notable large producer was W. McCully & Co. There were even other glasshouses that made the bottles, as the need for bottles increased.
Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters base embossing for Wm McCully & Co., Pittsburgh
Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters Base embossing for Lorenz & Wightman, Pittsburgh
Counterfeiting the Hostetter’s brand was rampant, so much effort was made to guarantee the product and seek damages from the perpetrators. There were so many empty and used Hostetter bottles available that some shady dealers filled the bottles with some 48
form of glop and sold it for less than Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters. This deception prompted the authentic signature on the Hostetter’s label.
A Growing Business By now, the operation had grown into contingent operations, such as gathering and developing the necessary medicinal drugs, the manufacture of the paper with its dependent industries, the product of grain, its conversion to spirits, etc. The firm eventually employed directly and indirectly the labor of 1,000 people daily. Nine accountants alone and correspondents were engaged in the counting rooms of the firm. Aside from the intrinsic merits of its specialty, this became a significant factor in promoting the general good in Pittsburgh. When first established, the manufacture of Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters was entirely a manual operation. However, the enormous increase in production made this process impracticable, and machinery and apparatus of the best construction were used in preparing and bottling the bitters. Hostetter and Smith needed a capacity for putting up 500 dozen bottles per day. There were fourteen huge tanks in this important department, 15 feet in diameter and 5 feet high, and ten 8 feet high and 6 feet in diameter. The department employed, in manufacturing, packing, and shipping, not less than 50 hands. About this time, Hostetter & Smith needed to establish a branch office in New York City and agencies in New Orleans, San Francisco, and St. Louis. From the early 1860s, the business developed from several hundred thousand dollars until, in 1872, it had reached the million-dollar mark. One big reason for this success was the Civil War. During the Civil War, Dr. J. Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters was sold to soldiers as “a positive protective against the fatal maladies of the Southern swamps, and the poisonous tendency of the impure rivers and bayous.” The original formula was about 47% alcohol and was 94 Proof! The amount of alcohol was so high that it was served in saloons by the glass. Hostetter sweetened the alcohol with sugar, to which he added a few aromatic oils such as anise, coriander, etc. Vegetable bitters like cinchona and gentian were added next to give it medicinal flavor. Long-winded advertising declared, “Our Bitters, which are made entirely from the choicest remedial roots, barks and herbs, the active essences and freshly expressed juices of which are preserved in chemically pure spirits, forming a compound of the most remarkable vital force and efficacy, peculiarly active in the rapid and in many cases almost miraculous relief afforded in all diseases arising from climatic causes or derangements of which an impaired stomach is the prime occasion.”
Marketing From the beginning of business operations, David Hostetter formulated a wise policy of making personal visitations on wholesale drug and commission houses. This policy was augmented by consistent advertising in almanacs, newspapers, magazines, and exhibits. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters contestants in the FOHBC 2016 Sacramento National Antique Bottle Show Shootout competition.
Logo for the competition. Holstered gun and a bottle of Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters
Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters contestants in the FOHBC 2016 Sacramento National Antique Bottle Show Shootout competition.
The three finalists in the FOHBC 2016 Sacramento National Antique Bottle Show Shootout competition. The winners for the Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters category were First Place, Mike Henness, Second Place, Jerry Forbes, and Third Place, Richard Siri.
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Hostetter & Smith , Sole Proprietors of Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania postal advertising cover, 1859
Redington, Hostetter & Co. Wholesale Druggists, San Francisco advertising cover
Hostetter & Smith Proprietors of Hostetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters, Pittsburgh, Pa. postal advertising cover
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Examples of Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters almanac covers;1856, 1861, 1866, 1868, 1883, and 1933
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Hostetter was one of the most prolific producers of patent medicine almanacs, and they rival Ayer’s almanacs as the most common patent medicine almanacs. For many years, the Hostetter business distributed 10 to 13 million almanacs. The business, however, contained the elements of success, and under the consummate tact and resolution of its projectors, annually increased, with rapidly augmented revenues and proportionately enlarged facilities in every department. The extent to which the operations of Hostetter & Smith reached is supported by the fact that in 1866 it became necessary that they do all of their printing in-house. No firm in Pittsburgh, or perhaps in the whole country, was capable of producing, either in kind or quantity, the work required in carrying on the trade of the rapidly growing business. In the Hostetter printing and binding departments alone, eighty compositors, pressmen, and others, were employed. The machinery equipment consisted of ten large cylinder presses and eight smaller ones; all kept running for ten months during the year. The Hostetter’s Illustrated United States Almanacs were printed in English, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Welsh, Norwegian, Swedish, and Bohemian.
Almanacs The first Hostetter almanac was issued in 1861 and was published only in German and English and distributed to those populations. Hostetter increased its edition each year and reached, in 1867, one million copies for the English and German market. In 1876, with the success of Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters and the almanac marketing approach, 9,000,000 copies were produced in all the various languages above enumerated. The average issue per year eventually leveled out at 10,500,060 copies. This printing consumed annually 16,000 reams of white paper and about 2,000 reams for covers alone. No copy of a Hostetter’s 1862 almanac is known; possibly this issue was not published because of the beginning of the Civil War. After a gap of 23 years, the Hostetter Co. published an almanac in 1933 to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the company. A list of Hostetter almanacs is noted below: Hostetter & Smith (1861-1885), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Hostetter & Co., (1886-1890), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The Hostetter Co., (1891-1910), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Title: Hostetter’s United States Almanac for the Use of Merchants, Mechanics, Farmers and Planters and all Families 1861 (1863-1865) Title: Hostetter’s United States Almanac for Merchants, Mechanics, Miners, Farmers, Planters, and General Family Use 1866 (1867-1910)
Other Ventures With the Hostetter’s business flourishing and using his capital and experience, David Hostetter, in 1867, became a director in the Pittsburg Gas Company and, in 1869, was elected president. He remained in this position and was a very influential person in this institution. He was also the largest stockholder and one of the most energetic movers in the East End and Allegheny Companies. In March 1874, Hostetter purchased the charter of the Columbia Conduit Company and hastened the work forward to completion. Upon this occasion, he was elected president but declined to accept the office. With the Penn Gas Company in Philadelphia, Hostetter was a prominent director and also the second-largest stockholder. He was also a director in the Farmers’ Deposit National Bank and the Fort Pitt Bank of Pittsburg. As an aside, Pittsburgh’s name is commonly misspelled as Pittsburg because numerous cities and towns in America use the German “burg” suffix, while very few use the Scottish “burgh” suffix. This problem was compounded from 1891 to 1911 when the spelling of the city’s name was federally recognized as Pittsburg. Now, of course, we spell it Pittsburgh. David Hostetter was involved with various public and private enterprises, too. He was the organizer of the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad, known as the “Little Giant,” which enabled the city of Pittsburgh to secure a competitive outlet to the North and Northwest. He was also one of the promoters and prime movers, with Franklin B. Bowen, William H. Vanderbilt, and others, in the organization and development of the South Penn Railroad Company, which the Pennsylvania Railroad Company halted before its completion. Hostetter was one of the pioneers in the production, carriage, and utilization of natural gas and oil and connected with the construction of the Pittsburg Water Works plant. David Hostetter possessed a degree of great nerve, sound judgment, and resource power, qualities that always characterized him in times of emergency. A contemporary writer once said of him, “Those who are strangers look upon David Hostetter, see a man of brain and strong will power, and instinctively accord to him the possession of faculties of the highest order.”
Title: Hostetter’s California Almanac for Merchants, Mechanics, Farmers and Planters and all Families 1861 (1863-1910)
Like David Hostetter, George W. Smith was engaged in other enterprises and was a liberal, intelligent, and sincere self-made man. History records much less of Mr. Smith as the name “Hostetter” dominated the brand.
Title: Hostetter’s Almanacs, 1872 (Bound volumes in multiple foreign languages: 18731890, 1892-1893, 1895-1902, 1904, 1909)
Hostetter & Company
Title: Hostetter’s Illustrated United States Almanac 1933, 1853-1933, 80th Anniversary Number of Interest to all the Family 52
Upon the death of George W. Smith in 1884, his interest was purchased by David Hostetter, and the firm name changed to Hostetter and Company, with Milton L. Myers as a partner. The partnership Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
ceased upon the death of David Hostetter in 1888. Hostetter was said to be worth from $5,000,000 to $15,000,000 upon his death. These numbers were quite an accumulation of wealth and a fantastic story of success in America.
The Hostetter Company On April 10, 1889, The Hostetter Company was incorporated by the widow and surviving children of David Hostetter, with D. Herbert Hostetter being president and Theodore R. Hostetter, vice president.
height, size of embossing, and variations in the “R” embossing of “DR” are often noted in collecting the bottles. Bill and Betty Wilson in Western Bitters, 1969, was the first work that cataloged more than the generic identification. Their work identified thirty nine different variants. Later variants were identified by Carlyn Ring in For Bitters Only in 1980. In Bitters Bottles Supplement 2, there is a wealth of ephemera information included within such as covers, almanacs, and advertising. There is also an impressive amount of information on Hostetter’s brand name and label knock-offs such as Dr. Hoffstetter’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters, Holstein’s Celebrated Stomach Bitters, Honstetters, Hostater’s,
Theodore R. Hostetter died in 1902 and D. Herbert Hostetter, Sr. died in 1924. Upon the latter’s death, Frederick G. Hostetter and D. Herbert Hostetter, Jr., sons of the deceased, were elected president and vice president. Frederick G. Hostetter died in 1931, and his brother D. Herbert Hostetter, Jr. succeeded him as president of The Hostetter Company. By 1934, the business was in its fourth generation of the Hostetter family and its 81st year of uninterrupted health-giving to the American people.
Hosteiter’s, Hosteter’s, to name a few. There were many, many others.
Richard T. Siri
1) Almanac images courtesy of Bill Ham & Ferdinand Meyer V from Bitters Bottles Supplement 2, primarily ex Dan Cowman collection. 2) Postal Cover images courtesy of Bill Ham & Ferdinand Meyer V from Bitters Bottles Supplement 2, Ben Swanson collection. 3) Select ephemera from the Joe Gourd and Ferdinand Meyer V collections. 4) Label images courtesy of Bill Ham & Ferdinand Meyer V from Bitters Bottles Supplement 2, anonymous. 5) FOHBC 2016 Sacramento National Shootout images from FOHBC archives. 6) Base embossings images courtesy of Norman C. Heckler & Co. 7) Three green Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters image courtesy American Glass Gallery, John Pastor. 8) Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters framed advertising signs courtesy Ferdinand Meyer V collection.
Richard T. Siri, a prominent Western collector and 2018 FOHBC Hall of Fame member, is the absolute authority on Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters. His knowledge is as deep as his collection, and he has displayed his Hostetter’s at many bottle shows and conventions. Richard states in Bitters Bottles Supplement that there are many variants of Dr. Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters bottles. Variations in March – April 2022
Eventually, a group of applied-mouth Dr. J. Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters bottles was assembled with 166 variants. This group was made up of an extensive collection formed on the West Coast combined with a large collection created in the Midwest and East. Credits:
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Tennessee Bottle Collectors Area
Antique Bottle & Advertising Show 21 & 22 October 2022
Free Appraisals!
Wilson County Fairgrounds
945 E. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087 Building E-D behind Expo Center (I-40 Exit 239B)
Advertising, Signs, Soda, Beer, Hutches, Bitters, Medicines, Milk, Whiskey, Jars, ACL’s, Blobs etc.
Bring the Entire Family!
Dealer Set up: Fri. 1pm–7pm Sat. 7–8am
Show Chairmen:
Early Buyers: Fri. 3pm–7pm $20 Admission
Stanley Word 615-708-6634
Greg Eaton 865-548-3176
Contact chairmen for contracts or show information
Saturday: 8am–2pm FREE ADMISSION !
Capital Region Antique Bottle Club Annual Show & Sale Bottles, Stoneware & Early Antiques Free Admission!!!
Sunday, JULY 24th, 2022
9:00am - 3:00pm
At the Mabee Farm Historic Site 1100 Main St. Rotterdam Junction N.Y.
***This Will Be An Outdoor Vendor Show*** Dealers will get a 20’ x 20’ Space for $25 - Set-up at 7:30am (Bring your own Tables and Pop-Ups) Plenty of Parking, Easy access, Picturesque Setting!
Dealer Contact Information: Show Chairman Jeff Ullman - 518-925-9787 jullman@nycap.rr.com
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
March – April 2022
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A row of corn almost lost to the grim reaper
By Michael Seeliger
Alice and I, along with Bill and Kathy Mitchell, just returned from a whirlwind trip to Portland, Oregon; Auburn, California, and San Jose, California. We were thrilled to see the collection of Bill and Kathy Taylor in Portland and enjoyed visiting with them. Bill Taylor joined us as we then traveled to Auburn to see the 49er Historic Bottle Assoc. “Best of the West” Antique Bottle Show, where Mike and Kathie Craig joined us. After the show, we said goodbye to Bill Taylor, and the six of us continued to San Jose to see Mike and Kathie Craig’s massive Warner collection. (If you are counting, that is three Kathys, two Bills, two Mikes, and one Alice)
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
An outstanding row of the figural ear of corn National Bitters.
March – April 2022
Greeley’s Bourbon Whiskey Bitters figural barrels.
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But back in Portland, while looking closely at Bill Taylor’s collection, we could not help but notice that the row of National Bitters (figural ear of corn) seemed to be on a shelf that was uneven and listing to the right. Further inspection revealed the left side of the shelf was resting on the top edge of the support clip. The clips on the right were almost entirely pulled out of the right wall. It was late, and we decided to tackle the problem in the morning. After all, the shelf had been that way for several weeks, one more evening would be okay. That night I awoke several times worried about a calamity that was to happen if we did not remedy the situation immediately in the morning. I kept thinking about the failure of the shelf. Would the bottles below be close enough to the shelf that they would support the shelf when it fell? What would the run of corns do as they fell together in a heap? Could we open the cabinet doors without causing that calamity to happen? Well, morning came, and we all decided to visit the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, to see Howard Hughes’ “Spruce Goose.” I told Bill Taylor of my nightmares and demanded that we do something before the row of corns ended up in a corn shock.
The clear acrylic shelf wedged in the wooden cabinet frame with one bracket missing and one dangerously loose right above a Barto’s Great Gun Bitters figural cannon.
Now, this is not just any row of corn bitters, as you can see from the shelf picture. The value of these and the possible loss to the hobby was something that I hated, especially since we could remedy the situation. We set about carefully removing the corns two by two. Finally, the last corn was out of harm’s way. Notice that the row of pineapples below was a full six inches below the shelf. If the shelf had given way, it would have easily crashed into the pineapples below. “Oh, the humanity!” The two shelf brackets on the right were being held in place by about the width of a toothpick. The bracket on the left was also out, and the shelf rested above the bracket. Calamity averted; pegs in place, shelf secure, we all felt relieved. We decided to check the other shelves to see if they were all secure. To our amazement and surprise, we found a shelf containing eleven Greeley’s Bourbon Whiskey Bitters figural barrels in a similar situation. This one had the left bracket in worse condition. One had fallen out and sat on the shelf below. The other bracket had fallen out of the hole only to be caught by the shelf and pinned against the wall. Luckily, the bottle below was only ¼ inch shorter than the space between the shelves, and it was wedged against the shelf holding the shelf up. Another crisis averted. Bill had recently had the bottles removed for pictures by a professional photographer and, while this occurred, decided to dust and clean all the shelves. He reinstalled the shelves, but as our older eyes can attest, we do not see as well as we once did. The shelves looked square and seemed okay at the time, and the bottles were replaced in their original positions. So let this be a warning to us bottle collectors cleaning off shelves and in areas where earthquakes often occur. Shelves move, and it is important to check them occasionally to ensure the “grim reaper” does not take down a row. 58
Loose brackets holding the clear acrylic shelf displaying the National Bitters figural ear of corn bottles.
One bracket had fallen out and sat on the shelf below. The other bracket had fallen out of the hole only to be caught by the shelf and pinned against the wall.
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Wanted: Buy, Sell & Trade MOBILE ALABAMA Collector of all types of Mobile, Alabama Bitters, Whiskeys, Medicine, Drug Stores, Sodas, Decorated Stoneware, Transferware, Paper, & all other related items. One item or an entire collection.
Rod Vining
10691 Old Pascagoula Rd, Grand Bay, Alabama 36541 cell: 251-957-6725 • email: vinewood@mchsi.com
March – April 2022
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[Right] GI-85a “Lafayette” Bust of Layette “Covetry” (sic) “C-T” - Stars and Liberty Cap “S&S” flask., Coventry Glass Works, 1824 - 1830. Aquamarine, sheared mouth, pontil scar, Pt; Extremely rare, only three known in aqua, with one of the other two being damaged. Variant with two rivet impressions in the shoulder. See the adjacent mold half.
[right] The mold half is probably for a “Lafayette” Bust of Layette “Covetry” (sic) “C-T” - Stars and Liberty Cap “S&S” flask. The mold was found in a river in Mansfield, Connecticut per legend years ago. See the adjacent GI-85a flask in aquamarine. [above] Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have discovered ancient glassworks from the Late Roman period in the Jezreel Valley, Israel. IAA excavations were conducted as part of the Jezreel Valley Railway Project, where archaeologists uncovered the remains of ancient glass kilns which produced commercial quantities of raw glass around 1600 years ago. Image Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority
[left] This embossed “S.M. Kier Petroleum Pittsburgh Pa” bottle was recently auctioned by American Glass Gallery. It was described having a blowpipe pontil scar, 6 ½” tall and, sparkling attic mint. A beautiful, exceedingly rare, possibly unique color for this mold. We have not seen another example in this, or similar color. In addition, nice character with plenty of tiny bubbles. Found in the wall of an old home in Waldron, Indiana, and came with a signed letter from the homeowner who found the bottle in his elderly parents home, circa 1870, and how they happened to find it.
[right] The holy grail of Western bottles, is the crudely made “cathedral” pickle embossed with the names of “Baker & Cutting, Pickle & Glass Mfgrs, San Francisco.” This bottle was known and lost and showed up at the recent 49er Historical Bottle Assoc. Show in Auburn, Ca. Lou Pellegrini will add to his great collection.
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Lost & Found
[left] This labeled Elisha Waters blacking bottle was found in the attic of a hardware store in Hoosick Fall, NY nearly 50 years ago.
[above] Personal headquarters flag of Philip Henry Sheridan (1831-1888) used when he led the 2nd Michigan Cavalry. Spring–Summer 1862. Sold for over $40k at Cowan’s auction house in June 2021.
[left] A highway crew found a green bottle next to the remains of a hearth built by Union troops between 1862 and 1865 at Redoubt 9, near Williamsburg, Va., one of a string of mini-fortifications erected by Confederates, but later occupied by Federal troops. Back in the day (beginning around the Middle Ages), people in the British Isles and elsewhere would try to ward off evil spirits by filling jugs or other containers with bent pins, hair, urine, nail clippings or other items. The idea was the contents would draw in and trap a harmful spirit. The witch bottle tradition came to the US and was still in play in the mid-19th century, during the Civil War. [below] Archaeologists were excavating an elaborate Roman villa complex when they uncovered a rare mosaic depicting scenes from Homer’s Iliad. Excavations were conducted by the University of Leicester working in partnership with Historic England after the site was discovered by the landowner’s son, who identified archaeological remains disturbed by ploughing and agricultural activities during the lock-down in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Image Credit: University of Leicester Archaeological Services
[above] This “Dr. Phelps Arcanum Genuine”was found in a house in Washington, New Hampshire. The woman who owned it remembered playing with the bottle as a child, when it wasn’t on her grandmother’s mantle! She was completely overwhelmed to know the value of her “childhood toy.” The bottle is a dark reddish amber color, open pontil base, applied lip. It is considered to be one of the best colored pontiled medicine bottles.
March – April 2022
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
March – April 2022
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Member Photos A collection of spectacular and inspiring photographs from around the world and around the web. Please feel free to submit your images for consideration. Photos (top & bottom) of my Dickey’s group - Richard Siri (photo Mike Southworth)
Couple of Favorites - Woody Douglas
Labeled New England utility bottles such as master inks, snuffs and blacking - Jeff & Holl Noordsy My Dickey’s group - (see top of page)
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[above] Kelly’s Old Cabin Bitters - Bill Taylor
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Member Photos
John F. Meyer, Augusta, Ga. Mike Newman
Four versions of the A. Reed soda bottle from Indianapolis Steve Lang
Syrup Sunday Wyat St Laurent
Spring Hill Whiskey Ed Kuskie [above] Some Early American green - Mark Newton [below] Michael George Facebook banner photo
March – April 2022
[below] Hood’s Sarsaparilla - Scott Grandstaff
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Classified Ads
ADVERTISE FOR FREE:
O. Has overall stain, $35 (includes shipping). Call 812.907.0015
Free “FOR SALE” advertising in each issue of Antique Bottle & Glass Collector (AB&GC). One free “WANTED” ad in AB&GC per year each renewal. DEALERS: Sell your bottles in the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector. Change the bottles and your ad is free month after month. Include your website in your ad to increase traffic to your site. Send all advertisement info to FOHBC Business Manager, Elizabeth Meyer, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 or best, email to: fohbcmembers@ gmail.com
WANTED
FOR SALE FOR SALE: Books printed and bound “A History of the Des Moines Potteries,” with additional information on Boonsboro, Carlisle, Hartford and Palmyra, Iowa. 216 pages, 65 color. Cost $23 plus shipping, Media Mail add $5.00, Priority adds $6.00. Mail to Mark C. Wiseman, 3505 Sheridan Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50310 or call 515.344.8333 09/07/21 FOR SALE: The 2018 updated Poison Bottle Workbook by Rudy Kuhn. Price $50 plus $5 media mail USA. Contact Joan Cabaniss for postage out of USA. Email: jjcab@b2xonline. com. Phone: 540.297.4498. Make check or money order out to Joan Cabaniss, 312 Summer Lane, Huddleston, Virginia 24104 11/07/21 FOR SALE: Early Georgia Sodas, The Bottles & Proprietors, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah & Valdosta by David Kyle Rakes & Ferdinand Meyer V. 124-page, all color, perfect bind. Cost is $50 per book and $4 shipping. Order from David Kyle Rakes, P.O. Box 2706, Bellview, Florida, email: barakes123@gmail.com *see ad this issue 11/07/21 FOR SALE: Long-time collector selling out and retiring. Serious inquiries only, please. Large number of Georgia hobbleskirts, straight sides and few hutches left. Also have several dozen insulators for sale as a group. Randy zachobbs@bellsouth.net 030422o FOR SALE: Clay Pipes, Marbles—Sulphides, Swirls, Pontiled Inks, Pottery Inks, Bitters, Bunker Hill pickles (square, round, amber). Some scarce Meds, many Cobalt Blue bottles, and Eye and Hair bottles. Bob, 360.659.2346 030422o
FOR SALE: Applied top Dr. Wistars’S Balsam of Wild Cherry John D. Park Cincinnati.
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WANTED: BLACK HAWK, COLORADO Th. Crook Sky Light whiskey flask. I will pay $10,000 for a half-pint coffin or a pint coffin or a pint shoofly. Flask must be in mint condition and delivered to Colorado. Other Black Hawk bottles might be of interest if not already owned. Contact: David D. Spellman at spellmand@centurylink.net 01/01/22 WANTED: North American Log Cabin Commemorative: E.G. Booz Bottles. GV11-4, all colors, with diagonal base seam. Any ruby red or black, by Clevenger Taiwan Booz bottle, amber, GV11-16, Clevenger Commemorative 16A, 16-C, 16-E GV11-25 Clevenger Commemorative, 25-A, 25 I, Jacob’s Tonic Bitters GV11-7 any number. Steve Gray 440.2798381 or write to address: Steve Gray, 7533 Clay Street, Thomson, Ohio 44086 11/07/21 WANTED: KC-1 cobalt quilted Poison, base embossed USPHS sizes 1, oz. (3 ¼” x 1 ¼”), 2 oz. (3 ¾” x 1 ½”), 12 oz. (6 7/8” x 2 5/8”) and ½ gallon (11 ¼” x 4 ½”) with or without poison stopper. KC-1 teal quilted Poison base embossed USPHS and plain base size 4 oz. (5” x 1 7/8”). Contact: Joan Cabaniss, 540.297.4498 leave message or Email: jjcab@b2xonline.com 11/24/21
WANTED: Seeking viewers: “Those Pre-Prohibition Whiskey Men, blogspot.com” 030422o WANTED: Fruit jars with orig. closures including color pints, quarts and half gallons. Also, Jumbo Peanut Butter; new is the Jumbo Peanut Butter solid glass in paper weights, in colors green, amber, cobalt and clear. EXCELLENT QUALITY! Phil Smith, 2281 Clarkston Lane, Union, Kentucky, 859.912.2450 030422o
WANTED: Looking for South Carolina bottles and lightning rod items. John Derrick, 803.331.4170, Rustycann@mindspring.com 030422o
WANTED: Hobble skirt embossed Coca-Cola bottles: 1915s, 1923s, D-Patent’s 6oz’s and 6 1/2 oz’s. Collector will buy or trade. Jim Georges, georges77@twcny.rr.com or 315.662.7729. 7/22 WANTED: U.S.A. Hospital Dept. and any pre1866 embossed food bottles, mustards, early
Baltimore, Wheeling, D.C., Alexandria sodas, beers, (stoneware or glass) damage free. Bruce, cwaddic@yahoo.com, 703.307.7792. 12/22 WANTED: Colored Illinois and Missouri Sodas. Also Colored Fruit Jars. Top $$$ Paid. Call, text or email. Steve Kehrer, email: kehrer00@gmail.com, 618.410.4142. 3/23 WANTED: Philadelphia Strapsided or Seamed Whiskey Flasks. I collect and catalog these and also have an interest in Thomas H. Dillon (TD) Philadelphia mineral water bottles. Please contact me if you have any in your collection or wish to sell. Art Miron, email: jestar484@verizon.net, 215.248.4612. 6/22 WANTED: Someone reliable, to radiate clear bottles for me, on a regular basis. For my personal collection only, not re-sale. Fair prices paid for this service. Leave complete message. hawkeye751@outlook.com, 415.518.4124 3/22 WANTED: CABINS such as: GV11 2 Harrison Tippecanoe Cabin, P132 Prairie Plantation Bitters, W160 Woodgates Bitters, M42 Martins Bermuda Bitters, C698 Pottery Ink, C675 Cabin Ink, L62 Lediard 1863 OK Plantation (no lettering), Wiggs Bros. Cabin, Roehlling & Schultz Cabin, George Ohr Pottery Cabin, Bennington Pottery Cabin, “The Log Cabin” Portland, OR, Bob Terry, 303.569.2502, email: llterryualusa@yahoo.com 12/22 WANTED: Harley bottles of West Chester, Pa. and Philadelphia, Pa. The West Chester bottles (3) display either J. Harley, James Harley or E.M. Harley. The Phila. Bottles (4) display Edwd. Harley, Schul (Schuylkill) 4th & Market St., Philada or E. Harley, 802 Market St. or E. Harley, West Market St. or Edw. Harley, 1838 Market St., Phila. Bob Harley, email: rwh220@yahoo.com, Phone: 215.721.1107 12/22 WANTED: Bottles from Fernandina Florida, Luke Sresovich, 904.764.7651, PO Box 9434, Jacksonville, Florida 3/22 WANTED: A Hoosier Jar without lid or any collection. Leon Shores, 660.342.3368, 7904 Quail Ridge, Parkville, Missouri 64152 030422-o WANTED: OWL DRUG bottles, tins, boxes, paper, anything from the Owl Drug Company. Marc Lutsko, letsgo@montanasky.net, 406.293.6771, Box 97, Libby, MT 59923 1/23 WANTED: Leadville, Colorado soda. 607.973.0370 3/22
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Classified Ads
WANTED: Wanted by serious collector Blob Soda, H. Lambeck Beaver Dam, WIS RIO WIS Soda Bottle—Rio misspelled (REO WIS) Tom, 608.697.3452 03/03/22p WANTED: Canal Dover, Ohio and Early Dover, Ohio Items. Top Prices Paid for the unique and unusual! Steve, 330.364.3302. Thank you. Ohio Bottle Club #1, To-Smitty, R.I.P. Dennis. 030422o WANTED: Colored London or other non-Amber Warner bottles; what do you have to sell? No computer, please call 607.425.6287 between 3:00pm and 5:00pm EST. 030422o WANTED: Female Proprietor Bottles from Chicago, IL. Labeled, embossed, all sizes and shapes. Contact Ray komo88@att.net 030422o WANTED: Houston and Galveston Texas bottles, crockery, invoices and advertising. Triple XXX Root Beer bottles, signs, mugs and advertising. Any bottles from Alvin, Richmond, Rosenberg, High Island, Texas City, Seabrook, South Houston, Harrisburg, Heights, TX. Deacon Brown bottles and jugs. J.J. Schott items. Juni Phosphate any flavor. Earl McIntyre, 14214 Jaubert Ct, Sugar Land, Texas 77498, 832.914.2477, emcintyr@comcast.net 030422o WANTED: Any quart PA Hutchinson Soda, PA Beer Cans Flat Tops. Cone Tops. 2-quart Cans. One or collection gas & oil signs, Oil cans qt or 2 gal. I go to Dixie Gas, Carlisle, spring, and fall. Old Halloween post cards, old match packs, full or empty of beer, gas & oil. Plus, old cigarette packs not open. Leo Miller, 814.247.8404 or 814.421.4910 030422o WANTED: Interested in Burnetts Cocoaine in the large size. Alex 305.295.9187, email: islandalex@comcast.net 030422o WANTED: Early blob sodas from Minnesota, the Dakota Territory and Nebraska. Tom Askjem, 701.864.0126 030422o WANTED: Thank you, John Pastor for the excellent magazine that you have provided with your wonderful authors and staff, all these years! Dana Charlton-Zarro 030422o WANTED: Clarke’s Vegetable Sherry Wine Bitters, Sharon, Mass & Rockland, ME. All bottle sizes & variants. Contact: Charlie Martin 781.248.8620 or email: cemartinjr@comcast.net 11/07/21
March – April 2022
WANTED: Will pay top dollar for odd color Demijohns and Wisharts Pine Tree Cordialbottles. I also collect Tobacco and Cigar Jars. Mike Lehman, 717.432.7162, email: bottleking@rocketmail.com 030422o
NEEDING: Historical pictures for the online FOHBC Research Library. 03/22
WANTED: Saratoga County Mineral Water Bottles, rare molds and colors. Also Saratoga go-withs. Dave Merker, 330.894.2127, leave message. Email: dmerker634@frontier.net 030422o
ATTENTION COLLECTORS (or the curious)—Don’t miss the 54th Annual Golden Gate Historical Society’s Bottles, Antiques and Collectible Show and Sale at the Contra Costa Event Park (Sunset Hall) in Antioch CA. Friday, 4/22: noon to 5pm ($10) and Saturday, 4/23: 9am to 3pm (free). You’ll find bottles, collectibles and “go-withs.” For more info, contact Gary Antone at 925.373.6758 or email packrat49er@netscape.net. See display ad this issue. 030422o
WANTED: Volunteers to help the FOHBC. Help our organization stay strong by writing an article, volunteering at the upcoming Reno 22 Show, be a magazine proof-reader or a Virtual Museum researcher. Post on our social media and share our posts. There are many ways you can help. Donations to our non-profit organization are always accepted. Thank you. 01/20 WANTED: Bottles, jugs from Aurora and Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Also from Dearborn, Ohio, Switzerland, Ripley and Franklin Counties, Indiana. Have good bottles to trade for 1940s Superhero Horror, Sci-Fi comic books and early 1960s Marvels. 812.907.0015 030422o WANTED: License plates—porcelain, tin, leather; any condition—dug to never used. Automobile, motorcycle, truck, city, etc. Any state. Also interested in advertising signs and highway signs, route shields, etc. Thanks. Ed. metropetro222@gmail.com 030422o WANTED: New members to join the St Louis Antique Bottle Collectors Association. We meet every 1st Tuesday at 7pm (except July), First Baptist Church of Arnold, Missouri Family Life Center. Basement Rm 2. Always a lively discussion. Patsy Jett Show Chair 314.570.6917 11/07/22
SHOWS, STOPS & SERVICES CASA GRANDE TRADING POST, Cerrillos, New Mexico. We are on the Turquoise Trail. The scenic route between Albuquerque and Santa Fe on Highway 14. We have the Mining Museum, full of bottles and antiques. Please come visit. We also sell Cerrillos Turquoise from our mines. email: casagrandetradingpost.com 030422o NEW CLUB—Alabama Bottle Antique Club Attn: Keith L Quinn, 8073 Bagley Road, Dore, Alabama 35062, 205.365.1983, See display ad this issue. Email klq1812@gmail.com 030422o
REMEMBER: Please keep up with your membership to avoid interupted service.
ATTENTION BOTTLE COLLECTORS from the beginner to the most advanced. The Deland Antique Bottle Show and Sale at Turkey Creek in Reddick, Florida is March 25 and 26, 2022. Address: 15323 NW Gainesville Road, Reddick Florida 32686. (Turkey Creek Auction Building). Early bird is $20 on Friday, March 25 from 1:00 pm until close. Saturday, March 26, the show has free admission from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Dealer tables are $40 for an 8-foot table. A great show with dealers from all over the South selling sodas, medicines, milks, fruit jars, insulators, crocks and jugs. Two restaurants right by the bottle show! For more information, please contact Ronnie McCormick, 352.262.8672, email oldflabottles@ gmail.com or Louis O’Quinn 386.943.2766, email edlouise210@gmail.com. See display ad this issue. 030422o SOUTHERN STONEWORK’S PROFESSIONAL POTTERY RESTORATION SERVICE. We can replace a handle or lip that’s missing, hide chips, or do a complete restoration. Alkaline, Salt or Bristol glaze reproduced to match. Excellent work with a quick turnaround. Before and after photos of past work and references available upon request. Eric Nygard, 706.691.1968 030422o WARNER COLLECTORS: Mike and Alice Seeliger and Mike and Kathie Craig are planning a trip to the UK to the Summer National show there in July of this year. They will be giving a seminar on Warner to the collectors attending the show, meet other Warner collectors and get more information for Mike’s Warner book. They are looking forward to the trip and will bring lots of photos back of the English collections. 030422
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Sho-Biz Calendar of Shows FOHBC Sho - Biz is published in the interest of the hobby. Federation-affiliated clubs are indicated in red. Information on upcoming collecting events is welcome, but space is limited. Please send at least three months in advance, including telephone number to: FOHBC Sho-Biz, c/o Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002; phone: 713.504.0628; email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com Show schedules are subject to change. Please call before traveling long distances. All listings published here will also be published on the FOHBC.org website.
19 March 2022 – Dalton, Georgia Chattanooga Antique Bottles & Advertising Show; Dalton, Georgia Convention Center, 2211 Tony Ingle Pkwy, Dalton, Georgia 30720, (Exit 333 off I-75). There will be concessions at the show. Free Appraisals Available. Tables are 8 ft and $30 each. Set up: 6:00 am to 8:00 am, Early Buyers: 8:00 am to 9:00 am ($20 for early buyers) Admission Free: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Parking is FREE. Show Chairmen: Jason Herron 205.913.9748 and Buddy Lasater 423.718.3521. Email: chattbottleshowinfo@gmail.com (Contact chairmen for contracts or info.), FOHBC Member Club 19 March 2022 – Platte City, Missouri 2022 NW Missouri Insulator and Bottle Show & Sale, Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Free Admission, Platte County Fairgrounds, 15730 Fairgrounds Road, Platte City, Missouri 64079, For info: Darryl Wagner, 816.719.0801, nwmoshow@dwagnerkc.com 20 March 2022 – St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis 52nd Annual Antique Bottle & Jar Show; Orlando Gardens, 4300 Hoffmeister Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63125. General Admission $3 from 9 am - 2 pm; Set-up 7 am - 9 am. Adult admission $3. Children free. Contact: St Louis Antique Bottle Collectors Assn., Pat Jett (showchair), 71 Outlook Drive, Hillsboro, Missouri 63050, 314.570.6917, patsy_jett@ yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club 20 March 2022 – Flint, Michigan The 52nd Flint Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show; Dom Polski Hall, 3415 N. Linden Road, Flint, Michigan 48504. No early admission. General Admission $3, 9 am to 2:30 pm. Set up: 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Contact: Tim Buda, 11353 Cook Road, Gaines, Michigan 48436, 989.271.9193 or tbuda@shianet.org; or visit Flint Antique Bottle & Collectibles Club Facebook Page, FOHBC Member Club 25 & 26 March 2022 – Reddick, Florida The Deland, Florida Antique Bottle Show & Sale. Saturday, March 26, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm; Friday Early Buyers $20 and Dealer Set-up 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. FREE admission Saturday, Turkey Creek Auction Building, 15323 NW Gainesville Road, Reddick, Florida 32686, Contact Ronnie McCormick, 352.262.8672, oldflabottles@gmail.com or Louise O’Quinn, 386.943.2766, edlouise210@gmail.com 26 March 2022 – Daphne, Alabama The Mobile Bottle Collectors Club’s 49th Annual Show & Sale, will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2022 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Daphne Civic Center, 2603 US Hwy 98, Daphne, Alabama 36526. Free Admission and Bottle Appraisals. Contact: Rod Vining, 251.957.6725, Email: vinewood@mchsi. com, or Facebook: “Mobile Bottle Collector’s Club Show & Sale” FOHBC Member Club 27 March 2022 – Cicero, New York The Empire State Bottle Collectors Association is having their 50th show on March 27th. This is the oldest
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continuously active club in the United States. 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Cicero American Legion, 5575 Legionnaire Drive, Cicero, New York 13039, Show Contact: Mark Yates 315.560.2560, mlyates@twcny.rr.com, Gary Schaap, 315.374.8105, garysequipment@gmail.com, All Dealers Contact: Dave Tuxill, dtuxill1@ twcny.rr.com, 315.469.0629. Free dollar donation and under 12 free. FOHBC Member Club
22 & 23 April 2022 – Antioch, California The Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society’s 54th Annual Bottles, Antiques & Collectibles Show, Early Buyers: Friday 12 pm – 5 pm, $10 Admission; General Admission: Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Free. Contra Costa Event Park (Fairgrounds), Sunset Hall, 1201 West 10th Street, Antioch, California 94509. Info: Gary and Darla Antone, 925.373.6758, packrat49er@netscape.net, FOHBC Member Club
02 April 2022 – Wheaton, Illinois Dupage Collectors Expo at the Dupage County Fairgrounds, featuring insulators, lighting rod items, weathervanes, telephone & telegraph items, bottles, jars, and related items. 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Friday night set up. Cost of admission $2, Cost of early admission: $40, Show Hosts: Bob Stahr, 630.793.5345, bob@ hemingray.com, Hemingray.com, Rick Soller, 847.782.8602, com574@CLCIllinois.edu, CollectingInsulators.com, FOHBC Member Club
23 April 2022 – Columbia, South Carolina The South Carolina Bottle Club’s 49th Annual Show & Sale, 206 Jamil Rd. Columbia, South Carolina 29210, 166 Tables last year with room to grow! Dodged Easter and The Masters this year! Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Donation At The Door Suggested, Dealer Only Set-Up 7:00 am to 9:00 am, Jamil Shrine Temple, Contact: Marty Vollmer 803.629.8553, martyvollmer@aol.com or Art Gose 803.840.1539, scbottlehunters@gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club
03 April 2022 – Bloomington, Minnesota North Star Historical Bottle Association Presents its 50th Annual Antique Bottle, Advertising, and Stoneware Show and Sale, 9:30 am – 2:30 pm at the Knights of Columbus Event Center, 1114 American Blvd. West, Bloomington, Minnesota 55420. Info: Jeff Springer, 651.500.0949, springer_ associates@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club
24 April 2022 – Morgantown, West Virginia Dunkard Valley Antique Bottle WV Stoneware Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; Early buyers 7:30 am, $25. Both inside and outside vendor spaces are available! Monongalia County Extension Services & 4H Center, 270 Mylan Park Lane, Morgantown, WV 26501, Contact: Don Kelley, 724.998.2734, bonzeyekelley@gmail.com
03 April 2022 - Baltimore, Maryland The Baltimore Antique Bottle Club Show & Sale, New Location, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, baltimorebottleclub.org, Howard County Fairgrounds, Main Exhibition Hall, 2210 Fairgrounds Road, West Friendship, Maryland 21794, Contact Info: Rick Lease, 410.458.9405, finksburg21@comcast.net, Andy Agnew (contracts), 410.527.1707, medbotls@comcast.net, FOHBC Member Club
24 April 2022 – Rochester, New York 51st Annual GVBCA Rochester Bottle & Antique Show, Roberts Wesleyan College, Voller Athletic Center, 2301 Westside Drive, Rochester, New York 14624, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Admission $5. 17 and Under FREE, Show and Dealer Inquires: Aaron and Pamela Weber gvbca@frontiernet.net 585.749.8874, FOHBC Member Club
03 April 2022 – Hutchinson, Kansas The 15th Annual Kansas Territory Bottle & Post Card Show & Sale, General Admission: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Kansas State Fairgrounds, Sunflower Building, 2000 N. Poplar Street, Hutchinson, Kansas, Info: Mike McJunkin, 620.728.8304, scarleits@cox.net or Mark Law, 785.224.4836, kansasbottles@gmail.com, FOHBC Member Club 09 April 2022 – Wills Point, Texas Patriotic Guns LLC presents 3rd Annual North Texas Bottle and Collectible Show, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, 26843 Interstate 20, Wills Point, Texas 75169 (Maroon Building). Admission $3 per person. Dealer setup: Friday April 8th from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Early entry (during set-up) $10 per person. Info: Michael at 972.741.3206 or texasbottleshow@gmail.com 09 April 2022 – Kalamazoo, Michigan The Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club’s 41st Annual Show & Sale, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, early buyers 8:00 am, Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds, 2900 Lake St., Kalamazoo, Michigan. Contact: John Pastor, 248.486.0530, jpastor@ americanglassgallery.com or Mark McNee, 269.343.8393
01 May 2022 – Marcy, New York 26th Annual Utica Bottle Show & Sale, Hosted by the Mohawk Valley Antique Bottle Club, at the Utica Maennerchor, 5535 Flanagan Road, Marcy, New York 13403, Info: Peter Bleiberg at 315.735.5430 or email pmbleiberg@aol. com, www.mohawkvalleybottleclub.com, FOHBC Member Club 07 May 2022 – Mansfield, Ohio 43rd Mansfield Antique Bottle Show, Hosted by the Ohio Bottle Club, at the Richland County Fairgrounds, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Early admission, May 6, 2:00 to 6:00 pm. Info: Matt Lacy at 440.228.1873 or email info@antiquebottlesales.com or Louis Fifer at 330.635.1964, fiferlouis@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club 07 May 2022 – Gray, Tennessee State of Franklin Antique Bottles & Collectible Assoc. hosting Can & Toy Collectors Annual Show & Sale, Saturday, May 7th, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Appalachian Fairground, 100 Lakeview Street, Gray, Tennessee 37615, Exit 13 on I-216, No Early Admission. sfabca.com, FOHBC Member Club
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Sho-Biz Calendar of Shows
14 May 2022 – Gardendale, Alabama 2nd Annual Alabama Bottle & Antique Show (10 minutes north of Birmingham) 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Free Admission and Appraisals, Dealer Set-Up: 7:00 am to 9:00 am, Early Buyers: 8:00 am to 9:00 am ($20), Tables are $35 each. Contact: Keith Quinn, 205.365.1983, klq1812@gmail.com or Steve Holland 205.492.6864. Visit on Facebook at Alabama Bottle Collectors’ Society, FOHBC Member Club 16 May 2022 – Washington, Pennsylvania Washington County Antique Bottle Club 48th Annual Show and Sale, Alpine Star Lodge, 735 Jefferson Avenue, Washington, Pennsylvania 15301, Admission $3, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Info: Ed Kuskie, 412.405.9061, 352 Pineview Drive, Elizabeth, Pennsylvania 15037, bottlewizard@comcasat.net, FOHBC Member Club 20 & 21 May 2022 – Adamstown, Pennsylvania Shupp’s Grove Bottle Festival, Sat & Sun, 6:00 am to dusk, early buyers Friday, 3:00 pm, The famous ‘Shupp’s Grove’, 607 Willow Street, Reinholds, Pennsylvania 17569, Contact Info: Steve Guion, 717.371.1259. william03301956@gmail.com 05 June 2022 – Ballston Spa, New York The National Bottle Museum presents the 42nd Annual Saratoga Antique Bottle Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 2:30 pm; early admission 8:00 am, $20, Admission $5, Children 12 and under free. Saratoga County Fairgrounds, 4H Building, 162 Prospect St, Ballston Spa, New York, National Bottle Museum, 76 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, New York 12020, 518.885.7589, info@nationalbottlemuseum.org FOHBC Member Club 11 June 2022 – Lincoln, Alabama 7th Annual Lincoln Bottle & Antique Show. Lincoln Civic Center, 123 Jones Street, Lincoln, Alabama 35096, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Contact chairman Jake Smith, 256.267.0446, syl_bottleguy@yahoo.com. Free public admission, $20 early admission Saturday 8:00 am till 9:00 am, Free appraisals. Info on Facebook.
March – April 2022
18 June 2022 – Weyers Cave, Virginia The Historical Diggers of Virginia 50th Antique Bottle and Collectibles Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Weyers Cave Community Center, 682 Weyers Cave Road, (Rt. 256), Weyers Cave, Virginia, Sonny Smiley, 540.434.1129, lithiaman1@yahoo.com, FOHBC Member Club 25 June 2022 – Johnston, Iowa The Iowa Antique Bottleers 52nd Annual Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show and Sale at the Johnston Lions Club, 64th Place and Merle Hay Road, Johnston, Iowa, Admission $2, Children Free, For info contact Mark Wiseman, 3505 Sheridan Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50301, 515.344.8333 or Joyce Jessen, 515.979.5216, See Contract on FOHBC website, FOHBC Member Club 02 & 03 July 2022 – Nr Barnsley, S. Yorks, United Kingdom, the 30th UK National is back! BBR, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Nr Barnsley, S. Yorks, S74 8HJ, tele: 01226 745156, email: sales@onlinebbr.com, www.onlinebbr.com 24 July 2022 – Rotterdam Junction, New York Capital Region Antique Bottle Club Annual Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, at the Mabee Farm Historic Site, 1100 Main St., Rotterdam Junction N.Y., Contact: Jeff Ullman, 518.925.9787, jullman@nycap.rr.com, FOHBC Member Club 28-31 July 2022 – Reno, Nevada FOHBC RENO 2022 National Antique Bottle Convention, Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, Information: Richard Siri rtsiri@sbcglobal.net or Ferdinand Meyer V fmeyer@fmgdesign. com, FOHBC National Convention – Western Region. Full event information at FOHBC.org, FOHBC National Event
Collectibles Show & Sale, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Early Bird $15 at 8:00 am, General Admission Free 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Club Members All Day Entry, at the Santa Ana California Elks, Lodge, 1751 South Lyon St., Santa Ana, California 92705. Free Admission, Info: Don Wippert, Tele: 818.610.9332; Email: donwippert1@gmail.com or Chuck Gildea, tele: 949.351.7620. FOHBC Member Club 21-22 October 2022 – Nashville, Tennessee Area Tennessee Bottle Collectors Presents their Nashville Area Antique Bottle & Advertising Show, Wilson County Fairgrounds, 945 E. Baddour Pkwy, Lebanon, Tennessee 37087, Building E-D, Behind Expo Center, I-40 Exit 239B, Friday 2:00 to 7:00 pm Early Buyer $10 Admission, Saturday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm Free Admission. Dealer Set-up: Friday: 1:00 pm, Saturday: 7:00 am, For Show Info or Vendor Contract, Contact Show Chairmen Greg Eaton: 865.548.3176 or Stanley Word, 615.708.6634, FOHBC Member Club 26 & 27 November 2022 – Traralgon, Victoria, Australia 51st National Bottles & Collectables Show & 25th Gippsland Antiques & Collectables Fair, Saturday, 26th November, 9.30 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday, 27th November, 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium, Catterick Cres. Traralgon, Victoria. Admission: Adults $5 Children under 16 yrs. Free. Early Bird Entry: Friday from 6:30 pm (Bottle Auction) & Saturday from 8:00 am $30. Inquiries: Wayne: 0435587535, waynhbotl@yahoo.com, www.facebook.com/gippslandantiques, Hosted by Gippsland Antique Bottles & Collectables Club Inc.
17 September 2022 – Santa Ana, California Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club’s 56th Annual Antique Bottles, Fruit Jars, Insulators, Antiques &
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Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
Membership Benefits
The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) is a non-profit organization supporting antique bottles and glass collecting. The goal of the FOHBC is to promote the collection, study, preservation and display of historical bottles and related artifacts and to share this information with other collectors and individuals. Federation membership is open to any individual or club interested in the enjoyment and study of antique bottles. The FOHBC publication, Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, is well-known throughout the hobby world as the leading publication for those interested in antique bottle and glass collecting and all associated ephemera. The FOHBC Virtual Museum is the most comprehensive antique bottle and glass experience on the Internet. Your FOHBC Individual Membership benefits include: A full year subscription to the all-color, bi-monthly (6 issues a year) 72-page plus covers publication, Antique Bottle & Glass Collector. Various membership options are available including Digital Membership. Free advertising of “For Sale” items in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector (restrictions apply—ads may be up to 100 words, items must be of $25 or greater value, and free advertisements are limited to the first 100 received, based upon date mailed). One free ad of 60 words each year for use for items “Wanted,” trade offers, etc. Access to FOHBC.org, a comprehensive website dedicated to the organization and hobby. Access through the Members Portal to the Membership Directory, archived FOHBC past issues, indexed articles and a vast assortment of research material. Access to the FOHBC Virtual Museum of Historical Bottles & Glass. FOHBC members are museum members. Access to the online FOHBC Auction Price Guide. Look for cost and description of anything auctioned by the top antique bottle and glass auction houses in the past decade. The opportunity to obtain discounts to be used on “Early Admission” or table rental at the annual FOHBC National Shows and Conventions. FOHBC digital newsletter and so much more. We encourage Affiliated Bottle Club memberships by offering these additional benefits to your group: Display advertising in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector at discount of 50%. Insertion of your bottle club show ad on the Federation website to increase your show’s exposure. Links to your club website free of charge. Social Media (Facebook) exposure. Free Federation ribbon for Most Educational display at your show. Participation in the Federation-sponsored insurance program for your club show and any other club-sponsored activities. We need your support! Our continued existence is dependent upon your participation as well as expanding our membership. If you haven’t yet joined our organization, please do so and begin reaping the benefits. If you are already a member, please encourage your friends and fellow collectors to JOIN US!! For more information, questions, or to join the FOHBC, please contact: Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002, phone: 713.504.0628. or email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com or visit our home page at FOHBC.org
March – April 2022
Where there’s a will there’s a way to leave Donations to the FOHBC Did you know the FOHBC is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization? How does that affect you? It allows tax deductions for any and all donations to the FOHBC. You might also consider a bequest in your will to the FOHBC. This could be a certain amount of money or part or all of your bottle collection. The appraised value of your collection would be able to be deducted from your taxes. (This is not legal advice, please consult an attorney.) The same-type wording could be used for bequeathing your collection or part of it; however, before donating your collection (or part of it), you would need the collection appraised by a professional appraiser with knowledge of bottles and their market values. This is the amount that would be tax deductible. Thank you for considering the FOHBC in your donation plans.
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Membership Application & Advertising FOHBC Individual Membership Application For Membership, complete the following application or sign up at FOHBC.org (Please Print)
Name_________________________________ Address________________________________ City __________ State___________________ Zip ___________ Country _________________ Telephone______________________________ Email Address____________________________ Collecting Interests ________________________ ____________________________________
Do you wish to be listed in the online membership directory?(name, address, phone number, email address and what you collect) { } Yes { } No Would you be interested in serving as an officer? { } Yes { } No
Antique Bottle & Glass Collector Free Ads Category: “WANTED” Maximum - 60 words Limit - One free ad per current membership year. Category: “FOR SALE” Maximum - 100 words Limit - 1 ad per issue. (Use extra paper if necessary.)
Would you be interested in contributing your bottle knowledge by writing articles for our magazine? { } Yes { } No Would you be interested in volunteering to
Additional Comments _______________________ help on any FOHBC projects? { } Yes { } No ____________________________________ Membership/Subscription rates for one year (6 issues) (Circle One)
(All First Class sent in a protected mailer)
United States
- Standard Mail - Standard Mail w/Associate* - Standard Mail 3 years - Standard Mail 3 years w/Associate* Digital Membership (electronic files only)
$40 $45 $110 $125 $25
1st Class $55 1st Class w/Associate $60 1st Class 3 years $125 1st Class 3 yrs w/Assoc. $140
Canada – First Class $60 Other countries – First Class $80
- Life Membership: Level 1: $1,000, includes all benefits of a Standard 1st
Class membership. No promise of a printed magazine for life. - Level 2: $500, includes all benefits of a regular membership but you will not receive a printed magazine, but rather a digital subscription.
Add an Associate Membership* to any of the above at $5 for each Associate for each year.
Associate Member Name(s) __________________________________
*Associate Membership is available to members of the immediate family of any adult holding an Individual Membership. Children age 21 or older must have their own individual membership. Associate(s) Members enjoy all of the rights and privileges of an Individual Membership.
Signature ______________________________ Date _______________ Please make checks or money orders payable to FOHBC and mail to: FOHBC Membership, Elizabeth Meyer, FMG Design, Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002, Phone: 713.504.0628 Email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
Affiliated Club Membership for only $75 with liability insurance for all club-sponsored events, 50% discount on advertising in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, plus much more, Contact: FOHBC Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, FMG Design. Inc., 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002 Phone: 713.504.0628 Email: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
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Clearly Print or Type Your Ad Send to: FOHBC Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, FMG Design, Inc. 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002; phone: 713.504.0628; or better yet, email Elizabeth at: fohbcmembers@gmail.com
Magazine Submission Requirements: We welcome the submission of articles and related pictures pertaining to antique bottle and early glass collecting, our hobby, digging, diving, and finding, as well as other interesting stories. SUBMISSION POLICY—Articles: All Antique Bottle & Glass Collector articles or material needs to be submitted via an FTP site, email or hard copy. Electronic text files should be in Microsoft Word. Electronic photo files should be in JPEG, TIFF or EPS format. Resolution of 300 dpi at actual publication size is preferred but as low as 150 dpi (at double publication size) is acceptable. SUBMISSION POLICY—Classified ads: All ad copy should be typewritten, clearly & legibly printed, or sent via e-mail. The FOHBC will not be responsible for errors in an ad due to poor quality, illegible copy. The FOHBC reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Please send articles/images to fmeyer@fmgdesign.com or mail to business manager noted on bottom of previous column. Antique Bottle & Glass Collector
FOHBC c/o Elizabeth Meyer, FMG Design, Inc. 101 Crawford St., Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002
FOHBC Member. Please check your mailing address information and notify us of any corrections. FOHBC.org