Vol. 30
1
No. 1
January - February 2019
Featuring
Bottle Collecting a Chautaugua
Included in this issue... This North Carolina Distiller Had the “old Nick” in Him • Cleaning Privy Iron • Outhousepatrol •Gold Rush • Artifact hunters Archival Research Specialists • Privies of Augusta, Georgia Uncovered by Radar Unit • Bottle
Collecting a Chautaugua • Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies: The Other Safe Remedies
$7.00
Discover the Beauty of Antique American Glass Always Buying, Check Out Our Website, Call for Free Appraisals
Specializing in Western Bottles
1-800-806-7722
American Bottle Auctions • 915 28th Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 Visit our website at americanbottle.com or email us at info@americanbottle.com
Auctioning Antique Bottles for 25 Years!
• ABA Ad HOA 8.5x11 01-2018 Ver4.indd 1
1/3/18 5:23 PM
1
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras 1
Don’t miss an issue of BOTTLES and EXTRAS ! Please check your labels for expiration information. Who do I contact at BOTTLES and EXTRAS, or for my Change of Address, Missing Issues, etc.?
Vol. 30 No. 1
January - February 2019
TABLE OF CONTENTS
No. 241
On the Cover: Collage of Warner Log Cabin ad and bottles in the Tingen Collection
To Advertise, Subscribe or Renew a subscription, see pages 66 and 72 for details.
FOHBC Officers | 2018 - 2020 ...............................................................................2
To Submit a Story, send a Letter to the Editor or have Comments and Concerns, contact:
FOHBC President’s Message ...................................................................................3 Shards of Wisdom .................................................................................................4 History’s Corner ....................................................................................................5 FOHBC News - From & For Our Members ................................................................6 This North Carolina Distiller Had the “old Nick” in Him
by Jack Sullivan ............................................................................................ 14
Page 14
Cleaning Privy Iron by Ed Stewart .................................................................. 20 Outhousepatrol, Gold Rush Artifact hunters Archival Research Specialists
by Reginald Shoeman ............................................................................................ 26
Club Contest Page ........................................................................................................ 31 Privies of Augusta, Georgia Uncovered by Radar Unit
by Bill Baab ................................................................................................... 32
Bottle Collecting a Chautaugua, Candy-Canes & Candy-Stripes & Barber-Poles by Chris Hartz ............................................................................................... 38
Page 32
Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies: The Other Safe Remedies
by Stephen R. Jackson ........................................................................................... 48
The Coca Cola Trail: People, Places Along Road to Success ............................ 57 David Tingen: A Profile of Bottle Collecting ........................................................ 58 FOHBC Member Photo Gallery ........................................................................... 64
Page 38
Classified Ads .................................................................................................... 66 FOHBC Sho-Biz - Calendar of Shows ................................................................... 68
Fair use notice: Some material in BOTTLES and EXTRAS 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).
Postmaster: Send address changes to Elizabeth Meyer, FOHBC Business Manager, 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, Texas 77002; 713.222.7979 x103, email: emeyer @ FOHBC.org 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.
FOHBC Membership Additions & Changes .......................................................... 70 Membership Benefits, Ad Rates, Donations to the FOHBC .................................... 71 Membership Application & Advertising .............................................................. 72 Page 48
Coming next issue or down the road: Outhousepatrol Part 2 - Butte, Montana•The GVBCA celebrates 50•Rare Wisconson Bottles •Badger Ale•Future Generations•The Color Aqua•Rushton’s Cod Liver Oil•American Scent Bottles•On the Trail of Indian Medicine Bottles•Dr. Lovegoods Bitters•History Of Augusta, Georgia• Old Bourbon Whiskey put up by Wilson, Fairbank & Co. and so much more!
Martin Van Zant BOTTLES and EXTRAS Editor 41 E. Washington Street Mooresville, Indiana 46158 812.841.9495 email: mdvanzant@yahoo.com
BOTTLES and EXTRAS © (ISSN 1050-5598) 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, TX 77002; phone: 713.222.7979 x103; Website: FOHBC.org, Non-profit periodicals postage paid at Raymore, Missouri 64083 and additional mailing office, Pub. #005062.
Virtual Museum News ........................................................................................ 56
Lost & Found ................................................................................................................ 62
Elizabeth Meyer FOHBC Business Manger 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A Houston, Texas 77002 phone: 713.222.7979 x103 email: emeyer@fohbc.org
Page 58
The names Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Inc., and BOTTLES and EXTRAS ©, 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 ModernLitho, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.
2
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Business & News
The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors is a non-profit organization for collectors of historical bottles and related collectible items. Our primary goal is educational as it relates to the history and manufacture of historical bottles and related artifacts.
FOHBC Officers 2018 - 2020
President: Matt Lacy, 3836 State Route 307, Austinburg Ohio 44010, phone: 440.228.1873; email: mlacy28@yahoo.com
Conventions Director: Lindsey Fifer, 604 Topaz, Brunswick, Ohio 44212; phone: 440.552.2454; email: lindsey_stoneman@yahoo.com
First Vice-President: Louis Fifer, 604 Topaz, Brunswick, Ohio 44212; phone: 330.635.1964; email: fiferlouis@yahoo.com
Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, 101 Crawford Street, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002; phone: 713.222.7979 x103; email: emeyer@fohbc.org
Second Vice-President: John O’Neill, 1805 Ralston Ave. Belmont, California 94002; phone: 650.631.7495; email: Joneill@risk-strategies.com Secretary: Andrew Rapoza, 28240 Nancy Lane, Conroe, Texas 77385; phone: 832.928.7472; email: rapoza.2025@gmail.com Treasurer: James Berry, 200 Fort Plain Watershed Rd, St. Johnsville, NY 13452; phone: 518.568.5683; email: jhberry10@yahoo.com Historian: Jim Bender, PO Box 162, Sprakers, NY 12166; phone: 518.673.8833; email: jim1@frontiernet.net Editor: Martin Van Zant, 41 E. Washington St., Mooresville, IN 46168; phone: 812.841.9495; email: mdvanzant@yahoo.com
Director-at-Large: Ferdinand Meyer V, 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002; phone: 713.222.7979 x115; email: fmeyer@fohbc.org Director-at-Large: Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, California 95402, phone: 707.542.6438; email: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net Director-at-Large: John Pastor, PO Box 227, New Hudson, MI 48165, phone: 248.486.0530; email: jpastor@americanglassgallery.com Midwest Region Director: John Fifer, 5830 Enfield Circle, Medina, Ohio 44256, phone: 330.461.0069; email: coinop1958@gmail.com Northeast Region Director: Jeff Ullman, P.O. Box 121, Warnerville, New York 12187, phone: 518.925.9787; email: jullman@nycap.rr.com Southern Region Director: Brad Seigler, P.O. Box 27 Roanoke, Texas 76262, phone: 940.395.2409; email: drgonzo818@gmail.com
Merchandising Director: Val Berry, 200 Fort Plain Watershed Rd, St. Johnsville, NY 13452; phone: 518.568.5683; email: vgberry10@yahoo.com
Western Region Director: Eric McGuire, 1732 Inverness Drive, Petaluma, California 94954, phone: 707.778.2255; email: etmcguire@comcast.net
Membership Director: Linda Sheppard, P.O. Box 162, Sprakers, NY 12166; phone: 518.673.8833; email: jim1@frontiernet.net
Public Relations Director: Elizabeth Lacy, 3836 State Route 307, Austinburg Ohio 44010, phone: 440.994.9028; email: elacy@fohbc.org
3
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
FOHBC
President’s Message share the success of your show, or a bottle show enthusiast who Matt Lacy Ferdinand Meyer V
3836 State Inc. Route 307 FMG Design, Ohio 44010 101Austinburg Crawford Street 440.228.1873 Studio 1A mlacy28@yahoo.com Houston, Texas 77002 713.222.7979 x115 can’t think of a more fitting ending to a great year. I am writfmeyer@fohbc.org ing this shortly after my return from the Bethlehem, Pennitting downbottle at my show. desk, on thisisfirst afterand New sylvania This theback-to-work second year Monday Louis Fifer Years, I conjure up a vision of a stove with lots of pots-a-cooking. I have made the journey on Thanksgiving weekend, and do we The antique bottle events us allfriends, lookingold forward to the havekettle a lotlabeled to be thankful for! We sawhas many and new, stretch leading up to the FOHBC 2016 Sacramento National Antique Botand had a great time. This is the first time I ever recall being even tle Convention & Expo this August. We have a coordination conference slightly to week a bottle got the dealer call later late in the andshow; plan tosomehow step it up we a notch or two. Wesetup are also and early timesinmixed up, but things worked out2017 anyway. pleased thatentry we locked Springfield, Massachusetts for our NationThe showBottle was high energy from into the al Antique Convention, and bythe themoment time youwe readstepped this message, the FOHBC 2018 National Antique Bottle Convention Expo will have been room and it was nonstop action until about 30&minutes before announced Cleveland, Ohio. We We really havetoour in bottle place and teardown. for What a whirlwind! each got addteams a great to our wheels in motion. I suppose we should start thinking about the 2019 our collections and some close friends made a few great acquisiConvention in the Southern Region. Planning ahead has many benefits. tions as well.
I
The FOHBC is also proud to say that this March | April 2016 issue of I know we and all have stories show thatinstood out this BOTTLES EXTRAS is of thethat firstone to be printed full color, which only an aadditional an issue. This past costs year. us Take moment$184, and reflect back onchange 2018. prompted What wasa few design revisions, which hope sure you to will notice, such asnow the and Tableletof the great show for you?weMake take a moment Contents and a few of the section headers. We receive quite a fewthe rethe club, team, or individuals know that you really appreciate ally nice compliments on how the magazine looks and have come work they put in to make the show possible. It will mean a great so far in a relative short number of years. Oh, and look for a new secdealintothe them andofwill make theircalled new “Member year a bitPhoto brighter. tion back the magazine Gallery”. This new section is dedicated to the fine photography of antique bottles and glass. Please this feel in free submit consideration. We I mentioned mytolast letter,your and images thoughtfor it was worth menhave already started work on the May | June issue and hope that you tioning again. The FOHBC Bottle & Extras magazine is going will consider authoringphase. an article for the We arewho herehave to help! through a transition Thank youmagazine. to all of those
supported us and continue to support us as we move forward.
Within this issue of BOTTLES and EXTRAS, please read the proposed We areupdates currently bottle bylaw and seeking revisionsauthors, that haveresearchers, been markedand in red. Allenthurevisions siasts that are willing to contribute content to be published the have been approved by the FOHBC Board of Directors. These in bylaws magazine. If you write it and give us a few wemembership will take have been amended and need to be reviewed by pictures, the FOHBC prior to the general membership at the FOHBC 2016 Nacare of theannual rest. Many collectors are meeting extremely knowledgeable, tional Antique Bottleway Convention Expo in Sacramento, California and this is a great to share & that information with the collect-by an affirmative vote of a majority of all votes cast by the eligible voters ing community. If you have an interest sharing your expertise or in attendance, provided that a copy of the proposed changes are made sensational story, pleaseinreach out either to Martin VanbyZant available to each member advance, directly mailat ormdvanzby timely ant@yahoo.com or myself at mlacy28@yahoo.com. notice in the Federation’s official periodical or on the Federation website. In news, we arefor moving with photography forthe thecountry Virtual Weother are also looking showahead reports from all areas of Museum and to have regional in regions to publish in hope the magazine, on thephotography website, andlabs on set theup social to start platforms. photographing bottlestalked both in standard of format and 3-dimenmedia We have to aa number subscribers that sionally. This effort is being spearheaded by Museum Director, Alan Deare interested in reading about the latest happenings in the hobby. Maison. You may have met Alan at the Virtual Museum table during the Some of2015 the best-told stories are the journey treasure on FOHBC Chattanooga National Antique Bottle Showfinds last August.
the way to and from shows, discoveries of that “diamond in the
Federation member is heading thememories nominationweprorough” at the show,Alicia or theBooth, incredible friendsupand cess election of Whether all Federation officers including the President, makeforat the bottle shows. you are a show chair excited to Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager, Membership
can take fellow along your experienceDirector, of the weekend, Director, Public collectors Relations Director, Conventions Historian, your perspective is whatDirectors-at-Large builds the excitement. Tell us your story. Merchandising Director, (3), and Region Directors If you areelections new to the bottle community or even remotely (4). These occur every two years. Any officer may runinterfor successive Thismore committee prepared a slatebottles, of nominations ested interms. learning about has collecting antique I would for each office and It or is important to noteYou thatwill any meet member encourage youistolisted get tobelow. a local regional show. desiring to runmake for any office in thewho Federation file even a nomination great people, contacts and, knows,may maybe find a form with the Election Committee (in accordance with procedures apmentor or two that will become a lifelong friend. In addition, you proved by the membership and instituted by the Election Committee) may even the findoffice a nice addition collection or notice bottles indicating they desire to to your run for. The deadline for filing this you have Growing up in the hobby andby being is April 1stnever 2016.seen. We have seen successful campaigns our an membership before so if you want to run for asee position, pleasenew let Alicia know. active collector for 28 years, I still something and learn You and reach her atsingle this email You something at every showaddress, I attend.alicia@cis-houston.org. The thrilling part of this will be receiving a ballot for voting so please take the time to vote. hobby is that once you think you have seen it all, something new turns up. Anyway, I encourage everyone to attend Ferdinand Meyeryour V local and FOHBC Candidates President: regional shows. It may beHouston, the ticket to that “once in a lifetime” Texas Here is the slate of FOHBC opportunity. First Vice President: Sheldon Baugh
recommended candidates Russellville, Kentucky put forth by the nominating While on (Alicia the topic shows, I am very excited that the committee Booth, of bottle Second Vice President: Gene Bradberry Chairperson) for 2014 FOHBC board is- 2016. getting together to discuss an “overhaul” of all Bartlett, Tennessee slate isinto being put for thatThegoes theforthNational Show format, schedule, etc. I have your consideration and anyone Secretary: James Berry talked with that have voiced their desires for desiring to run countless for office may collectors Johnsville, New York future shows. Now be nominated by going to theis our time to make the changes needed and Treasurer: Gary Beatty website and printing out a bring back the excitement and joy that we all know these shows North Port, Florida nomination form. Then, mail or canemail bring! to Alicia Booth, 11502 Historian: Jim Bender Burgoyne Drive, Houston, Texas Sprakers, New York alicia@cis-houston.org On 77077. that note, I am getting excited as with this New Year brings ClosingFOHBC date for nominations Editor: Martin Van Zant a new National Convention! Team Augusta is on fire, is April 1, 2016 at midnight. Danville, Indiana andAdditional they are very excited about this summer. I got an email this nominations will Merchandising Val Berry evening Baab sharing some of Director: his thoughts and plans be printedfrom alongsideBill the slate York Those of you that proposedthis by the anominating to make great eventJohnsville, for those New that attend. committee and will be listed know Bill know that his energy and excitement are contagious! Membership Director: Linda Sheppard I in the May-June 2016 issue Sprakers, New York am ofsuper excited to work with the team in the coming months to BOTTLES and EXTRAS along with a short bio of each plan another great FOHBC National Convention. WeFifer are already Conventions Director: Louis candidate.
making family plans for the trip in August, Brunswick, Ohio including spending some time visiting the great state of Georgia. Between Atlanta Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer and Augusta, there are many attractions Houston, Texas to explore before the big event. I encourage you to bring the family and make a trip out Director-at-Large: Bob Ferraro of the opportunity! Who knows, there may just be a future bottle Boulder City, Nevada collector with you! Director-at-Large: Steve Ketcham Edina, Minnesota
In this first issue of 2019, I just want to use this opportunity John to look back on 2018 andDirector-at-Large: say thank you to all thePastor great people New Hudson, Michigan who make this hobby so enjoyable. Overall, there were a lot of Director: memorable and inspiring Midwest momentsRegion to make 2018 aMatt greatLacy year Austinburg, Ohio in the bottle hobby and 2019 has the encouraging fortune to Northeast Region Director: Andrew Vuono continue the same path. There are conversations of exceptional Connecticut glass becoming available,Stamford, competitive auctions planned, and Southern Region Director: Ronforward Hands to more outstanding bottle shows on the calendar. I look Wilson, North Carolina spending time with family and friends, and continuing to serve Western Region Director: McGuire the bottle community in the upcoming year. Have aEric great and Petaluma, California exciting 2019! Public Relations Director: Rick DeMarsh Ballston Spa, New York
4
January - February 2019
Informational Websites: Part 1 in a Three part mini-series. By Martin Van Zant and Carisa Kimmon
In my quest to find information regarding bottle history, I want to take this issue to begin a discussion on helpful websites when exploring background information on bottles. Yes, your public library is of course an amazing resource for finding information. Many people prefer this route. My hope is that writing about a particular site in this issue, and the next couple issues, will open up conversation about where we as bottle collectors find our information. I am not writing to endorse a website in any way. I want to take this opportunity to let you know about some valuable information I have been able to obtain for myself when it comes to learning more about my collection, as well as bottles that I have come across at shows and auctions.
Bottles and Extras In this issue, I would like to take some time to discuss Ancestry.com. I am sure there are comparable sites out there, but this is the one that I use. I did not originally turn to this site due to bottle inquiry. I invested in Ancestry.com to become more familiar with my roots. I wanted to know more about my family, and once I got started, I found family members that I had never heard of, or knew existed for that matter. I was able to reach out to family that I did not know I had. We have since traded stories, and I have been able to make more sense of my lineage. I did not know at the time that Ancestry.com would also help with
Actual scanned in Census records for you to view.
my bottle collection.
A tree of your family members that you can trace back generations or start a tree of a known bottle you have and create a timeline of that particular family. This is P.Sorg known bottler Cumminsville, Ohio, a soda from the 1870s
Recently I used the Ancestry.com site to look up some of the names of the people that are on my bottles. This site does charge a fee; however, many libraries allow free research with this site. What a plethora of information! What kind of information, are you wondering? Well for one, Ancestry.com has scanned all original Census records on the site, (or at least the ones that can be found). I have found this to be easier to read than microfilm. The Census holds all kinds of information including the number of people that lived in a certain household, where they lived, and the names and ages of people as well. One of the most helpful items that I have
Bottles and Extras
5
January - February 2019
HISTORY’S CORNER In Memory of Dick Watson longtime FOHBC Historian
Long lost images of grandparents
found for us bottle collectors is that the site gives a person’s occupation. The only downfall is that the Census records are for every ten years. I wish it was every five. This leads to some gaps in the information, but it just makes me want to keep searching! Another great feature is that a relative of that person (the name of the person on a particular bottle) may have placed an image of him or her on the site. You can link this image to your page so that you will always have this information. You can also connect with that particular person’s family to find out more. It has been a great feeling to connect with others!
“For many years I collected Union Clasping Hands flasks. I always thought Union Flasks were so full of history. The Civil War was a huge change in the United States. During my time of collecting Union flasks I first saw my first Drafted Flask. I was able to buy one after years of looking. In my mind this bottle is one of the most historic of all flasks. The bottle shows a man carrying his bag and marching off to war. In the ribbon above the man is the word DRAFTED. You see in 1863 the Congress passed the first law to enable a man to be drafted and forced to fight in a war. This caused many riots in the Northeast and many people felt they were being sent to die. The bottle also shows the man marching into a rifle with a bayonet which symbolizes going to death. The flask is rated as Extremely Rare, however I have seen over 10 of these in the past ten years and would say it should be rated as very rare. Any interesting side note is that if you had a person to take your place or could pay $300.00 you could skip the draft.” Watch each issue for a new installment of History’s Corner.
Phelans Hair Tonic, from Indianapolis
Have you used this website? Are there websites that you have found particularly helpful as a bottle collector? What information have you acquired from looking online? Please feel free to write in and share your experiences!
M.E. Phelans Hair Color Restorer, Amber Bottle from Indianapolis, Indiana
6
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
FOHBC News Heinz Vinegar Bottle I have been searching for information about a Heinz vinegar bottle that has been in my collection for many years without much success. Perhaps your readers may know when the bottle was made and how it was used. I found this bottle unlisted in searching various Heinz-related web sites and the book 19th Century Food In Glass and Images of America H .J. Heinz Company. The bottle must be quite scarce and overlooked by Heinz collectors.
Vinegar was not an expensive product – I saw a 1920s photo showing the price of quart of vinegar priced at 17 cents. Why is this bottle unlisted and with no information available on line? Was it a salesman’s sample or perhaps a test marketing bottle? It might have an interesting history. I would like to learn more about this bottle Please email me any information you may have on this bottle Regards, Bryan Grapentine, bgrapentine@msn.com or
The bottle is 9 ¾” tall and is 1 7/8” at the lip and looks a lot like a quart milk bottle and has a cap seat similar to that of a milk bottle. The color is a medium sun-colored amethyst (SCA) and the lettering is just over ¼” tall and bold. The base reads No.180 This fits into the Heinz numbering scheme with a date around 1920. The front embossing reads: ONE QUART • PROPERTY OF • H.J.HEINZ CO. •PITTSBURGH, U.S.A. • TO BE USED ONLY • FOR GROCERS BOTTLING • HEINZ BARREL VINEGAR The reverse is embossed - WHEN EMPTY/WASH CLEAN/ AND/RETURN TO GROCER • ANY PERSON MISUSING/ THIS BOTTLE WILL/BE PROSECUTED. This thick glass bottle was obviously meant to be refilled at a grocery or mercantile store when the housewife needed more vinegar. Most likely, Heinz required the buyer to pay a deposit on the bottle.
Poisons by Druggist Dear Martin, I thought you might like to see images of a significant piece of ephemera that came my way from a recent sale in the UK of Alfred Swaine Taylor’s long lost nineteenth-century archive relating to his professional career. The complete two page document is in Taylor’s hand and relates to his recommendations concerning the production and sale of poisons by druggists. It’s somewhat outside my field (I am a dealer in antique microscopes and slides) but I think it is a document of some importance. Best wishes, Peter Hodds To view these images visit our webpage https://www.fohbc.org/2018/11/a-s-taylors-poison-bottle-recommendations/
Bottles and Extras
7
January - February 2019
Best Flea Market Bottle Find A friend had his best bottle find of the year at the Urbana, Ohio flea market... Warner’s Safe Tonic Bitters with super impression. John Bartley - Ohio JUST IN FROM BILL BAAB AND THE AUGUSTA NATIONAL COMMITTEE Just signed up the last one (local man Doug Herman. See below). Awaiting January 2019 to start distribution of pre-show stories locally and to major dailies of the states bordering Georgia. I will save tear sheets (from the newspapers) to give to Matt at showtime. Aren’t we having fun? A tentative (subject to Consortium approval) listing of Seminar speakers and displays at the FOHBC 50th Anniversary National Antique Bottle Convention in Augusta, Ga., Aug. 1-4, 2019. Seminar Speakers: Dennis Smith, Buffalo, N.Y., on Celery Cola - (He is the authority on that drink and other soft drinks of the early 20th century) Tommy Schimpf, Charleston, S.C., on Charleston Sodas. That was the subject of his popular seminar at the Chattanooga show in 2016. Larry Jorgensen, Mansura, Louisiana, on the ubiquitous CocaCola Bottle. He’s author of a book about it. He also will set up as a dealer (I have sent him an application). Karl Harrar, Aiken, S.C., on his ground-penetrating radar system, which bottle collectors use to uncover privies and longburied landfills. He also may set up as a dealer. Doug Herman, Martinez, Ga., great grandson of Edward W. Herman, founder of the Augusta Brewing Co., in 1888. Soda water manufacturer Edward Sheehan also is a great grandfather. So Doug’s seminar is titled: “My Grandfathers’ Bottles.” He has a marvelous collection of Augusta Brewing Co., bottles, corkscrews, bartender’s knives and other memorabilia, plus a wonderful collection of Sheehan sodas. He is a down-the-street neighbor of Mike Newman.
Charles Hilton, Graniteville, S.C., on local milk bottles. He owns the very best early milk bottle collection in the area. His display will include a 1930s-40s DIVCO (Detroit Industrial Vehicle Co.) milk truck in restored condition, or an early milk delivery wagon, not including its horsepower or mulepower because we don’t want to clean up the animal’s “mess.” Herbie Ford, Aiken, S.C., the Southern Porcelain Works, established in Bath, S.C., after the Bennington, Vermont factory closed. The S.C. company manufactured Civil War era insulators, among other goods. He obtained permission to dig the waster dumps on the property, which is still being mined for kaolin. Vern Huffstetler, a Horse Creek Antique Bottle and Pottery member, has one of the most outstanding Edgefield District pottery collections anywhere numbering 100-plus pieces. Much of it will be on display with plenty of ID labels. Same as above: Vern will display a major collection of bottled lubricants, such as whale oil. Dennis Smith, Buffalo, N.Y., outstanding Celery Cola display. Phillip and Corbett Toussaint, Edgefield, S.C., own the best of the best Edgefield District pottery. They also have the knowledge, according to Vern Huffstetler, who thinks their display will be among the spectacular. “J. McKnights Son, Albany, N.Y.” “Bought these gorgeous and rare Albany, N.Y. Ale (actually Malt Wine) bottles this weekend at the Albany, N.Y. show. They came from an old time Capital Region collection and I was honored they were offered to me. Usually you see embossings like this say “and Son” but in this case the embossing is referring to just one person. John Mcknight ran his brewery in Albany, N.Y. from approximately 1835 to 1860. He then gave control to his son William at that time.
Jamie Westendorf, Charleston, S.C. Humor in the hobby. He likes to share funny stories about his adventures in bottle collecting. “I could listen to him all day,” said one of his friends. DISPLAYS - I am encouraging the displayers to be available on or near their sites during the show to be able to answer questions from visitors. Walter Smith, Augusta, Ga. Display features oversized photos, bottles of pioneer soda bottler Edward Sheehan, who got his start with Savannah bottler John Ryan, and everything Augusta, Georgia. This is a historical display.
Here are two, J. McKnights Son, Albany, N.Y. Malt Wine Bottles
8
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
William continued the business until 1874. It stands to reason that John had built a loyal following and William was smart to keep the brand name.
Help with USA Repro bottles
Smooth base, gorgeous form 8.5 & 9.5 inches tall. I have been looking for either one for a long time. Very lucky to get them both at the same time.” – Jeff Ullman - New York
The repro bottles only come in the larger size. The embossing is somewhat weak, they normally have a donut shaped ring top, the base is smooth with a slight kick up. Many of them are very whittled. If I get a chance I will take a photo of mine and send to you. I have a complete set of them.
Hotel Del Coronado Pharmacy Help
Jim Bender - New York
Good morning. Having some difficulty finding info on T J Fisher pharmacist for HOTEL DEL CORONADO PHARMACY, CORONADO BEACH,CALIFORNIA.
National Show Improvement
Found all about Mr. Fisher, exact location of pharmacy, ledgers... ETC. I just can’t seem to find out about bottle production, quantity of bottles, sizes. Any information would be appreciated, as I live in Coronado, Calif. I’m trying to collect pharmacy bottles (2) known, along with (2) grocery store salt glaze mini jugs. There is also a salt glaze mini ( H D C, THE PLUNGE, CORONADO, CALIF) . The plunge was a salt water pool for residents and tourists living in TENT CITY. Thanks any information would be greatly appreciated.” Tim Thomas
I heard through the grapevine that a bunch of people are upset with me relative to my letter to the editor on improving the Expo/ National Show. As you know my suggestions were tailored to helping, along with constructive criticism.
John M. Maris company info wanted
National Show Improvement Response
“I was sent here by a collector I contacted about a question I had. He said that this site may be able to help me. My parents own a building in Millville, N.J. that John M. Maris company used in the mid to late 20’s to 1950. We are trying to find out if they did any manufacturing at this site. I really appreciate any help you could offer. Thank you!!!” Kevin Greenfield
Hi Chris,
USA Hospital repros
Everyone who cares about the nationals and expos has an opinion about how to improve them. I have heard and considered a lot of feedback since joining the board a few years ago. I have not yet heard anyone provide malicious suggestions.
Dear Ferdinand, I’ve been doing some research on repro USA HOSP DEPT bottles and found your site helpful What I’ve learned is to look for a star shape on the bottom and in some cases the letters SDS. I read somewehre that repro bottles are missing punctuation and that is false. Any additional pointers would be helpful (and if you have any unusual colors for sale let me know...I have plenty of amber and a few clear and light blue. Feel free to check my website: antiquemedicalinstruments.com thx, NATHAN SCHLEIDER, M.D.
Hi Nathan,
Ferdinand,
I would like your feedback as well as Louis’ and Matt’s feedback. Thank you, Chris
I personally have not heard any feedback or complaints about your letter. I have discussed it with a few interested collectors that wanted to express their thoughts and ideas. No one was angry or upset by it that I have talked with.
It’s simply not possible to please everyone. Every decision that is made or opinion told, big or small, will be met with some resistance. While I am very passionate about bottle collecting and the collecting community, I have to remind myself frequently that this is a hobby. We are all interested in helping and preserving it. A new Request for Proposal is currently being written that will be presented to the board for approval in the coming months. The changes represent the “majority” of feedback voiced to us. It is up to the board members to accept or deny the revisions. I’m not sure who is reporting outrage over your article, but I will always welcome perspectives and ideas. They will be heard and considered. We have a duty to the FOHBC to make decisions that will positively impact the majority. We won’t always get it right, but we do our best as we all have the same goal of strengthening the hobby. Thank you for your writing the letter along with many other great pieces! Most of all, thank you for caring deeply about this hobby
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
9
and looking to improve it. I always enjoy reading your articles! PS - I talked with Mark Vuono yesterday briefly and is thrilled with the article you researched and shared with him. I can’t wait to see it and read it myself. All the best, Matt Lacy - Ohio Looking for info on Northwest Flower Extractions Co. I am doing some historical research and am looking for images of bottles produced by “Northwest Flower Extractions Co.” of Seattle Washington under the name “De Glaceme” or perhaps others. Also Hitt’s Chemists of Victoria Canada. If you have a member who could help me with this it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you Tom Wenke - tommw@wenco.us Dr. Lovegoods Info
Stopped at Biedenharn Candy Co. in Vicksburg, Mississippi, the home of bottled Coca-Cola. Neat little tour and a chance to see 2 of the hutches that started it all for Coke bottles. Lots of little shops around too. Steve Lang - Camby, Indiana
Hey Guys,
Recent Find GXII-17 in a great color
I was looking up information on Frank Wrights Ale, who was a producer and has bottles from the 1860’s from Indianapolis. I was reading the ad I noticed who is listed above him, check it out. This is in the Indianapolis Star June 1864. - Martin
Hi Matt,
The Coke bottle that started it all
I wanted to share a recent find that came out of a small but very old collection in Illinois. This is a cryier as it has a large lip chip, but what a great color! I believe it is charted as a GXII-17 in the McKearin book. Enjoy!
Hi Martin,
Sincerely,
10
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
DELMARVA Delaware • Mar yland • Virginia
ANTIQUE BOTTLE CLUB SHOW
AND
SALE
Antique Bottles • Insulators and Tabletop Collectibles Sunday, May 19, 2019 • 9 am - 3 pm Ellendale Fire Hall, 302 Main Street, Ellendale, Delaware Contact: Keith Fleming | 302.684.8138 JohnKeithFleming@gmail.com
BBottles ottlesand andEExtras xtras
11 11
JJanuary anuary--FFebruary ebruary2019 2019
2019 FOHBC 50th
Anniversary National Antique Bottle Convention Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center & Augusta Convention Center
Augusta Georgia
Greetings from...
Info: FOHBC.org
1-4August 2019
12
January - February 2019
NEW EDITION! THE COLLECTOR’S GUIDE TO OLD FRUIT JARS REDBOOK#12
ENJOYED BY FRUIT JAR COLLECTORS WORLDWIDE
NOW AVAILABLE
HUNDREDS OF NEW ADDITIONS AND REVISIONS WIDELY UPDATED BALL, CANADIAN & FOREIGN JARS HUNDREDS OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PRICE $45.00 POSTAGE PAID IF SHIPPED IN USA NON USA ORDERS PLEASE INQUIRE TO ORDER VISIT OUR WEBSITE: REDBOOKJARS.COM OR
SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO DOUGLAS M LEYBOURNE JR PO BOX 5417 NORTH MUSKEGON, MI 49445
Bottles and Extras
The 47th Annual
Milwaukee Antique Bottle and Advertising Show Bottles
• Breweriana • Advertising
Largest show of its kind in Wisconsin • • • •
170 Sales Tables Displays and Lectures Door Prizes Food Available
Sunday February 3, 2019
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. $5.00 admission Early Admission at 8:00 a.m $15.00
Waukesha County Expo Center 1000 Northview Road Waukesha, Wisconsin
Directions: I94 exit 294 (Hwy J), then south to Northview Road
Antique Bottles Breweriana Soda Collectibles Tobacco Related Petroliana
13
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Crocks Stoneware Paper Advertising Postcards Tabletop Coin-Op
For further information contact:
Country Store Coffee Cans Tin Signs Labels Porcelain Signs
Food Advertising Gumball Machines Dairy Related Lighted Signs Lithographs
bottleshow@charter.net
BOTTLE, ANTIQUE & COLLECTIBLES SHOW & SALE Bottles, Fruit Jars, Insulators, Crockery, Pottery, Glassware, Antiques, Advertising, Coins, Tokens, Jewelry, Pre-Pro Liquor & Brewery Items, Marbles, Paper, Souvenirs, Collectibles, Memorabilia and more!
FREE APPRAISALS Friday, February 15, 2019, 12 --5 PM Set-up $5.00 Early Bird Admission Dealer drop-off at 11 AM Saturday, February 16, 2019, 9 AM - 3 PM Admission by donation American Legion Hall 21510 Main St. N.E., Aurora, Oregon For more information &/or table reservations contact: Wayne Herring (503) 864-2009 or Mark Junker (503) 231-1235 or Bill Bogynska (503) 657-1726 or email billbogy7@gmail.com
OREGON BOTTLE COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION nd Meetings 2 Friday of the month, Sept. - June, in Portland www.obcaorg.org
14
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
This North Carolina Distiller Had the “Old Nick” in Him By Jack Sullivan
Fig. 1: Portrait of Col. Williams
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
15
“Old Nick.” It is a common term for the Satan, the Devil, Beelzebub, or what ever you call the evil spirit. Nicholas Glenn Williams, a North Carolina whiskey man, not only ran a distillery business called the “Old Nick Williams Company,” but demonstrated repeatedly during his life, that he truly had the “Old Nick” in him and indeed was capable of “raising hell.” A rebel spirit ran in the family. Nicholas was a direct descendant of Col. Joseph Williams, an officer in George Washington’s Revolutionary Army, who was said to have been “exceedingly obnoxious” to the Tory opposition. So hated was he that three of his neighbors hatched a plot to murder him. When the scheme was uncovered, two of the plotters were Fig. 2: Sketch of Panther Creek plantation house taken from their homes by the colonel and in flasks (Fig. 6). Those frequently had elaborate paper labels, and his friends, and summarily shot. like the one shown here of a colonial gent with a cocktail glass in hand and two bottles at his side (Fig. 7). A version of “Old Nick’s The colonel (Fig. 1) established on 8,000 acres in the Yadkin Corn” featured a plainer label (Fig. 8). River Valley, a plantation he called “Panther Creek.” (Fig. 2) It subsequently became the site of a distillery founded by his son, Like many enterprising distillers and merchandisers, the North CarNicholas Lanier Williams, which came to be known as “The Old olinian provided giveaway advertising items to favored customers Nick Williams Company.” like saloons. They included an attractive label-under-glass back-ofthe-bar bottle advertising “Old Nick Rye” (Fig. 9). A trade card from the distillery claimed its existence extended over three centuries: “Established in the 18th, covered every day of the 19th and growing in popularity in this, the 20th. That’s the record of The Old Nick Williams Whiskies -- 133 years under the proprietorship of son, grandson and great-grandson of Col. Joseph Williams....” For many of those years, the distillery apparently had a relatively small output of whiskey. It was the great-grandson, our Nick Williams (sometimes known as N. Glenn Williams), who stepped up production and sales to regional, national, and even international markets (Fig. 3). After taking charge of the distillery in 1887, Nick expanded the plant and also diversified the farm’s crops and cattle operations by growing corn for his whiskey production and feeding the spent mash to a herd of cattle. In the 1900 census Williams noted his occupation as “farmer.” At that time he was 34 years old and residing with his wife, Margaret, a woman 11 years his junior. Living with them were three children, ages three to six months. During ensuing years, the couple would produce a total of nine. The Williams household also included four hired hands and a housekeeper. Williams featured one brand name, his own, and labeled it on whiskeys he designated as rye, bourbon, corn, wheat, and sour mash. He also featured brandies, apparently made from fruit grown on his farm, as well as beverages labeled “Rock and Rye” and “Peach and Honey.” He packaged his products in both ceramic jugs (Fig. 4) and in glass bottles, the latter both in quarts (Fig. 5) Fig. 3: Photo of Nicholas Glenn Williams
16
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Along with his reputation for “hell raising,” Williams’ wealth and business acumen also translated into local political clout. In North Carolina during the late 1880s and early 1900s, the Prohibitionist squeeze was being felt by distillers and liquor dealers. Panther Creek distillery was located in Forsythe County. When that jurisdiction went “dry” and authorities harassed Williams about his whiskey production, he used his political skills to have the county line moved so that his business would reside in Yadkin County where liquor was still legal. Local options in North Carolina and elsewhere in the South presented him Fig. 4: Williams Ceramic Jug with an opportunity to send his whiskey into dry locali- with the Federal Government by failing to pay his liquor taxes. The story is that during a visit to nearby Winston-Salem, North ties via the mail or express Carolina, Williams was confronted by a revenue officer who office. He advertised his “Lock Box No. 26” address accused him of tax evasion. A powerfully built man, Williams is said to have pulled the official out of the Federal Building and vigorously for mail order onto the street where he beat him with a buggy whip. So potent sales. This whiskey was was the young Nick’s political clout that he was never charged or sold in both quart bottles arrested for the assault. (Fig. 10) and pint flasks (Fig. 11). Williams bragged that As everyone knows, however, the Feds are not easily discourhis goods were so securely aged. Williams was hauled into Federal Court for failure to pay packed that “they will ship his rectifier tax. In addition to distilling spirits, he also was rectihundreds of miles without fying (blending) them for sale. Already paying a stiff federal tax breaking.” on each gallon of whiskey he was distilling, the law directed him to pay the government to blend them, a levy he and other rectiIn 1903, North Carolina fiers bitterly resented. Found guilty, Williams was ordered to pay began a statewide march a fine of $5,000, more than twenty times that amount in today’s against alcohol. An early law forbid distilleries outside of chartered towns. As a result, Panther Creek and the Old Nick Distillery became the town of Williams, North Carolina, founded by its namesake specifically for the purpose of keeping his distillery in operation. The town of Williams is recorded as having had a population of 52, virtually all of them members of Nick’s family, his farm workers and his distillery employees. The town name appeared prominently on embossed bottles. This legal fiction persisted for five years while Nicholas found an even larger market for his liquor via the mail.
Fig. 5: Old Nick labeled quart
“Old Nick” Williams, however, was not only just fighting forces in North Carolina. Early in the 1900s he got crosswise
Fig. 6: Old Nick labeled flask
Bottles and Extras
17
January - February 2019
dollar, and assessed court costs. Ever the stubborn rebel, Williams fought the decision, claiming that the original Federal Circuit Court had erred in setting the payment date and thus nulled the verdict. He claimed to owe nothing. First heard in Federal Appeals Court, the case eventually went all the way to the United States Supreme Court. That body in 1905, rendered a decision that, in effect, told Old Nick to pay up. Soon after, Williams was out of the whiskey trade. In 1908, North Carolina by a substantial vote of the populace banned all alcohol production and sales. The Williams distillery was forced cease making whiskey but still could sell remaining supplies out of state. Some of Fig. 7: Detail of Old Nick label William’s work force moved on to Kentucky, reportedly taking the Panther Creek stills with them. The town of Williams effectively disappeared and the plantation reverted purely to farming. In the 1910 census, Williams would list his occupation as operating a horse farm. He was 45 years old. Williams died three years later on November 25, 1913. He left his widow with a 1,400 acre farm to operate, nine children to raise, the youngest two and a half years old, and 28,000 gallons of sequestered whiskey. When national Prohibition was enacted, his widow sadly had no choice but to destroy the remaining liquor.
Fig. 8: Plainer label on pint
Fig. 9: Old Nick Rye label under glass
Fig. 10: Lock Box No. 26 quart
Fig 11: Lock Box No. 26 pint
After Prohibition and the end of the Great Depression, some of the sons of feisty Nicholas Glenn considered reviving the Old Nick Distillery in Virginia but nothing came of the idea. As the years passed, other descendants of “Old Nick” became serious about the idea. In 2014, brothers Van and John Williams and their grown sons, Zeb and Matt, decided to re-establish the Williams distillery. They built it in Lewisville, North Carolina, where they produce their flagship brand — “Old Nick Carolina Bourbon Whiskey (Fig. 12). Fig. 12: Contemporary Old Nick bottles (2)
18
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
The Guide To Collecting Fruit Jars
Fruit Jar Annual 2019 Updated annually by Jerry McCann 23rd edition
Comprehensive price guide for fruit jars and related packer jars. Cross referenced with the Dick Roller’s Standard Fruit Jar Reference 2011, listing information on availability, closures and history on the glass houses that manufactured or jobbed the jars. Researched articles by Barry Bernas, Bill Lockhart, Terry Schaub, Beau Schriever, Bill Lindsey and Carol Serr. Articles cover Dr. Daniel’s patented fruit jar, Trade Mark Lightning jars, Art Deco era including those of Capstan Glass, the Missouri Glass Co. and Keystone Mason jars. Softcover, spiral bound 388 easy to read pages with photos, drawings and period ads
Fruit Jar Annual 2019 - is $60 per copy plus $7 shipping by USPS. Send your order to: Jerry McCann, 5003 W. Berwyn Ave., Chicago, IL 60630-1501, Ph: 773.777.0443 e-mail: Fjar@aol.com
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
• Educational Resources • Scholarship Opportunities • Membership Benefits
www.nia.org Request your free brochure: Email: information@nia.org Call: (949) 338-1404 Or write to: Christian Willis NIA Information Director P.O. Box 2797 • Parker, CO 80104
19
20
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Cleaning Privy Iron By Ed Stewart
D
uring the winter and summer months, when cold and hot weather bring outdoor activities to a halt, I look for other ways to “dig without digging.” Last winter I decided to go through my “rust” bucket. This is where I put any rusty or corroded metal items that I bring home from privy digging trips. I will save a variety of rusty iron relics if I think they have some potential to clean up. These items include cast iron trivets, sad irons, cast iron toys, and anything else that catches my eye. My ferric salvage operations are the source of some amusement to most of my fellow bottle diggers. Whenever a rusty pipe or other heavily oxidized piece of junk is uncovered, a “There’s another relic for Ed” is sure to follow. I have to admit that many of the pieces look like little more than chunks of rust. The damp and corrosive nature of most privies is not kind to metal. Despite what my digging friends think, I am somewhat selective. The majority of the metal that we find is thrown on the tarp with the dirt and broken glass to
be reburied when the privy is filled. This story highlights some of the pieces that didn’t go back in the ground. Unlike my bottles, which are cleaned in my basement sink within a few days of the dig, I usually just put my iron artifacts into a five gallon bucket near the sink to await treatment at some future date. I was in my basement on a cold day wishing I had some bottles to wash when I noticed that my iron bucket was overflowing. This seemed like a good time to fire up my electrolysis tank and see if there was anything salvageable under all that rust. Background Electrolysis is an electro chemical process. I have looked at several academic papers on the subject by professional conservators. Much of the material in these papers goes way over my head.
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
Fortunately, the basic process is pretty simple and very forgiving. If I was cleaning an item of extreme historical importance I might be a little nervous, but the items I clean don’t come close to that category so there really isn’t any pressure. In its simplest terms, electrolysis is the opposite of electric plating. Instead of adding a microscopically thin layer of one metal to another, electrolysis removes a microscopically thin layer of metal from the item being cleaned. The big chunks of rust and corrosion adhering to the layer of metal removed will fall off or loosen. Electrolysis also removes any salts that have leached into the metal. If these salts are present and aren’t removed, the iron will continue to rust even if the surface rust was removed by mechanical means such as grinding.
Electrolysis Tank and Charger
All that needs to happen to create electrolysis is for an electric current to flow from the item being cleaned (cathode) through a water solution (electrolyte) to a positively charged piece of metal (anode). Anodes made of mild steel, rebar for example, or stainless steel work the best. During electrolysis, the water in the electrolyte is split into hydrogen and oxygen. For larger items like I would be cleaning, a car/motorcycle battery charger is an ideal source of electric current. I set it for two amps. This is way too much current for small items like coins however. I use a 100 milliamp DC charger for coins. The last thing needed is some kind of nonmetallic container in which to set everything up. For larger objects, I use a plastic five gallon kitty litter bucket. For coins and small artifacts, I use a glass cup. Since most of the privy iron is on the larger side, I set up my kitty litter tank. I use baking soda for the electrolyte at a rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water.
Looking down into the Electrolysis Tank
Round One: Trivets and a Sad Iron My first step was to go through my “rust” bucket and pick out the relics I wanted to clean. For my first projects, I chose three cast iron trivets and a sad iron. These trivets are decorative stands that hot sad irons where placed on while clothes were being ironed. Good electrical contact is important for electrolysis to work, so I use a small file to get down to bare metal in an inconspicuous place. After the whole process is complete, these spots are almost impossible to detect. I have a number of wire leads with alligator clips on each end that I attach to the cleaned spot on each relic. I was able to place all three
All three Trivets before the process begins
21
22
January - February 2019
Trivet number 1, rusty and ready
Trivet number 1, all cleaned and ready
Trivet number 2, what lay beneath the rusty layer
Trivet number 2, Cleaned and ready
Sad Iron before treatment
Sad Iron after treatment
Bottles and Extras
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
23
Acetone and denatured alcohol solvent for removing water from cleaned Iron
Tannic Acid Rust Converter
trivets in my bucket at once, suspended by wire leads. The cleaning process can take weeks for larger more encrusted iron relics such as the trivets, so being able to clean three at once was a bonus. Coins can take as little as a few minutes so doing multiples is not really an issue.
cess is to apply a rust converter. The relic at this point has all the crusty reddish rust removed, but still has a dark iron oxide surface layer. In other words, the relic is not all shiny iron. Rust converters are chemical solutions that are applied directly to an iron surface to convert iron oxides into a protective chemical barrier. This barrier prevents any future rust. There are several different rust converters, but my choice is tannic acid.
My procedure for iron is to turn on the current for one week first. I always look for the bubbles of oxygen on the relic and bubbles of hydrogen on the steel plates. If there aren’t bubbles, all of the connections need checked. After the first week, I take the relic out and use a wire brush to remove the rust that starts to scale off. I can also get a sense of how long the relic will need to be cleaned. I usually switch to two week electrolysis cycles after that, and that is what I did with the trivets. It took about five weeks to get the trivets cleaned to my satisfaction. Two of the trivets were openwork which give them a lot of eye appeal. The downside is that they aren’t as strong as solid trivets. One of the openwork trivets had apparently been cracked when it was thrown in the privy. Maybe this is why it was thrown away. Anyway, it turned out that the rusty crust on it was all that was holding it together. When the rust was removed, the trivet fell apart. I was a little disappointed, but that’s just a part of the game. After the cleaning process is complete it is important to completely dry the relic quickly or it will start to rust again. Some people heat the relic in an oven at high temperatures. I prefer a chemical drying process. I soak the relic for an hour in denatured alcohol and then an hour in acetone. The alcohol and acetone bind to the water molecules. Once the solvents have evaporated the relic is completely dry. I do the soaking in my detached garage and obviously away from any heat or flame. The next step in the pro-
Frisco Signal Dept Lock after the process
Tannic acid is a very weak acid made from oak and chestnut bark. Tannic acid is primarily used for dying fabric and the tannic acid I buy is sold in powder form for that purpose. Premixed tannic acid based rust converters are available, but I like to mix up my own solution using ethyl alcohol. Tannic acid converts unstable iron oxide to stable ferric tannate. Ferric tannate turns the relic a pleasing dark color. It almost looks like it has been painted black, but it isn’t paint. The last step is to give the relic two or three coats of satin polyurethane. After I finished with the two surviving trivets, I repeated the entire process on the sad iron. Round Two: A Railroad Lock The next item I decided to clean wasn’t actually iron, but rather a brass railroad padlock. It did come from a privy however, an Atchison privy to be exact. Rather than being covered with reddish rust, the lock was covered with green corrosion. The process for cleaning was the same as the iron. After several weeks of electrolysis, the corrosion crumbled away leaving a nice patina on the brass surface underneath. Since the lock wasn’t made of iron, the tannic acid and polyurethane steps were omitted. I just buffed it up a bit with a soft cloth. I forgot to take “before” pictures, but the “after” pictures show how nice it came out. The key cover actually moves. Now, if I only had a key...
24
January - February 2019
the pre 1863 type. So, rather than being solid iron, my ball was filled with small balls and black powder that was intended to scatter the balls and shell fragments when it exploded.
Round Three: A Big Surprise After the trivets, sad iron, and lock were cleaned and preserved, I went back to my bucket of rusty relics to choose the next piece to clean. Down in the very bottom of the bucket was a roughly four inch iron ball. I don’t remember when or where the ball was dug, but I do remember that when I decided to bring it home I thought it looked a little like a cannonball. I wasn’t really convinced of this as the only cannonballs I knew about were completely spherical iron balls. The piece I brought home had a strange disk sticking out of one side, so it ended up at the bottom of my rust bucket. Now I have done a lot of metal detecting for Civil War artifacts. I’ve found hundreds of Minnie balls, several buttons, and other nice artifacts. Finding a Civil War cannonball has always been at the top of my “wish” list though. I always knew that two factors were working against me however. For one thing, not as much artillery was used in Kansas as compared with farther east, so there is much less to find. Secondly, cannonballs are made of iron. The areas where I detect have seen much farming activity since Civil War days and are just loaded with junk iron. I usually discriminate this iron out, knowing full well that I could be missing my cannonball.
Cannonball image before cleaning, notice the top of the image
I was now excited and nervous at the same time. I had a great early Civil War vintage artifact that had powder in it. After a lot more internet research I learned that even if the powder was still good, it would take very high temperatures or a spark to set it off. Given that the ball had laid in a wet privy for 150 plus years, the chances that the powder was still good were small. There was no way that a spark could contact the powder inside the ball. The powder couldn’t be set off by dropping the ball. So the consensus of all the sites that I looked at was that the ball was quite safe. Nevertheless, each site recommended having the powder removed. And, obviously, electrolysis would have to wait! One of the sites pointed me to a person who was an expert at disabling Civil War shells. I contacted him and sent him pictures He confirmed what I had read about the identity and safety of my ball. I made arrangements to transport the ball to him. He told me the process could take several weeks as he like most of us had a “real” job. Now I just had to be patient and wait!
Bormann fuse close up before the cleaning
As I was examining the ball, wondering again if this might actually be a cannonball, a chunk of corrosion that had been obscuring the protruding disk fell off. Now I could see numbers and a scale marked around the inside of the disk. In the years since finding the ball I had done a lot more research on Civil War relics and I began to suspect that the marked disk was a fuse. Through the wonders of internet searching, I was able to confirm that I had a 6-pounder (3.67 inch caliber) shell with a Bormann fuse. Specifically the Bormann fuse was
Bottles and Extras
Cannonball final after cleaning, nitice the little balls still intact
A month or so later, I got my ball back. It had a small hole drilled in the bottom and all of the powder removed. But I wasn’t finished yet. I still had to clean the ball with electrolysis. Of all the iron that I chose to clean this was the most corroded. The chemical salts typical of a privy had done quite a job on the iron and would continue to do so if electrolysis wasn’t used to remove all traces of them. The fuse in the ball is made of a lead and zinc alloy. The current that I needed to use to clean the iron ball would damage the fuse so I had to make sure it stayed out of the water during electrolysis. I screwed a lag screw into the hole drilled to remove the powder. This gave me good electrical contact to the ball and a place to attach the wire lead of my cathode. I cut a short piece of PVC pipe and used it as a stand for the ball, then filled my tank to just below the fuse.
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
Cannonball final, after cleaning, posed with period bullets
Now I just had to be patient and wait...again! One side of the ball was quite pitted and I was worried that after the rust was removed there wouldn’t be much left. My fears were confirmed as I was using the wire brush to remove scale after the electrolysis. A large chunk of scale disintegrated and left a hole in the ball. At first, I was very disappointed, but then I noticed that the hole provided a unique window into the interior of the ball. Some of the smaller lead balls packed inside the iron ball were clearly visible. The hole was rectangular and fairly regular in shape. It was almost as if the ball had been purposefully cut away. Now I can display the ball one way and show what a Bormann fused 6-pounder shell looks like, or I can spin it around and provide a peek inside the shell.
picture of all of the rust that had come off the items I cleaned. It turned out to be quite a pile. It had taken a lot of time and effort to remove all this crust, but revealing the artifacts hiding underneath made it all worthwhile.
I’ll always be left to wonder how a live Civil War shell wound up in a Kansas privy. I can see it possibly as a souvenir of the war, but wonder about a person who would bring home a live shell. Maybe his wife felt the same way and hence its disposal. I’ll never know for sure, but what started as just a rusty piece of privy iron turned into a nice little historical piece. After the shell was cleaned and preserved, I decided to pack up my electrolysis tank for a while. I had been at it for several months and needed a break. The remaining items in my rust bucket will have to wait for another day. Just for fun, I took a
Pile of rust removed by electrolysis
25
26
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
OUTHOUSEPATROL.COM Gold Rush Artifact Hunters Archival Research Specialists By: Reginald Shoeman
Introduction to research projects of OUTHOUSEPATROL.COM Archival research reveals names of 7,300 Hotels, Saloons, other Pioneer business operations. Between 2010 and 2018, outhousepatrol.com spent several thousand hours researching various projects. Montana Territory business licenses receipts (between 30 and 40 thousand) were searched in most mineral producing counties in southwestern Montana. Names, place of business, fees and dates of operation were logged. Montana Territory, in 1865, mandated licensing fees for hotels, saloon, liveries, and other business type. More that 4,700 names covering the period 1856-1886 were retrieved. The Montana licensing fees were modeled after Federal licensing that the forerunner of the IRS instituted to pay for the Civil War. Extensive research was conducted on IRS records existing for Iowa and the major gold producing areas of California. Iowa records exist starting in 1862. California records (1863-1866) total more than 2,700 entries. This search was limited to gold country hotels, saloons, (retail and wholesale liquor dealers), liveries, eating houses, and apothecaries. They were the high-volume types of businesses we thought had the best chances of yielding antique bottles or other gold rush artifacts. Mineral Surveys field notes retraced using Google Earth tools Precise locations of mining shafts, water ditches, diverted creeks, filled in gulches located. All depressions, ditches, or water courses may have attracted antique bottles, trade tokens, or other gold rush artifacts.
140,000 Pages of Montana Territory Mineral Survey field notes were obtained from the BLM covering the years 1868-1900. Have done extensive research in the area in and around Butte, Montana, “The Greatest Hill on Earth.” More than 1,200 claims were patented within a few miles of Butte. The mining law of 1872 required a survey of all claims that any miner wished to patent and obtain “surface rights”. The miner would have already had mineral rights for his claim providing he performed the annual assessment work. We retrace these surveys using the Deputy Mineral Surveyor’s field notes to find precise shaft locations, water ditches, open cuts across the vein, or any structures upon the claims. Researching other states Considerable mineral survey retracement work has been done in:
• Tombstone, Arizona • Nevada: Comstock Lode, vicinity of Gold Hill • Nevada: Goldfield, Esmeralda County ca 1902
We are interested in partnering with serious bottle diggers. OUTHOUSEPATROL.COM has been featured on the Front Page of the Montana Standard May 23, 2011 Full Color above and below the fold, we are the headline “OUTHOUSE DIGGERS.” Montana Magazine Mar/April 2011 with 4 pages color spread. Other Montana newspapers featuring us were Bozeman Daily Chronicle, The Madisonian, Butte Weekly, and twice in the Boulder Monitor. For more information contact: Reg Shoeman, (C) 515.720.0628 or (E): outhousepatrol@yahoo.com
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
27
28
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
WASHINGTON COUNTY ANTIQUE BOTTLE CLUB WASHINGTON PA.
45TH ANNUAL SHOW AND SALE SUNDAY MAY 19TH, 2019 9 AM Til 2 PM
The Deland M-T Bottle Collectors Club
Presents their 49th Antique Bottle, Insulator & Table Top Collectible Show Location is SR 44 & I-4 at the Volusia County Fairgrounds (Exit 118) Deland, Florida, March 22nd & 23rd, 2019. Dealer set up 1- 6 PM Friday. Fee for early buyers Friday 3-7 PM and before 8 AM Saturday is $20. Regular show Admission and parking for all buyers on Saturday 8 AM – 3 PM is FREE. (120 Sales Tables will be available for this show) For Information Please Contact: Bottle Show Chairman: Dwight A. Pettit Jr. Phone# 386-956-8033 Email: pettit9119@bellsouth.net Show contract is available at our website: www.m-tbottleclub.com
54th Annual 2019
Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show/Sale
Henderson Convention Center 200 South Water Street Henderson, Nevada 89015
February 15th- 16th • 2019 Early Bird Admission $10 • Friday 9:00 am to 5 pm Regular Admission $5 • Friday 12 pm(noon) - 5 pm & Saturday 9 am - 4 pm • $5 Admission
Contact Nick Valenti - 702.415.1568 or nv1948@cox.net Dealer Set-Up Thursday 2/14/19 from 12 pm - 8 pm
Attendees Contact: Donn Blake (702) 645-9936 or tgs1mom@aol.com
Proudly Presented by the Las Vegas Antique Bottles & Collectibles Club
Alpine Star Lodge 735 Jefferson Ave. Washington, PA 15301 - Exit 17 off I-70 -
Admission $3.00 Info: Ed Kuskie 412 - 405 - 9061 352 Pineview Dr., Elizabeth, PA 15037 Bottlewizard@comcast.com
Bottles and Extras
29
SAVE THE DATE
January - February 2019
2020
FOHBC National Antique Bottle Convention Thursday, July 30 - Sunday, August 2, 2020 Grand Sierra Resort & Casino Reno, Nevada For information: Richard Siri rtsiri@sbcglobal.net
30
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
13 JANUARY 2019
(Sunday) TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS
THE LITTLE RHODY BOTTLE CLUB SHOW
Holiday Inn, Taunton, Massachusetts Early Admission, $15, 8:30 am, General Admission $3, 9:30 am
Contact Bill or Linda Rose sierramadre@comcast.net 508.880.4929,
Directions: Take Exit #9, off Route #495 for 700, Myles Standish Blvd.
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
31
FOHBC 2019 CLUB CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT
Announced at the FOHBC 2019 Augusta National Antique Bottle Convention!
CATEGORIES
A W A R D S - Newsletter Contest
Please don’t delay, as our deadline is June 1, 2019
- Show Poster / Flyer Contest
Get more information by contacting Val Berry 518.568.5683 or vgberry10@yahoo.com
- Writer’s Contest
Download the applications by visiting FOHBC.org, scroll across the top to “Members”, scroll down to “FOHBC Club Contests” and left click.
- Club Website Contest - Club Social Media Contest New Category!
All winners and awards will be announced during the banquet at the FOHBC National Antique Bottle Convention in Augusta, Georgia this coming August 2nd, 2019. Thanks and Good Luck!
32
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Privies of Augusta, Georgia Uncovered by Radar Unit By Bill Baab
Image - Harrar located an older dump in Aiken, S.C., with his GPR unit. That ribbon-like band is the dump, while the half-round parabolic things above it are roots. (Karl Harrar photo)
(AUTHOR’S NOTE: The Richmond County Board of Health in its 1886 report to the public noted there were more than 7,000 privies in existence in Augusta, Georgia. Karl Harrar, using his ground-penetrating radar system, has found a few. So he’s got only 6,000-plus (more or less) to go).
Lwere outhouses called privies to which if you had to go, you
ong before sewer systems, water closets and flush toilets, there
went, and usually quickly.
The larger the number of folks in a home, the more holes to be found in the rough wooden seats of the privies, which usually were located a short distance from the back doors of dwellings.
I have seen privies behind former boarding houses and hotels containing a dozen holes with partitions separating those used by men from those used by women. I have seen double-decker privies, but how they worked is something I have not figured out, except I don’t think I wanted to be sitting in the bottom the same time as when business was being done in the top. Privy users also learned to dump other things down the holes, including bottles, whiskey jugs, broken china and household wastes such as oyster shells and bones and even accidental deposits such as coins.
Some of the 80 bottles of various vintages from a late 19th century, early 20th century landfill in Augusta. (Karl Harrar photo)
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
33
More bottles from the landfill, including a Simmons Liver Regulator (1st row, R) (Karl Harrar photo)
This dumping of miscellaneous items on top of the, er, excreta has benefitted those of us who began collecting antique bottles more than a century following the closures of the privies and water closets. Just who in the collecting field was the first to discover that the pits, ranging in depth from a few to many feet, contained such treasures is unknown to me. The Sanborn Fire Insurance Company during the 19th century
charted many of the lots containing not only the privies and other outhouses, but the dwellings and businesses occupying said lots at that time. Happily for collectors, the maps remain plentiful and available. While property lines have sometimes changed over the years, a check of the maps can reveal the approximate privy locations and instruments such as a ground-penetrating radar system can pinpoint the locations.
34
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Cleveland, Ohio native Karl Harrar, who calls Arizona home because he lived in that state (in Tucson and Prescott) much longer than in his native Ohio, has been a collector of antique bottles for much of his 50-odd years. Like many collectors, he probably devoted some early thoughts of a magical device that would pinpoint the location of those unsanitary holes in the ground. His aim was to eliminate the back-breaking chore of having to continuously thrust a probe into likely areas of residential and business lots that dated to the privy era – the late 18th and 19th centuries and the first quarter of the 20th century. Several years after his 1985 graduation from the University of Arizona at Tucson with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering, Harrar started to apply his new-found knowledge to his hobby. His experimentation was slightly interrupted in 1989 when he wooed and wed his wife, Heather.
Potential Edgefield District cup with an H scratched on its side found in an Augusta hotel privy revealed by a GPR unit. The potter is unknown. (Karl Harrar photo)
“I got involved in privy digging in 2005 and for years I probed and dug,” he said. “I dug close to 100 privies and found probing to be difficult in Arizona’s caliche-type soil, sometimes
On bottom row is a historical flask, GVI-3, from the Baltimore Glass Works featuring a monument on the front and LIBERTY & UNION on the back, circa 1850s. It was dug in a 10-foot-deep brick-lined privy in downtown Augusta. (Karl Harrar photo)
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
35
requiring the use of a specially designed slam probe. “Five years ago, I started research on ground-penetrating radar systems. I bought a used model for $7,000 (and later sold it for $10,000 on eBay). I discovered low-end units cost $14,000 to $16,000, which is far above what most people can afford. I tried other devices including a magnetometer, then I built my first radar unit and got lots of help from engineering friends in Bulgaria and Spain as well as others elsewhere. “My goal has always been to build an inexpensive unit and my first models were sold to bottle collectors, archaeologists and pipe location service companies. The cost was right around $4,000 per unit.� Now his goal includes making units that can be upgraded without having to buy a whole new unit. He has since tweaked his first EasyRadarUSA model by designing a better transmitter and antenna and, listening to him during an interview, there is more to come. Here are a couple GPR units (Bill Baab photo)
His current model has the ability to reveal privy holes 10 to 12 feet deep, but he wants a future model to have the ability to penetrate as deep as 25 feet. He is currently digging in Aiken, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia where he has obtained permission on several lots behind 1850s homes, finding privies in the first 5 or 6 feet of soil. After digging, he tries to leave the area in as good or better condition than that in which he found it. During a recent visit to a downtown Augusta lot, his portable GPR unit marked a privy on a lot Sanborn Fire Insurance maps revealed once housed a small hotel. Among his partners participating in digs are two brothers who own backhoes and a small model was used to dig out a brick-lined privy of about 10 feet deep. A squat aqua base-embossed Hagerty Glass Works (Brooklyn, NY., 1873-1900) ale bottle was joined by a greenish-yellow John Ryan Ginger Ale, Savannah, Ga., and a rare Peter Jennings soda from Augusta. Two pieces of Edgefield District pottery (circa 1850s-60s) and a group of clay pipes, the bowls decorated with Masonic symbols, also came out of the pit. Harrar keeps tweaking his GPR unit, whose signals can penetrate concrete and asphalt. If anyone is interested in contacting him, his e-mail address is easyradusa@ gmail.com.
A quartet of bottle collecting buddies, seen here sitting on the tread of a backhow earth mover (Bill Baab photo)
36
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Select Antique Bottles & Early Glass at Auction
Bidding Begins: January 7th
Closes: January 16th
Select Auction 171 Including: Early Glass, Bottles, Flasks, Bitters, Inks, Utilities, Soda and Mineral Water Bottles, Freeblown and Pressed Glass, Fruit Jars, Whiskeys, Medicines & More
Heckler
www.hecklerauction.com | 860-974-1634 79 Bradford Corner Road, Woodstock Valley, CT 06282
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
WANTED!
37
Articles for BOTTLES and EXTRAS Our editor, staff and designers eagerly await to help you in any possible way.
Tell us about your collection or someone else’s. Tell us your digging and picking story. Write a fictional bottle story. Tell us about an area of antique bottle and glass collecting. Every bottle has a story. Tell us about the medicine men, merchants, or proprietors who are related to our bottles or about a glass house. Write an auction or show report. Tell us about a club outing. Really, the sky is the limit. Don’t be shy. Young or old, new to the hobby or a veteran, please step forward. Thank You!
To submit a Story, Send a Letter to the Editor, or have Comments and Concerns about BOTTLES and EXTRAS, please contact the Editor, Martin Van Zant. mdvanzant@yahoo.com
38 38
anuary- -FF ebruary2019 2019 JJanuary ebruary
ottlesand andEE xtras BBottles xtras
Bottle Collecting A Chautauqua *Candy-Canes & Candy-Stripes & Barber-Poles* By Chris Hartz
Photo 1
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
Prologue
T
his story deals with three separate but related events that took place over a number of years in the early 1980s. The first was a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase the most beautiful historical flask I’d ever seen. The second was the private sale and subsequent dissolution of George Austin’s flask collection. And the third event was, the Robert W. Skinner auction of the Edmund and Jayne Blaske Historical Flask Collection. This story has deep roots involving many bottle collectors and dealers, two of which were women, over several generations. This story is accurate as well as I remember it, the opinions and any errors contained in it are mine and mine alone.
Part 1: The Blaske Flask Collection In August 1982, Ed Blaske died unexpectedly from a heart attack. Six months later, word began to circulate in the bottle collecting fraternity that their flask collection was going to be offered by Robert Skinner’s Auction Bolton, Mass. in a single two-day sale on May 20th and 21st, 1983. Predictably, anxiety and restlessness began to build in the bottle community. In January 1983, my then wife and I moved from Houston, Texas to Midland, Michigan. I had accepted a position at the still under construction Midland Nuclear Power Plant, teaching quality control inspectors about welding of nuclear piping and their supports. Construction was woefully behind schedule and the plant was riddled with thousands of problems. Consequently, I was working 70-80 hours a week, allowing me to quickly accrue funds quickly in our saving account. The Blaskes began forming their flask collection in 1959 when they purchased a sunburst flask (GVIII-29) from a midwestern antique dealer. From this auspicious beginning, the greatest flask collection ever assembled began to take shape. Their stated goal was to acquire at least one example of each of mold numbers listed by George & Helen McKearin in their magnum-opus book, American Glass. Today, an undertaking of this magnitude is unthinkable. Unlike the Gardner sale, which required each person to have a catalog and pay a $100 auction admittance fee, the Blaske Auction had no such conditions. Most bottle collectors I knew including myself sent immediate payment for the catalog and then anxiously awaited its delivery. Every day I would call my wife to see if it arrived in the mail. This went on for weeks, until finally in mid-April, she answered, “It came and it’s very heavy.” I was so excited that I left work early. It was a nice day, so I went outside with a beer and the auction catalog; it was hardbound, heavy and exceeded 400 pages. All of the Blaskes’ 1,114 flasks were pictured along with color pictures of each McKearin grouping. Even today, the catalog remains monumental and mind-numbing. Many people don’t realize that Bill Pollard underwrote the costs of producing the Blaske Flask Collection catalog. It took me over two hours to initially get through the catalog; and to say the least I was gobsmacked. The was a veritable feast of flasks in so many molds, in so many colors. I recognized this was a once in a lifetime event which would never occur again in
39
my lifetime. After I received the catalog, I had trouble concentrating at work and sleeping at night. Preparing for the auction, I made a list of each flask I was interested in, which totalled over 100 pieces. This phantasm was quickly shattered as our savings totaled around $8,000. Nonetheless, I made flight, transportation, and hotel reservations for the sale. Nothing would deter me from me from being an active bidder. Little did I know that two weeks later at a rather obscure bottle show in central Ohio, I would be offered a historical flask that had no equal in the Blaske Auction, Gardner Auction (March 1975), Garbisch Auction (May 1980), or Mattatuck Museum (April 1979) auctions. In fact, at the time I believed it had no equal in America, although I would eventually find out I was wrong. Prior to the Blaske Auction in Spring 1983, the annual Mansfield Bottle Show was being held. My wife and I along with our newborn daughter left Midland a day early to meet up with the (Jim) Hagenbuchs, who brought along their daughter Jessica to babysit. Over many beers at the hotel bar, Jim and I talked about the upcoming auction, who was coming, estimates, values, etc. After a late night, Saturday morning dawned early and I found myself going with Jim to set-up. As one might expect, the normal bottle show hustle and bustle was happening with people unloading, as well as buying and selling bottles. I recall the weather being mild, no rain and pleasant temperatures. You couldn’t ask for a better day. Walking the floor, it was abundantly clear that many people were antsy about the upcoming Blaske Auction. Understandably, many people were actively selling good bottles to raise funds quickly. This was one of the few shows in my life where I vowed I would not spend a penny. Having gone around the sales floor three or four times, I hadn’t bought a thing other than a few cups of coffee. I went back to Jim’s sales table where I found him seated and talking bottles with customers (this was years before Glassworks Auctions). As usual, he had several nice bottles displayed, all clean and priced, except for one that was hidden under the table: it turned out it wasn’t just any bottle, it was “The Bottle!”
Part 2: “The Bottle” At bottle shows, dealers commonly hold back special bottles either behind or under their sales tables. These bottles may be bespoken or may be part of an impending purchase or trade, while at other times their value or fragility precludes their open tabletop display. As we sat behind his table, I remember Jim bending over and slowly reaching under the table into a corrugated box. He extracted a bottle wrapped in a blue disposable diaper saying, “I have something special to show you that I think you’ll like.” As He handed me the wrapped bottle, I knew immediately it was a flask and quickly noted its heavy weight. Jim sat there saying nothing, watching me absorb the moment. I carefully unwrapped it revealing a pint GIV-7 heavy Masonic flask. Its coloring was beyond description, the flask was amethystine-tinted lead glass, infused with dense purple bands running from top to bottom (see Photos 1 and 2). In the early 1980s, rumors had circulated among a select group of bottle people about this very flask, but it was by no means common knowledge. In describing its color, many folks aptly used adjectives like “candy-stripe,” “candy-cane,” and “barber-pole” to describe it. I knew about this flask, but had never
40 40
anuary--F February ebruary2019 2019 JJanuary
ottlesand andE Extras xtras BBottles
Photo 2
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
seen it. Now I held it in my trembling hands. I had never seen anything quite like it. I keenly remember being shaken, somewhat stunned and speechless. It was made of lead glass with a slight amethyst tint and was infused with descending deep purple ribbons from the lip to its base. Over the years, collectors had quietly spoken about this flask in vague and hushed tones. Very few had actually seen it. It was a premier example of the glassblower’s art; a pure example of American folk art in its best. Today, this flask would be at home in any great museum, institution, or on the cover of Antiques Magazine. The flask was perfect and in defect-free condition and it had little if any wear. Otherwise stated, it was “tissue paper mint.” In American Glass flask charts, the “heavy Masonics” are usually considered by today’s collectors to be the GIV-1 through GIV15 examples. Most glass scholars and collectors believe them to be America’s first historical flasks, along with the Concentric Ring Eagles (e.g., GII-76) and Sunbursts (e.g., GVIII-1 and 2) and were made during or just after The War of 1812. During this period in America, masonry was at its zenith, being considered both a fraternal and patriotic organization. Based on research and archaeological digs, heavy Masonic flasks have been ascribed to the Keene-Marlboro Glassworks (N.H.), the New England Glassworks, and the Mt. Vernon Glassworks. Of course, as I examined the flask none of this occurred to me. Normally I would just ask the price, but in this case I decided to pursue the provenance of the flask. It turned out to be quite impressive and a bit whimsical. The question of price would have to wait a little longer.
ate degrees in Public Health. Dr. Bilhuber was a tenured professor at Purdue University and specialized in researching women’s health issues. At Purdue, she was the head of the Physical Education Department and started a women’s sorority (Gamma Alpha Eta). Her PhD thesis is available on Amazon and her other research papers can be accessed via the internet (e.g. Purdue University and The University of Michigan websites). She retired in Dr. Gertrude Bilhuber. 1929, moving in 1931 into a historic home (c 1820) in Maywood, New Jersey, which she inherited from her father. In time, she moved to New York City. At some time, Dr. Bilhuber began collecting antiques that included premier historical flasks. Austin’s collection list included the provenance of each flask and the following are examples that he bought directly from Dr. Bilhuber: ●
●
Part 3: The George Austin & Dr. Bilhuber Connection In the late 1970s, word quietly began to spread about George Austin’s premier flask and blown glass collection being offered for sale. Austin lived in upstate New York and and was in his late 70s or early 80s at the time. He was a retired Eli Lilly & Co. executive (World-Wide Sales Manager). He was a major force in the flask collecting world and a serious competitor of Charles Gardner, Charles Vuono, Gus Scholl, Earl Dambach and Ed Blaske. His collection was assembled from the 1950s through 1976. Helen McKearin and Ken Wilson both acknowledged Austin’s contributions in their book American Bottles and Flasks and Their Ancestry. Austin was not a strong auction buyer, preferring to conduct business directly with collectors and dealers such as George McKearin, Earl Dambach, Abraham & May, Orin Summerville, Arthur Barrus, Charles Baugh, Gerald Patton, Ed Hoffman, Sam Laidlacker, Jack Whistance, Crawford Wettlaufer, Richard Wood, Peter Tillou, Charles Gardner and Charles Vuono. However, unknown to most people is that a large percentage of Austin’s best flasks came from a female flask collector whose name few people in the hobby (then or now) will recognize. Her name was Dr. Gertrude Bilhuber. Dr. Bilhuber was born in 1895 in Maywood, N.J. into an affluent German family. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College (now Columbia University in New York), followed by graduate school at The University of Michigan (in Ann Arbor), where she obtained both her Masters and Doctor-
41
GI-14 Washington/Eagle pint, three examples in three colors: sapphire blue, emerald green and the ever elusive amber. Dr. Bilhuber sold all three to Austin for a combined price of $250. GI-119 Columbia/Eagle pint in vibrant yellow-green with a dense amber neck. Joe Wood obtained this flask from the breakup of the Austin collection. Years later, he sold it to Barry Hogan in whose collection it remains. Many flask collectors including myself rate this flask along with the GX-21, American Systems flask pint, in emerald or olive green (two examples exist, both in private collections) and the GII-59 Charter Oak flask pint in midnight blue [Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, N.Y.] as the top three flasks in existence.
●
GIV-7 Masonic/Eagle pint, with profuse amethyst striations
●
GI-15 Columbia/Eagle half pint, teal-turquoise blue
●
GII-7 Eagle/Sunburst pint, emerald green
●
GI-20 Washington/Monument pint, deep sapphire blue
●
GII-48 Furled Flag/Eagle quart, deep sapphire blue
●
GVI-4 Ear of Corn/Monument, deep purple. This flask, (one of two known) was obtained from Austin by Bill Pollard. When Norm Heckler sold the Pollard collection (the last live auction), this flask was Lot #1, and sold to Chuck Moore for $35,000., plus commission.
Each of these 10 flasks are masterpieces in their own right. Although hard to estimate, their collective value today would probably approach or exceed a million dollars. Yes, they are that good! In a side note, in 1964, Charles Vuono and his son Mark visited Dr. Bilhuber in New York City when she was living on East 66th
42
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
the decision to dispose of his collection, he made it clear he wanted no part of the auction process due to his concerns about state and federal income taxes as well as costly auction commissions. In keeping with that philosophy, his collection was only available for purchase en-masse at a price of $550,000 in cash or by wire transfer without exceptions. Over the years, several collector unsuccessfully negotiated with him on the collection. For example, in seperate instances in the 1970s both Jack Whistance and Charlie Vuono approached Austin on multiple occasions and with no luck In a similar vein in the late 1970s, Bill Pollard, Bob Mebane and Barry Hogan collectively came very close to buying the entire collection, offering $500,000. Austin remained steadfast and refused, holding strong at $550,000. Although Pollard and Mebane are now deceased, Barry Hogan still expresses regrets they did not consummate the deal at Austin’s price. Nobody anticipated the imminent sale of the collection; that is, until a young, self-confident, cocky and brash southern bottle dealer got involved.
Part 4: Southern Pride Sheldon Ray Jr. was a flamboyant, self-styled bon-vivant from New Orleans. Sometimes, he could be both pompous and arrogant, while at other times he was the most charming person in the room. A well-educated bachelor Sheldon, routinely attended bottle shows all over the country wearing custom tailored threepiece suits, imported leather boots and custom silk ties. In a different age, I could imagine him as a riverboat gambler, a politician, or a carpetbagger. Sheldon and I became friends in the late 1970s; he was gregarious and fun to be around. His knowledge of bottles and glass was newly minted, but impressive nonetheless. His real strength was his people skills at which he was excellent. He also had a proclivity for finding great bottles of all types. George S. McKearin Street. During the visit they were able to obtain several wonderful flasks directly from her, including a GII-76 Concentric Ring Eagle and two GI-76 Washington flasks, one in striated puce and one in deep purple grape. After living in Michigan, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York City, Dr. Gertrude Bilhuber died in 1975 at the age of 80. Austin’s flask collecting interests focused first on colors followed by molds. This differed from other collectors like Ed Blaske, Charlie Vuono and Chaulk Netherland, all of whom focused on molds. In later years, Austin’s collecting methods influenced collectors like Joe Wood, Paul Richards, Barry Hogan, Chuck Moore and Jim Chebalo; and the trend continues to this day. Austin’s collection was unique and rivaled any collection then or now. Rumor has it that just prior to the Gardner Auction, Austin was asked about what interested him in the collection. He responded, “Nothing.” Austin’s Jared Spencer flask was acquired from Crawford Wetlaufer, although olive amber and olive yellow were apparently not his preferred colors. And although Gardner’s flask collection was excellent, it could not compare with Austin’s. Charlie Gardner was a general collector, while Austin focused on flasks and blown glass. Austin was a somewhat reclusive person and, at the time, few collectors knew about either him or his collection. When Austin made
Sheldon knew about Austin’s collection and all of the obstacles attached to it. Regardless, he put his mind to it and would not be deterred. In a short period of time, he assembled a small consortium of collectors and dealers. His goal was to buy Austin’s collection outright for Austin’s asking price and conditions. He went to Austin’s home with a detailed list of the collection, numbered around 500 flasks and blown glass. The flask list included the McKearin numbers, color and any damage. Subsequently, this list was provided to select interested parties for their review. People pledged varying amounts, those pledging the most were given first priority to pick items they wanted from the collection; the minimum contribution was $50,000. After some minor problems, $550,000 was wired to Austin’s bank. Within an hour Sheldon, along with the assistance a few others, packed the bottles and glass for transport back to a Boston hotel room for viewing and dispersal. After the collection was sold, Sheldon showed me the list. It was spectacular and as advertised. One flask that was creating quite a buzz was Number 1222 (Austin’s number), a heavy Masonic flask that some called “candy-striped or candy-caned,” while others referred to it the as “the barber-pole.” I was intrigued as I had never seen such a flask. Before moving to California in 1981, I was able to obtain two flasks from the Austin Collection: a GII-7 Eagle/Medallion in clear for $8,000 along with a GI-1 Washington/Eagle in a light clear milky-moonstone for $3,500 mentioned in the American Glass flask charts. As for the barber
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
pole Masonic flask, after moving to California, I lost track of it. After California, my job had us moving to Houston followed by a new job in Midland. At the 1983 Mansfield Bottle Show in Ohio, fate intervened when I found myself holding the fabled candystripe/candy-cane/barber-pole Masonic, contemplating its future and my finances. Heavy Masonics come in a panoply of colors and the Blaske collection had several very nice examples including: examples in purple, emerald green, Prussian and cobalt blue, and several unusual striated examples. Blaske Lot 538, a GIV-8, was a light amethyst striated example in clear glass. Striated Masonic flasks in clear glass with amethyst bands are rare, although two lesser examples were sold a few years prior to the Blaske sale. The first example sold in Skinner Auction 686, (The Mattatuck Museum Sale, April 1980), Lot 95 to Paul Richards for $3,500 plus 10 % commission. This flask has two small spider cracks. That same flask was resold in Heckler Auction 10 (The Richards Collection) Lot 157 and sold for $4,125. Although both flasks were compelling, neither were in the same league as the flask I was holding; in fact, none of the Blaske Masonic flasks even came close.
Part 5: Liars and Buyers! Back in the late 1970s to early 1980s, a group of us developed a colloquialism for bottle collectors that being “there are liars and buyers!” Not to be taken pejoratively, loosely defined it means that certain people are buyers, plain and simple, while others are “tire kickers” since they look but seldom buy. Stated differently, liars spend money purposely, needing a good reason to spend it, while buyers spend money emotionally, needing a reason not to spend it. I have always been a “buyer.” Back to the Mansfield Bottle Show. I could no longer avoid two questions, first: was the candy-stripe flask for sale; and second: what was the price? At the time, I had no real idea of its worth. A flask of this caliber in this color configuration had no auction or sales record. Holding the bottle tightly, I tepidly asked Jim, “is this flask for sale?” He replied, “Of course.” Now the moment of truth was at hand. Apprehensively, I asked, “What is the price?” He replied $8,000. Firm! Next I asked, “Why are you selling it” and he stated candidly the heavy Masonic group was not within his collecting interests, as he preferred the early Pittsburgh flasks. I then inquired who he acquired it from and under what circumstances? Now the story gets really interesting, especially when lightning strikes twice in similar circumstances. In 1982, Jim showed me a fantastic glass whimsy he recently acquired: a 10-sided, open pontiled, cobalt blue Wm. Heiss & Co. Philadelphia Mineral Water that had been formed into a “flip” (aka “hat”). The piece was stunning and in perfect condition. I wanted it, but it was not for sale at the time. After much cajoling, Jim finally stated, “If and when I sell it, you will have first shot at it.” I forgot all about it until Winter 1983, when I was living in Midland. One night the phone rang. It was Jim calling from a hotel room in Steubenville, Ohio. He and Chuck Moore were there to pick up a bottle collection they were buying and splitting. During their long drive across the Pennsylvania, they discussed the flip, which Jim had brought along on the trip. If there is one person in the the hobby that knows and appreciates good bottles and
43
glass it’s Chuck, so naturally he wanted the flip. Jim explained that I had first right of refusal, which Chuck understood. On the phone, Jim explained Chuck’s interest and that if I wanted the flip, the price was $8,000. I declined, thus facilitating Chuck’s efforts to procure the flip. As it turned out, Chuck did not buy the flip, but rather acquired it by trading for it even up for a very unusual Masonic flask (GIV-5) that was candy-striped in purple bands. He acquired this flask from the Austin collection purchase that Sheldon Ray had orchestrated. Chuck was one of the primary investors in that transaction. That brought up a different question, one I didn’t pursue at the time: why would Chuck give up such a prestigious flask when in fact he collected great flasks? The answer will be discussed later in this story and is mind-blowing. Jim Hagenbuch and I have been friends since 1973 when we serendipitously met at the Pittsburgh Antique Bottle Show. Over time, we attended many bottle and farm auctions, Renninger’s and bottle shows, including the legendary Garbisch Auction in 1979 (Eastern Shore, Md.), the Roan Auction Flask Sale in 1980 (Williamsport, Pa.), and the Chicago Bottle Exposition in 1980 as well as other regional shows. Having bought and traded so many bottles with Jim, I felt that I could get a better price for the candy-stripe Masonic, but he held tight at $8,000. Nearing the end of the Mansfield Show, I offered him $7,000 which he turned down. After we talked about it, he agreed to put the flask on hold until we saw each other again at the Blaske Auction, which was two weeks later in Bolton, Mass. Fortuitously, we wound up staying in adjoining rooms at the Holiday Inn. I took this as a good sign. The next two weeks of waiting were pure agony, and I couldn’t make a decision. On one hand I had missed the Gardner Sale, and I definitely wanted to actively participate in the Blaske auction. On the other hand, in my heart I knew there was not a bottle in the Blaske auction that I would want more than the GIV-7 candystripe Masonic. In May 1983, the interest rate for housing was 12.68 %, unemployment was 9%, and the US had just exited a long recession. The situation was still somewhat gloomy, but was slowly improving under the Reagan Administration. All of this created uncertainty regarding the strength of the flask market. The Blaske Auction had over 1,100 flasks to be sold in two days. History shows that the flask market at that time was indeed marginal in some areas and weak in other areas. Thursday, May 18, soon arrived and I found myself at the Detroit Airport boarding my flight to Boston. Earlier that morning, I’d been passing time watching a TV soap opera. Believe it or not, there was a Drake’s Plantation Bitters featured in one scene. I took it as a good omen from the bottle gods of good things to come. Arriving in Boston, I took a shuttle bus to Bolton 50 miles away. I checked into the Holiday Inn and found it flooded with bottle collectors. An hour later I was at the auction preview. Most of the flasks were sitting on tables for open viewing and handling; the best ones were in large glass cases that required auction personnels’ assistance to view them. It was wonderful to hold and closely examine so many great flasks: the emerald green Hearts & Flowers, all three Jared Spencer, Wm. Henry Harrison, Rough and Ready, American Systems, Hard Cider, both Tippecanoe Cabins, the Mantua Jackson, the JPF, and the large amber Farley
44
January - February 2019
and Taylor. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Friday was primarily devoted to the auction preview followed by early room hopping. More interesting was the bottle swap-meet going on in Skinner’s parking lot. Many car trunks were open and and were brimming with expensive bottles, which people were actively buying and selling. The bottles for sale in the lot rivaled many good shows. I remember seeing a honey amber GW Stones Liquid Cathartic, a deep emerald green Dr Guysott’s Extract of Yellow Dock Sarsaparilla, and a sapphire blue Wynkoop’s Sarsaparilla. There were also good flasks and figural bitters exchanging hands. None of these interested or fazed me. I was firmly fixated on the candy-stripe Masonic and the looming auction. Per our agreement, Jim never offered the bottle to anyone else, it never left his hotel room, and nobody saw it or even knew it was there. Somewhere along the way, a group of us went to dinner. Later that night, Jim had a big party in his motel room with an ice-filled bathtub full of designer beers that people from all over contributed. Spirits were also redably available. Predictably, everyone was drinking and talking about bottles. As the evening passed, the crowd thinned, leaving a just a small group when Barry Hogan dropped in. Barry is a great guy and remains a serious collector of flasks and blown glass; his collection is spectacular. He always had a cigarette in one hand, a drink in the other, a big smile and was full of enthusiasm. He looked just like Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds.
Bottles and Extras
steel diner and had a full breakfast and lots of coffee. We made it back to the hotel around 5 a.m. It was a short night, I didn’t sleep at all, but thankfully I was pain-free and ready to go. On the drive over to Skinner’s, I put the full court press on Jim again about paying $7,000 for the Masonic flask. To my chagrin, he remained obstinately steadfast at $8,000 Entering the auction gallery, all the boys in the band were there, including Charlie and Mark Vuono, “Dollar Bill” Pollard, Jack Whistance, Paul Richards, Joe Wood, Barry Hogan, Roy and Barbara Brown, Hal and Vern Wagner, Elvin and Cherie Moody, Bob and Beka Mebane, Warren Lane, Gary Johnson, Frank Ritz, Bill Ham, Frank Brockman, Jess Jones, Fred Weck, Chuck Moore, Charles and Jayne April, and another hundred or so people I didn’t know or can’t remember. (George Austin was not there to my knowledge). Everyone was seated at 10 a.m. I was in good company sitting beside Jim and Frank Brockman, with Chuck Moore directly behind me. Precisely at 10, Norm Heckler with gavel in-hand reviewed the auction rules.
To this day, I have no idea why I didn’t consummate the deal; it remains the worst decision I ever made in regards to bottle collecting...
Within 15-20 minutes, both Bill Pollard and Joe Wood dropped in to “share the word.” Now things really started to rock. Pollard was a lion of a man, brash, opinionated, loquacious, loose tongued and super knowledgeable of bottles. He also hated to lose at auctions. In fact, Pollard was the first person to spend over $10,000 on a bottle when in 1973 he bought a Tippecanoe Cabin at a Ted Langdell Auction in New Hampshire, beating out Bob Mebane. Joe Wood was another person I really liked. He was a big guy with a handlebar mustache. Standing maybe 6-foot-3. He was a tough guy and reminded me of an NFL linebacker. Joe was a very serious flask collector who also hated to lose at auctions. In short order, Chuck Moore joined the party and with Hagenbuch holding court, it felt like something out of Aesop’s Fables. When you put Hogan, Pollard, Wood, Moore, Hagenbuch and Hartz together with copious amounts of liquor, all of us couldn’t help but have a good time. All we needed was a guitar player. The conversation was diverse, at times X-rated, and very loud. By comparison, I was still relatively young but they all knew I liked good flasks, was knowledgeable and committed to the hobby. They always treated me with respect. In fact, they were all Ubermen in the bottle hobby. The crowd thinned out around 2 a.m., but by then I had developed a very sore throat which felt like the onset of strep throat. I didn’t have a rental car, so Jim took me to the local hospital emergency room. The ER doctor gave me a shot and within an hour I felt better. After we left the ER, we pulled into an old stainless
Norm then introduced the Blaske family (most notably Jayne Blaske, Ed’s widow) all seated in the front row; then, a loud round of applause shook the building. Bam! Norm’s gavel found its mark and Lot 1 was introduced. My strategy at the time was to wait a few minutes to see if Jim bought anything,thus giving me leverage to make my best and final offer on the candy-stripe Masonic. The first real zinger was Lot No. 3, a GI-3 Washington/Eagle flask in golden yellow, an incredibly rare color for an early beaded side Pittsburgh flask. It sold quickly to Joe Wood for $9,000. Blaske had the complete set of beaded side Washington flasks GI-I though GI-13, which would be nearly impossible to achieve today. (Barry Hogan also has a complete run in his collection as well.) On the first 14 lots, Jim spent $11,000 (including the buyers premium) on Lots No. 6 (GI-6A [$1,500]) and No. 8 (GI-8 [$8,500]),a very rare flask to say the least. It was now or never, and I vividly recall turning and looking directly at Jim and saying: “I’ll give you $7,000 for the candy-stripe Masonic.” He looked at me and said, “$8,000.” My plan failed. To this day, I have no idea why I didn’t consummate the deal; it remains the worst decision I ever made in regards to bottle collecting. In my eyes, there wasn’t a flask in the Blaske Auction equal of the candy-cane Masonic. Maybe my anticipation of the auction or my pride got the better of me. For the first time in my life, I was a “liar” and not a “buyer.”
Part 6: The Auction My fate was sealed within minutes when I won Lot No. 35 (GI21), a Baltimore Washington-Monument quart in a blazing deep yellow green for $1,200. In short order, I won two nice calabashes (Lot 225 Jenny Lind and Lot 227 Louis Kossuth). Then I focused on two flasks that really caught my eye. The first Lot 542 was a great striated Masonic flask (GIV-3) parts yellow and green the second, Lot. 536,was a fantastic striated Masonic (GIV-7) with a wide heavily collared mouth. Although both were wonder-
Bottles and Extras
45
January - February 2019
Photo 3
46
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Photo 4
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
ful, and I really wanted Lot 542. Lot 536 sold to Jack Whistance with me as the underbidder. When lot 542 opened, I raised my paddle and never took it down, being the successful bidder at $1,550. By the end of day two of the auction I had bought six very nice flasks for a total price near $8,000. My funds were completely exhausted and so was I. I thoroughly enjoyed every part of the Blaske Auction, the people, the process and the flasks. I relished meeting the Blaske family, especially Jayne, whom I’d met previously at the Ohio Bottle Show. Mrs. Blaske and I talked before the auction began and the conversation turned to Lot 852, the fabled Hearts and Flowers flask (GIX-51) in deep emerald green. It is a truly exceptional flask. She spoke of it like most people talk about a prized painting or sculpture, and rightly so. It remains a masterpiece and was her favorite piece in the collection. In my opinion, it was one of the top three flasks in the Blaske collection. It sold for a paltry sum of $17,500 to Charles and Mark Vuono, a great flask in a collection that deserved it. I still feel it was the best deal of the entire auction. Skinner’s entire staff was outstanding, in particular Norm Heckler,who cataloged the sale and held sway over the gavel. It was clearly his auction to manage. I continue to enjoy a deep satisfaction knowing I participated in a historical event, which won’t occur again in my lifetime. As for the flasks I purchased, within two years I’d sold all of them for a variety of reasons, none of which matter anymore. Many of the people who were present are now gone, some leaving the hobby and others leaving the planet for points unknown. For me, it remains one the greatest experiences of my life.
Epilogue Now to address a few a few loose ends, the first being whatever happened to the candy-striped Masonic that I didn’t purchase. Within three months after the Blaske Auction, Jim traded it to a serious flask collector for $6,000 plus a diamond ring for his wife Janice. Currently, this flask remains in the same private collection and will never be sold in my lifetime. Looking back, both Jim and I both lost in this deal. I forfeited the opportunity to obtain the best bottle I ever had a chance to purchase, while Jim lost the opportunity to use the $7,500 at the Blaske auction to bid and purchase other great flasks that were greatly undervalued based on their respective selling prices. The flasks I bought at the auction were important part of the auction experience and it was this experience that mattered most to me. Conversely, the candy-stripe Masonic meant the world to me, and had I bought it, I would’ve never parted company with it. The second item is a bit of bottle folklore that few bottle people are aware of took place. As most bottle collectors know, George and Helen McKearin (his daughter) authored the definitive book American Glass. By profession, George McKearin was an insurance agent and an antique dealer specializing in early American Glass, historical flasks, pottery, etc. He collected and dealt in all types of glass including historical flasks. In 1931, following the Girl Scout Loan Exhibition (1929), for unknown reasons (perhaps the Depression), Anderson Art Galleries, (the precursor of Sotheby’s, in New York City) sold the McKearin flask and glass
47
collection in two sessions. For the next 30 years, McKearin continued buying, selling and collecting glass and amassed a phenomenal collection of exceptional historical flasks (e.g. Prussian Blue pint Charter Oak, 2 American Systems Flasks in light amethyst and yellow-green, both Tippecanoe Cabins, and many others). In 1951, McKearin donated his flask and glass collection to the Corning Museum of Glass where many examples remain on display today and on their website, while others remain in storage. What is not general knowledge is that prior to his death in 1963, George McKearin hand-picked six flasks, giving three each to Helen and Betty, two of his four daughters. It is not known if the other two daughters received similar gifts from their father. Following the sale and dispersal of the Austin collection in the early 1980s, Sheldon Ray was able to track down Betty McKearin who lived near New York City. Although it’s conjecture on my part, I believe George Austin gave Sheldon the information to facilitate his search. Once he found her, he met with her and saw the three flasks given to her by her father. All three were fancy colored Masonics, but one flask in particular was spectacular as it was another candy-cane Masonic (see Photos 3 and 4). As you can see from the photos, the second candy-cane Masonic is every bit the equal to the Austin example. As it turned out, Sheldon bought all three Masonic flasks from Betty McKearin and in short order sold then to Chuck Moore, who already had the Austin example. Lightning had struck twice in the same place as Chuck had a “duplicate” that allowed him to trade the Austin flask to Jim Hagenbuch for the cobalt Heiss soda flip. Looking at the pictures, you can see that both examples are wonderful and have no weak points. Personally, I feel strongly that both were made at the same time and perhaps by the same hand. Chuck eventually sold the second candy-stripe flask to Jimmy Chebalo who kept it for many years, eventually selling it to Sandor Fuss where it keeps good company with several other glass masterpieces. As for Sheldon Ray Jr., he was the supernova of the bottle hobby. He burned brightly for several years but eventually collapsed into his own black-hole, disappearing from the hobby. To my knowledge no one has talked or heard from him in over 30 years. I would like to thank the following people who provided information and/or commentary on this article: Mark Vuono, Barry Hogan, Charles Moore, Norman Heckler Sr., Jim Hagenbuch and Sandor Fuss. I would also like to thank my wife Beth Anderson for her editing skills, along with her continuous support of my enthusiasm for this great hobby. Chris Hartz was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from California Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo, California. Currently he and his wife Beth live in Central Coast of California where Chris continues as a consultant to the nuclear Industry. Chris started collecting antique bottles in late 1969 and has remained a stalwart in the collecting fraternity since then. During this period, Chris has collected at one time or another pontiled sodas, historical flasks, figural bitters, colored pontiled medicines, and since 1993, early AMerican scent bottles.
48
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies ad, January, 1888
Bottles ottles and and Extras xtras
January anuary - February ebruary 2019
49
WARNER’S LOG CABIN REMEDIES: THE OTHER SAFE REMEDIES By Stephen R. Jackson “Etched on money, imprinted on stamps, and enshrined on state seals, the log cabin is an indelible, unflappable American icon, one upheld alongside the bald eagle and apple pie in America’s pantheon of sacred symbols….More than wood and mud, it’s a metaphor…a tenacious and timeless one that was essential to the nation’s economic, geographic and psychic development, but not in the ways you may have been taught.” Andrew Belonsky2 Few American icons are as infused with meaning as the “log cabin.” At once, it evokes that American sense of independence and self-reliance as well as the unbridled drive to tame those portions of the American West that were on the fringe of civilization. In short, the log cabin was a supercharged symbol of the American spirit. It is safe to say that none of this meaning was lost on H. H. Warner when in 1887 he launched a new line of products to add to his already successful line of Safe Cures. By that time, Warner had expanded his patent medicine empire from its humble
beginnings in Rochester to Toronto in 1882, then to London in 1883 and had just opened offices in Frankfurt and Melbourne. By almost any standard, his business was an unparalleled success. Still, memories of the Civil War were barely a generation old. Although the wounds of that war were slow to heal, the nation had experienced unparalleled industrial growth. The federal government was making every effort to consolidate its control of the West. As with so many of Warner’s business affairs, we have little in the way of documentation about his thought process and are left to speculate about his motives. It is safe to say that he was seldom satisfied with the status quo, choosing instead to constantly innovate and to exploit new markets. And so, in 1887, he introduced his Log Cabin Remedies. The eight varieties of remedies may have been designed to capture some of the patent medicine market held by his competitors. In his seminal article on Warner, Edward Atwater offered that very explanation suggesting that some of the Log Cabin Remedies were modelled on other existing patent medicines:
A Display of the Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies at the 2001 Genesee Valley Bottle Show in Rochester 1 Steve Jackson has collected Warner’s Safe Cures and Safe Cure advertising since the mid-1970’s. He edits the Warner’s Safe Cure Blog, which can be found at https://warnerssafeblog. wordpress.com/. The blog was first published in March, 2008 and contains hundreds of articles and photographs related to H. H. Warner and Warner’s Safe Remedies. It has subscribers from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. 2 Belonsky, Andrew, The Log Cabin: An Illustrated History, 10 (The Countryman Press 2018). 1
50
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Though bearing the Warner name, some of these products imitated prototypes made famous by other proprietary promoters. There were Log Cabin Sarsaparilla (Sarsaparilla having been made famous especially by the Ayers and the Hoods of Lowell), Hops & Buchu Remedy (hops having been established by Warner’s Rochester predecessor, Asa T. Soule, who made Hop Bitters, and buchu having been made nationally known by Henry T. Helmbold, the great New York showman), Log Cabin Cough and Consumption Remedy, Log Cabin Extract, Log Cabin Rose Cream (for catarrh), Log Cabin Hair Tonic, Log Cabin Plasters (porous and electric) and Log Cabin Liver Pills.
For whatever reason, the Log Cabin Remedies did not have a very extended life as part of the Warner product line. They were discontinued in 1892, about the time that the Safe Remedies Company was sold to British investors. Despite their relatively short existence, a significant number of the bottles have survived, including those with original labels and boxes. Although the Log Cabin Remedies were, presumably, equally available to the American public, some of the varieties are now much harder to find, such as the Hops and Buchu or the Scalpine, while others, such as the Sarsaparilla, are more common. This may have been because some of the varieties were simply more popular as well as the fact that, unlike the Safe Cures, the Log Cabin Remedies were not marketed abroad.
Part of the appeal of the Log Cabin Remedies was to the American sense of self-reliance and the ability of the individual to diagnose and treat his own medical problems. Indeed, the medical profession was in its infancy and most Americans had, at best, limited access to medical care. Accordingly, the Remedies were targeted for very specific needs. Not surprisingly, the pitch for Log Cabin Remedies was essentially “back to nature.” An example ran in the October 25, 1888 edition of the Osage County Chronicle entitled “The Savage Way:”
With the exception of the Log Cabin Liver Pills, the Rose Cream and the Plaster, the Log Cabin Remedies appeared in an amber bottle with three slanted indented sides on which the name of the
Our rugged ancestors, who pierced the wilderness, built their uncouth but comfortable Log Cabins and started the clearings in the woods, which in time became the broad, fertile fields of the modern farmer, found in roots and herbs that lay close at hand nature’s potent remedies for all their common ailments. It was only in very serious cases they sent for old “saddle-bags” with his physic, which quite as often killed as cured. Latter day society has wandered too far away from nature, in every way, for its own good. Our grandfathers and grandmothers lived wholesomer, purer, better, healthier, more natural lives than we do. Their minds were not filled with noxious isms, nor their bodies saturated with poisonous drugs. Is it not time to make a change to return to the simple vegetable preparations of our grandmothers, which contained the power and potency of nature as remedial agents, and in all the ordinary ailments were efficacious, at least harmless? The proprietors of Warner’s Log Cabin remedies have thought so, and have put on the market a number of these pure vegetable preparations made from formulas secured after patient searching into the annals of the past, so that those who want them need not be without them. Although these claims undoubtedly rang true to Americans in the 1880’s, their irony is not lost on us. While alcohol, which was undoubtedly a primary component of the Log Cabin Remedies is natural, its curative properties are, at best, debatable. Any other “roots and herbs” included in these remedies were likely of little or no medicinal value.
Log Cabin Extract Sarsapilla
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
51
1887 Log Cabin Sarsaparilla pamphlet
product was embossed. The base of each of the bottles featured a concave panel embossed “Pat’D/Sept. 9/87”. A few of the Log Cabin Remedies were available in both a large and small size that retailed for $1.00 and 50 cents respectively. Unlike the seemingly unlimited advertising budget lavished upon the Safe Remedies line of products, the advertising budget for the Log Cabin Remedies appears relatively modest. Generally speaking, the ads appearing in newspapers around the country were, by comparison, small. One exception may have been this ad that ran in the Rochester Democrat & Chronical on February 5, 1888 and which may have been intended as a debut for the product line. A similar advertisement ran in The Metropolitan in January, 1888. Both advertisements appeal to the desire for “old fashioned” remedies used by our great-grandparents. Apparently, our grandparents’ remedies were not sufficiently old fashioned to fit the bill. Log Cabin Sarsaparilla Sarsaparilla was an exceptionally popular beverage among 19th Century Americans and was essentially a forbearer of what we know today as root beer. It was brewed from the extract of a woody vine of the lily family. The conventional wisdom at the time was that sarsaparilla was effective in treating skin conditions. When marketed by Warner as a patent medicine, it was credited with a much wider variety of, previously unknown, medicinal powers. This allowed Warner to tap into an existing sarsaparilla market with his own concoction. Indeed, in his 1887 Log Cabin Sarsaparilla pamphlet, Warner boasted that his Sarsaparilla had medicinal powers that were virtually limitless: Democrat and Chronicle, Sun, Feb 5, 1888
52
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
product, Tippecanoe Bitters. Warner was nothing, if not a namedropper. William Henry Harrison holds the dubious distinction of serving the shortest term as President. As his nickname suggests, he cultivated the image of a backwoods hero. On Inauguration Day in 1841, he ignored the cold and wet weather and delivered a speech that lasted nearly two hours. As a reward for his tenacity, he succumbed to illness after only a month in office. Unfortunately for him, Warner’s Safe Cure was still almost forty years in the future. Even so, the message was clear - famous people like this product, so you should too. Log Cabin Hops & Buchu Remedy We go from, perhaps, the best-known and most popular of the Log Cabin Remedies to one of the most obscure. Most people recognize hops as a component of beer but what the devil is buchu? Turns out that buchu or Agathosma betulina may actually have some medicinal properties. It is native to South Africa and was first exported to Britain in 1790. Although more recently described as a diuretic and antiseptic, buchu was historically used to treat inflammation and urinary tract infections. Despite the lack of testing to substantiate its medicinal benefits, it is apparently still used today by herbalists to treat urinary tract ailments when combined with other herbs (not including hops). But what about hops? Perhaps one of the lesser known mem-
Warner’s supporting a family of Presidents, William Henry and Benjamin Harrison
It is a specific for all such primary and secondary disorders of the life stream, which we call the blood, such as Scrofula, Scrofulous Sores, all such eruptive diseases, Erysipelas, Syphilitic affections, Humor of a cancerous nature, Salt Rheum, Scald Head, Ringworms, Boils, Pimples, Rheumatism, Ulcers, Catarrh, Female Weaknesses, Constipation, General Debility, Dyspepsia, Biliousness, Weakness of Stomach, Pains in the Back or Limbs, Ulceration of the Liver, Torpid Liver, Stomach and Bowels, and all diseases and ill-feelings caused by impure blood and deranged liver. And if that rather extended list of maladies was not good enough, they also threw in Diseases of Women and Malaria. Not too shabby for $1.00 a bottle. And, by the way, it had been “used by our Grandparents,” so how could it not be good stuff? Warner also relied upon the tried and true marketing strategy of tying his product to well-known people. One of the Log Cabin Remedies advertising posters featured the images of William Henry Harrison, Sr., the ninth President of the United States and his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, who served as the twentythird President. William Henry was also known by the nickname “Tippecanoe,” which happened to coincide with another Warner
Warner’s Log Cabin Hops and Buchu Remedy box and bottle
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
bers of the Cannabaceae or marijuana family, hops gives beer its pungent flavor and has documented sedative properties. If you have ever had a beer or two to drink, you know this to be true. However, why Warner combined these two ingredients remains a mystery. In his 1887 Log Cabin Sarsaparilla pamphlet, he was not shy about expounding on the virtues of this odd combination: Warner’s Log Cabin Hops & Buchu Remedy is of purely vegetable composition, and can do no injury. It cures Dyspepsia, MalAssimilation, Malaria and Malarial Diseases, Dyspeptic Cough, Biliousness, Torpidity of the Liver and Bowels, Indigestion, Palpitation caused by Flatulency, Sick Headache due to Stomach Disturbance, Impotency, General Debility, etc. Ironically, one of the side effects of buchu is kidney irritation as well as liver toxicity. It still seems like the better use for hops remains beer. Log Cabin Cough & Consumption Remedy Warner was not the first to claim that he could cure consumption or what we know better as tuberculosis or TB. Caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the infection started in the lungs and spread to other parts of the body including the brain and the spine. Although it was prominent in the 19th Century, it actually became the leading cause of death in the United States in the 20th Century until it was finally arrested with the use of antibiotics. The Cough and Consumption Remedy may have been many things, but it was most assuredly not an antibiotic and was, therefore, powerless against tuberculosis.
Warner’s Log Cabin Hair Tonic an Benton’s Hair Grower
Warner’s Log Cabin Cough and Consumption Remedy
While it is easy admire Warner for his cutting edge marketing skills, we must equally condemn him for selling false hope to those afflicted with diseases like consumption. Whether his remedy had any palliative effects on coughing is unknown. Such a promise to the public seems far less sinister. Sadly, Warner had lots of company among patent medicine proprietors selling consumption cures. It is safe to say that they were equally ineffective in curing that awful disease, which remained a scourge well into the 20th Century. Warner’s Log Cabin Scalpine and Hair Tonic
53
54
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras “Internal and External Use.” Apparently, this stuff was good for everything from cholera to bee stings and the always troublesome “summer complaints”. Still confused? So am I. I suppose that Log Cabin Extract was somewhat of a catch-all remedy that you grabbed when none of the other remedies would do. Still, you have to love the before and after caricature for this stuff. In addition to all of its other wonderful properties, apparently Log Cabin Extract was the perfect restorative for little boys with an appetite for green apples. Log Cabin Liver Pills
Warner’s Log Cabin Extract
Log Cabin Scalpine/Hair Tonic Although there were more than a few patent medicines devoted to curing baldness and otherwise stimulating hair growth among the follically impaired, Warner devoted relatively few of his considerable resources to this specialty. The two notable exceptions were Benton’s Hair Grower, which he marketed and which boasted hair growth of three to six inches within twelve months and, of course, Log Cabin Scalpine and, later, Hair Tonic. Perhaps the name “Scalpine” was confusing to buyers, because it was changed to “Hair Tonic” in 1888. Both varieties are rare, which may be attributed to unpopularity in the marketplace. The two preparations were not sold as competing brands, but rather as complementary treatments. Indeed, the 1888 Artist’s Album states “Warner’s Log Cabin Hair Tonic and Benton’s Hair Grower...are decidedly the finest and most efficient hair preparations that have ever been put upon the market, one supplementing the virtues of the other. Log Cabin Extract Perhaps one of the more mysterious Log Cabin Remedies is Log Cabin Extract. I always thought extract was something you put in cakes. Not this type. The box says “An Old-Fashioned Liniment - Cordial” for
Unlike most of the other Log Cabin Remedies, the Liver Pills were not packaged in the familiar amber multi-paneled bottle. Rather, they were contained in a small cylindrical vial, wrapped with product information and packaged in a paper cover. The were sold in a bulk of a dozen shaped like a small brick. The Liver Pills were packaged much like Warner’s Safe Pills, which had been a part of the original Safe Cure product line introduced in 1880 along with the Kidney & Liver Cure. Indeed, the Liver Pills were marketed essentially as a laxative that “can be taken with the utmost safety by adults and children….”
Warner’s Log Cabin Extract box in great shape
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
55
Log Cabin Rose Cream/Log Cabin Plasters Examples of the Rose Cream are exceedingly rare and examples of the Plasters seem to be nonexistent. The Rose Cream was sold as a remedy for Catarrh or, what we call, the common cold, as well as an effective skin cream for the hands and face. Pretty handy, huh? Part of the scarcity of the Rose Cream may be that it was packaged in a plain bottle without the distinctive embossing of the other Log Cabin Remedies or Safe Cures. Without its label or box, it would appear as just another generic bottle.
Warner’s Log Cabin Liver Pills
The Plasters were described as “porous and electrical,” which likely means that their contents were designed to penetrate into the skin and may have generated a sensation of warmth and a pungent smell akin to a product like Ben-Gay that we use today. While no examples are available to examine, they were a powdered preparation contained in a gauze pouch that was dampened and applied to the skin. Like so many of the other Log Cabin Remedies, the Plasters were sold to treat a laundry list of maladies, including “rheumatism, chronic aches and pains, backache, sore and tender bowels, and congestions of the stomach, liver, lungs or kidneys…” In the end, we are left to wonder why Warner would devote his established brand name and considerable financial resources to a new product line? The best answer, given what we know about him, is that he was a restless spirit, who was never satisfied with the status quo. He was an innovator and a risk-taker. Even so, his Log Cabin Remedies were gone by about 1892. Warner survived at the helm of his company only slightly longer filing bankruptcy in 1893. Nevertheless, the Log Cabin Remedies are a short, but colorful chapter in the Warner’s Safe Cure story. References Belonsky, Andrew, “The Log Cabin: An Illustrated History, 10 (The Countryman Press 2018).” Atwater, Edward C., “Hulbert Harrington Warner and the Perfect Pitch: Sold Hope; Made Millions,” New York History, 56(2): 154-190 (1975).
Warner’s Log Cabin Rose Cream and Log Cabin Plasters
Seeliger, Michael W., “H. H. Warner: His Company & His Bottles” (1974). “The Savage Way,” Osage County Chronicle, October 25, 1888. Stecher, Jack, “H. H. Warner – World Renowned Patent Medicine King: A Biographical Sketch,” Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, 18(2): 34-38 (June 2001). Finch, Ralph, “One-Of-A-Kind Collection of Warner Bottles,” Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, 18(2): 14-16 (June 2001). Meyer, Ferdinand, “Warner’s Log Cabin Remedies,” Peachridge Glass, https:// www.peachridgeglass.com/2012/06/warners-log-cabin-remedies/, (June 21, 2012).
The author gratefully acknowledges Terry McMurray and Glass Works Auctions for the kind permission to use their photographs in this article. The labelled Log Cabin Remedies and boxes are exceedingly scarce and are valued among collectors. Warner’s Log Cabin’s reverse on glass advertisement
56
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
The unloading of the equipment was made even more dangerous by the rain the night before which now had turned to solid ice under the snow. The wooden back steps caked with ice was especially a challenge. The words of the day were ‘slow and careful’ for these three senior citizens as Jerry had joined us. Slowly and carefully, the three of us were able to make short order of transporting everything to the second floor up a rather interesting set of interior stairs. The stairs reminded me of a spiral staircase built to conserve space a long time ago. The railing was fashioned specifically for those stairs. It was no time at all before the Virtual Museum imaging equipment was set up and ready to go. After setting up, we became aware that much of Chicago was without electricity. Lucky us as we were to have power!
Virtual Museum Ne ws By Richard Siri 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. ****************
By the time you receive this issue of Bottles and Extras, Alan DeMaison will have photographed a group of Jerry McCann’s jar collection and will be working on cleaning up the raw images. He is also making a light box for Gina Pellegrini, our new second imager, that is like the one he is using. Ferdinand is also working on finishing up the Bitters Gallery and working now on the Historical Flask Gallery and should have them done for a spring showing. It’s a lot of work building the finished galleries. When the museum gets online, hopefully the FOHBC will see a membership increase as the galleries will be eye candy for all bottle collectors. The categories for galleries is huge and I suspect we will be adding to the museum for years to come. I’ve asked Alan for a more detailed fruit jar imaging report which you will see below. He will also include a version of his trip report in the Ohio Bottle Club’s newsletter.
**************** McCann Fuit Jar Imaging Trip - Alan DeMaison Plans were made months ago to visit and image Jerry McCann’s fruit jars for the FOHBC Virtual Museum. Jerry’s collection of some 2,000 specimens and his extensive knowledge made this a perfect candidate for a successful photo opportunity. With an eye on the weather, Alan DeMaison and Terry Crislip ventured to Chicago on Sunday, November 25th. Earlier weather reports indicated a rainy Sunday followed by a cold front after the rain had departed. The end of a six hour drive was greeted with the expected rain, but within an hour of our arrival, so did the cold front. It was clear that there was going to be a major snow event that evening. Only time would tell how the snow would impact our plans. The next morning saw 8 to 10 inches of snow covering the once bare hotel parking lot. The Chicago road crews had done an amazing job of clearing the main streets. A short three mile trip to Jerry’s awaited us, but the side streets had not even been touched. Hey, we are from the snow belt of Ohio and a little snow is no match for experience and good tires. As we drove through the neighborhood, we noticed lots of tree limbs down (some covering entire yards and driveways). Some of the tree limbs had caused significant damage to both cars and houses.
Every wall was lined with glass shelves and every inch of those shelves was covered with fruit jars. Jerry had assembled a collection of jars that ranged in value from very inexpensive to extremely rare and valuable. The first jars we imaged were easy. The wonderful colors presented no particular problem having much experience with dark colored bitters, historical flasks, and western bitters and whiskeys. Then came the inevitable aqua jars. Three months ago when I was at Darrell Plank’s, imaging the aqua embossing was a real puzzle. What looked like a possible aqua candidate with great embossing became completely unreadable with my back lighting. It took Darrell Plank’s display of aqua fruit jars and then viewing the Ken Schwartz collection of clear/ aqua western whiskeys to bring me to an “ah-ha moment.” Both had bottom back lighting which illuminated the embossing perfectly. After previous months of experimenting and failing with changing the lighting and building gadgets to somehow use bottom lighting, could it be just as simple as turning off the back lighting and adding back bottom lights? My first aqua fruit jar, an aqua Globe, was surprisingly successful at home. The embossing was so beautifully highlighted. We tackled aqua jar after aqua jar in Jerry’s collection with my new technique of bottom back lighting with terrific results. The aqua color took a backseat to the embossing and the results were great. Remember, I am taking 36 pictures rotating to give the illusion of continuous movement so it is not as easy as holding it up to the sun for one great picture. This makes imaging more challenging with a rotating turntable. Jerry picked some 70+ amazing jars, Terry carefully centered each jar and I did my computer/camera thing. We were honored to have Patricia Sprang add a few of her jars for imaging. She was particularly proud of a Christmas Snowflake Mason jar as she called it. It was $5 jar with more small bubbles than I have ever seen in any bottle or jar. The camera did it justice by capturing all the bubbles. With the 35 images from Darrell Plank, we are well on our way to the Fruit Jar Gallery for the Virtual Museum. I would expect editing the collection to be a slow process with all the different closures, but capturing over a hundred images is a great start. After two days of imaging, I offered a suggestion to return this spring with the intention of making videos of the closures. The suggestion was well received by Jerry. I have had some experience with movie editing, so this should take less time to master. Jerry and Patricia were so kind as to give me my first experience with authentic deep dish Chicago pizza. With a half inch of crust and another half inch of toppings, a large pizza fed four with leftovers for tomorrow. Dinner on Tuesday night was at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria where Terry ordered a large half baked Chicago Deep Dish for his Wednesday dinner at home. With the temperature expected to hit in the teens Tuesday night, there was no need to refrigerate the pizza. The pizza stored just fine in the car. By Wednesday morning the road to Ohio was clear and dry. Every FOHBC Virtual Museum visit is different and exciting. To visit a collector in their display room and listen to all the interesting stories is truly a memory to be treasured for a life time. Next issue we will share some fruit jar pictures from this trip.
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
The Coca-Cola Trail: People, Places Along Road to Success By Bill Baab How Coca-Cola became America’s soft drink and reached worldwide fame has been recounted in as many million words as there are bubbles in the carbonated beverage. Now you can travel on its many roads to success via The Coca-Cola Trail, a new book by author Larry Jorgensen whose trip along the way revealed previously unrecorded stories from some of the many people involved. Nearly everyone has heard the story about how Dr. John S. Pemberton developed the drink in Atlanta during the 1880s, how the addition of soda water improved its taste and later how the company removed cocaine from its “Secret Formula.” The drink’s popularity took off after it was bottled, making it available to the general public after it had been sold only at soda fountains. Coca-Cola was first bottled in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1894 and two years later, a small operation in Valdosta, Georgia became the second. Let’s look at the map outlining the points along The Coca-Cola Trail that became keys to the overall success of the drink. Establishment of Coca-Cola plants was a big deal socially and economically in Small Town USA. Once a family had gotten involved in a Coca-Cola plant, it was set for life, with future generations keeping the plant operating. Relationships became special between plant management, suppliers, employees and the public forged deep roots never to be forgotten. It all became “The Real Thing.” Everybody has “Coca-Cola memories,” including the writer’s own dating to his 1940s childhood. “Let’s go get a Dope,” my father would say, and we’d head to a nearby service station where bottles were lined up inside an ice-filled cooler. Back then, Cokes cost a nickel each. And the term “Dope” could be traced to cocaine that was a part of the drink’s early formula. From the Biedenharn Candy Company’s initial bottling of Coca-Cola in Vicksburg, the trail next leads to Monroe, Louisiana and then readers follow it to Chattanooga, Tennessee, Valdosta and the Root Glass Company in Terre Haute, Indiana where in 1915 Coca-Cola bottles changed shape forever. The bulging
middle was modified to accommodate early vending machines. Another “secret” to the drink’s success was the high profile national advertising campaign which helped “sell” the public on the benefits of drinking Coca-Cola. The author next takes readers all over the map to states in the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest where enthusiastic investors set up bottling plants, many of which are in existence today. The well-illustrated, 200-plus-page book sells for $22, but collectors organizations have the option of buying it in bulk orders for $12 each plus shipping. For more information, contact G L Management, P.O. Box 633, Mansura, LA 71350. Phone number is 1 (337) 591-1937, e-mail is glmanagement40@ gmail.com
57
58
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
David Tingen: A profile of Bottle c
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
e collecting
59
60
January - February 2019
I
was born in Raleigh, N.C. in 1943 and started collecting age 12 when I discovered an old dump near our house. This was along a creek where all the neighborhood kids would gather and play. In the early days I just thought of the bottles as unique and loved the different colors of glass (I still think that). Most days, especially in winter time, I would dig when there was time. Those I dug were stored under the house in crates and boxes. Since I worked after school during the high school years, my digging time was limited and then came the military and college. In the mid 1960s I ran into an old friend at a local antiques and fleas market who was looking for local bottles. He explained to me some of them had real value and he was shocked when I told him I had thousands from years past. A quick check of my diggings revealed a number of rare Raleigh whiskies, sodas and medicines. This was the Misc. amber quart blob beers some with wire bails beginning of many years of bottle digging buddies friendship. For years after that we dug on weekends and I would take my findings to the market at the local fairgrounds to sell or trade. That money was put back into my collection to improve some or introduce new items. Some years later I took a traveling job as a field service manager and later as a field sales engineer that took me to a number of states throughout the United States. On one such trip I attended the Keene show and was awestruck by the variety of colors and styles of the New England blob top beer bottles. This became my new interest. Over a fifty year period, I was able to assembly a good collection of blob tops from all over the country. I was also fortunate enough to acquire the collections of several notable collectors. Having pickers at Brimfield was a big help as well.
Western Quart Bottles
St. Louis pint green bottles
Upstate New York quart bottles
Bottles and Extras
Bottles and Extras
January - February 2019
61
Midwest quart bottles
Eastern PA quart bottles The local bottles I dug were sold or traded to enhance my collection. My interest now is to preserve what I have collected with images and text as some of the local and selected regional bottles have been sold. I recently published four collectors guides for North Carolina collectors to cover both beer and soda bottlers from 1774 to 1925.
Retirement allows more time to devote to this effort and to attend events. I still attend shows, when possible and remain president of the local club. Raleighbottleclub.org is our site address. The books’ summary is located there.
62
anuary - February ebruary 2019 January
ottles and and Extras xtras Bottles
Construction crews digging at a historic location of a theatre in Como, Italy, uncovered a remarkable discovery: hundreds of ancient Roman gold coins found in a stone urn! Authorities say the area was being cleared for the construction of luxurious apartments, but may now be on hold to allow for further excavations at the site. The coins are believed to date from 474 B.C., stacked inside the stone jar unusual to common containers of the time.
The glass pumpkin closest to the front of this truck was declared to be the world’s largest glass pumpkin. Made by the Hot Glass Demonstrations team, led by gaffer George Kennard, weighs about 70 pounds, and has a circumference of 97 inches. The pumpkin-making process took a team of eight glassblowers more than 50 hours of work and 17 attempts. (Corning Museum of Glass)
The first portrait of Henry Clay (1777–1852) by famed Kentucky portraitist Matthew Harris Jouett (1788–1827) sold for $108,000 at Cowan’s Fall Americana auction this past October. (credit: Antiques and the Arts Weekly) This black glass, is the only one known to exist in its entirety, recently sold for $18,500. Articles written about this bottle can be found at http://milwaukeebottleclub.org/Home/blossoms-badger-ale
Left - “Andrew Clemens (1857–1894), sand bottle depicting an American spreadwinged eagle underneath a flag of 36 stars on one side and a floral bouquet below the name Mrs Eliza B. Lewis on the other. When the bottle finally sold for $132,000, applause burst out in the room.” (credit: Antiques and the Arts Weekly)
ottles and and Extras xtras Bottles
“This glass jar or urn contained the cremated remains of a Roman Londoner and was found at Union Street in Southwark in 1866, when a sewer was being dug. It dates to the 1st or 2nd century AD and was found covered with a very rare glass lid. Having preserved the remains of a Roman Londoner for two thousand years, it is now one of over 200 amazing Roman objects that was on display in the current Roman Dead exhibition at the Museum of London.” (Credit: Museum of London)
Garvan acquired this covered sugar bowl in 1917 at the auction of the estate of Edwin At Lee Barber, where it was cataloged as a rare specimen of American-made Stiegel glass. It is now thought to be English. Covered sugar bowl, probably England, 1760-1800. Mold-blown lead glass. Mabel Brady Garvan Collection. (credit: The Collections at Yale)
anuary - February ebruary 2019 January
This eight-gallon stoneware churn is part of the collections at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. It is incised “James Alexander” and possibly from Washington County, Virginia. (photo credit: The Henry Ford)
“Curator John Stuart Gordon inspects a pocket bottle possibly made by Henry William Stiegel at the American Flint Glass Manufactory in Manheim, Pa., between 1764 and 1770.” An exhibit featuring American Glass will be opening at the Yale University Art Gallery in March of 2019. John Stuart Gordon is currently teaching a course at Yale University on American Glass.
63
64
January - February 2019
Member Photo Gallery
A collection of spectacular and inspiring photographs from around the world and around the web. Please feel free to submit your images for consideration.
“My first “Corn For The World” flask...GVI-4...purchased from Rudy Edling at the Gettysburg Show (formerly the Lancaster Show) in the Sheraton-Battlefield in the Spring of 1980.” Tom Lines
“Looking for a name of a color on the first barrel any thoughts. The second barrel is listed as a med. grayish pink and third barrel is listed as a clear light green with a touch of topaz.” Frank Wicker
“Pickles” Steve Ketcham
“A couple of tall footed fellows! Similar hand, clearly different glass batch!” Michael George “Hard to get a color run of veterinary bottles...” Melinda Yantis
Bottles and Extras
Bottles and Extras
65
January - February 2019 “Midwestern porter bottles on my mantle in our family room.” Chip Cable
“Seven in line” Charles Aprill
Green Drakes Plantation Bitters - Dave Kyle
“ANCHOR FLASKS, all strap-sided.” Dana Charlton-Zarro
“This cabinet has 55 colored glass Bulls eye, late 1700-early 1800s.” Richard Peal “Be square or be there!!” Rick Ciralli
lendar of Shows Related Events
Classified Ads
66
January - February 2019
-biz
Classified Ads
ffiliated
Advertise for free: Free “FOR SALE” adp Benefits vertising in each Bottles and Extras. One free tion
“WANTED” ad in Bottles and Extras per year. Send your advertisement to FOHBC Business Manager, 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002 or better yet, email: emeyer@fohbc.org
FOHBC
Bottles and Extras
FOHBC
President’s Message
Nashville, TN $200; G. Norris & Co. City WANTED: HUTCHINSONS: G.H. Bottling Works, Detroit, MI $175; J.A. Wilkison, Wallingson, CN (eagle with Lomax 14-16-18 Charles Place, Chicago, flags and powder horn); American Soda IL $125; W.W.W. Chicago, IL $125; F.A. Works S.F. (flag green color); New Castle Jenning, Hudson, NY $125; AMBER: Bottling Co., New Castle, DE (crossed Standard Bottling Works, Minneapolis, flags); J.E. McKinley, Frankford, PA Calendar Shows MN $100; Boonville Mineral Spring Co, of (flag); McKinley & Schafer Frankford, Boonville, NY $100; Fords Pop, East PA (flag); American Flag Hutchinson, top & Related Events Liverpool, O $100; Moriarty & Carroll, price for any “flags” that I do not already Waterbury, CN $100; J.S. Wilersbacher, have. Contact: R.J. Brown, 4114 W. Pittsburg, PA $100; J.S. Clark, Pitts, PA Mullen Avenue, Tampa, FL 33609 Phone: $75; D.L. Clark & Co., Pitts, PA $75; (813) 286-9686 A.K. Clark, Pitts, PA $75; Buy all three (3) Clarks for $150. Postage and InsurWANTED: Illinois Bottles: Keeley & Bro ance $7.50 per bottle. Contact: R. J. Alton Ill., Ale; Buff & Kuhl Alton GraviBrown 4114 W. Mullen Avenue, Tampa, tatingstopper; A & F.X. Joerger Alton Ill; Affiliated FLIndividual 33609 Phone: (813)&286-9686 Email: L. Abegg’s Soda Manufactory, Belleville, rbrown4134@aol.com Ill; Jos. Fischer’s Selters Water Belleville, Club Information Ill; J.N. Clark Belleville, Ill; Beck & Bro. FOR SALE: Reproduction midget jar Highland Ill; Mueller & Beck Highland lids. Handmade from standard zinc lids. Ill; Weber & Miller Highland Ill; Danl Query ETSY “repro midget lids” or see Individual & Affiliated Kaiser Quincy Ill; Mr & Hw Lundblad Facebook “Wizard of Lids”. Contact: Rich Quincy, Ill. Contact: Theo Adams 3728 Club Information Green, 1894 Ledgeview Rd, DePere, WI Fair Oaks Drive, Granite City, Ill. 62040. 54115 (618) 781-4806
Membership News
President’s Message Wisdom DEALERS: Sell your bottles in the Bottles and tion SHO-BIZ Extras classified for free. Change the bottles
ffiliated
Wisdom
and your ad is free month after month. Include your website in your ad to increase traffic to your site. Send your advertisement to FOHBC Business Manager, 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002 or better yet, email: emeyer@fohbc.org
More show-biz Membership News For Sale
FOR SALE: Books printed and bound, “A History of the Des Moines Potteries,” with additional information on Boonesboro, Carlisle, Herford and Polmyra. 214 pages, 65 color. Cost $23 plus shipping, Media Mail add $4.50, Priority add $6.00. Mail to Mark C. Wiseman, 3505 Sheridan Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 503104557 or call (515)-344-8333
SHO-BIZ
Membership Benefits
Calendar of Shows & Related Events
Shards of Wisdom
FOR SALE: Oregon Medicine, Pioneer Drug Co., Goldfield, Nevada, Oregon Beers and Whiskeys. Coco-Colas pre1940’s. Contact: J. Paxton (541)318-0748
More show-biz Shards of Wisdom
FOR SALE: Crown Top Sodas, Pottery, Advertising signs, Dispensary bottles. Contact John Bray at Bottletree Antiques Farm; (864) 379-3479 or bottletreeantiques.com FOR SALE: The 2018 updated POISON BOTTLE WORKBOOK by Rudy Kuhn. Price $50 plus $5 media mail USA. Contact me 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, VA 24104
Wanted
For Sale
WANTED: Pittsburg Double Eagles in color. Unions in color. Galen ware 125 N 11th SE, Connellsville, PA 16425. Contact: Galen Ware (724) 626-0715 or Email: galenware70@gmail.com
WANTED: C.H. EDDY BRATTLEBORO VT 5-1/2” Pumpkin Seed Flask, $10 Postage Paid. SASE for a large list of bottles and depression glass. Contact: Timothy Hart, 20 Masten Road, Victory, VT 05858
Individual & Affiliated Membership Benefits Club Information
FOR SALE: I’m trimming down a 950-bottle collection of cures and I’ve got about 500 bottles to sell. Cures plus some medicines, pharmacy bottles, a few poisons, reference books, and old magazines. Write to me at bobnshari@gmail. com (preferred) or at Bob Jochums, 3440 Kingsland Circle, Berkeley Lake, GA 30096 for a list or ask me about specific bottles or items you desire.
WANTED: AT ANY PRICE! Corbin’s – Syracuse; Corbin’s Liverpool Summer Complaint Tincture Worm Destroyer Open Pontil. Contact: Ed Kantor (315) 706-5112
WANTED: Bottle Tree Antiques, Donalds, South Carolina. S.C. Dispensaries, N.C. Dispensaries, local and upstate bottles, pottery and advertising. Website: bottletreeantiques.com or Contact: John Bray at (864) 379-3479
from Oak Park, Illinois. Contact: Ray at komo8@att.net
WANTED: Enameled back bar bottles. Also etched, enameled and wheel cut shot glasses. Contact: Jim Searle (309) 346-7804
WANTED: Ed Henry Napa California Amber Cylinder 5th Whiskey (Barnett 55); Ed Henry Napa Cal Seltzer bottle; Migliavacca Co. Inc. Seattle Napa California amber cylinder quart (Bennett 557). Contact: John (707) 230-0967 Email: louder@sonic.net
WANTED: Rare Dr. Kilmer examples (such as sample bottles of Female Remedy or Cough Cure) or any examples w/ contents/boxes/circulars. Also, cobalt blue “Extract Of Witch Hazel”, 8”. Contact: Mike at maleect@aol.com(preferred) or (623) 825-2791
Individual & Affiliated Shards of Wisdom WANTED: Bottles, Pottery, Ephemera Club Information
FOR SALE: AMBER & COBALT HUTCHINSONS: City Bottling Works, Detroit, MI $200; The Twin City Bottling Wks, Chas Klein Prop $250; E. Ottenville,
Shards of Wisdom Wanted
WANTED: Pittsburg, PA bottles, sodas, beers, Porters and ales. Broken or cracked Hostetter’s Stomach Bitters and Weyand bottles. Contact: Aaron Weyand (724) 455-2255
For Sale
Bottles and Extras WANTED: HUTCHINSON: Florida Brewing Co., Tampa, FL – Gator; Any “flag” Esposito, Philada, PA that I do not already have. Contact: R.J. Brown, 4114 W. Mullen Avenue, Tampa, FL 33609 Phone: (813) 286-9686. Email: rbrown4134@aol.com WANTED: Rare Nevada items: Bottles, Advertising, Railroad items: Hats, Badges, Locks & Keys, Hotel Key Tags. Contact: James D. Jacobitz, MD (415) 516-9146 or Email: jacobitz31 @hotmail.com WANTED: BREWERIANA Stoneware, BOTTLES, EPHEMERA, ADVERTISING from Western NY AREA, Jamestown, Dunkirk, Salamanca, Springville, Medina, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Lockport, Rochester and surrounding towns. Peter Jablonski, 12489 Hunts Corners Rd, Akron NY 14001. Text pics to (716) 440-7985 or Email: peterjablonski@roadrunner.com WANTED: Dose glass fever. It’s nothin’ dangerous. I feel no pain. But the only cure is more shot glasses with druggists’ advertising embossed. Please help. Call or email your offerings or advice: Contact: Tracy Gerken. Email: 1gerken@bellsouth.net WANTED: Meadville Rye Whiskey bottles and go-withs. Soyer from Meadville, PA. Contact: Alan DeMaison (440)3581223 or a.demaison@sbcglobal.net WANTED: Rare, unusual colored Los Angeles bottles i.e. WH Stoll/Los Angelos/Soda works. Blob soda with Los Angeles misspelled. For Excelcior Soda work $700 OBO. Contact: Bob Hirsch (562)941-6979 WANTED: Washington (State) Advertising Jugs and Mini Jugs from any state. Contact: Mike Parris (360) 697-2231 or Email: mnparris@comcast.net
67
January - February 2019 WANTED: Jar lid for Cohansey 2-1/2 gallon R.B. #628. Contact: Ed DeHaven (609) 390-1898. 23 W. Golden Oak Lane, Marmora, NJ 08223 WANTED: Interested in Saratoga bottles? Join the Saratoga Bottle Collectors Society. ($20 Annual Membership) Beautiful quarterly newsletter, great club! Send contact information and email address to Ron Rainka, PO Box 685, Warren, MA 01083-0685 WANTED: Rare American Poisons. Joan Cabaniss, 312 Summer Lane, Huddleston, VA 24104. Email: jjcab@b2xonline.com WANTED: THEO. BLAUTH/WHOLESALE WINE AND LIQUOR DEALER whiskey fifth (Barnett 55). Shot glasses: C&K WHISKEY (not bourbon); SILVER SHEAF/BOURBON: H. WEINREICH CO.; GOLDEN GRAIN BOURBON/M. CRONAN (in black); CALIFORNIA WINERY (LUG); CALIFORNIA A FAVORITE (not FAVORITE A). Contact Steve Abbott at (916) 631-8019 or email to foabbott@comcast.net WANTED: **COCA WINE & SECONAL BOTTLES* Any Seconal & Coca wine & *COCA TONIC bottles* with label intact. Preferably N-Mint to Mint Condition. Also, TUINAL & PENTOBARBITAL bottles, vintage compounding bottles of *SECOBARBITAL & PENTOBARBITAL* ANY OLD PHARMACY FINDS, Medical artifacts & related advertising. Please save this add & contact me with any of the above. TOP $$$ PAID! Contact: pharmatiques@gmail.com
WANTED: Just love Bitters! Especially Ohio Bitters. Here are a few I am looking for. Star Anchor Bitters, Portsmouth, Ohio. Henry C. Weaver Mexican Bitters, Lancaster, Ohio. H.I. Weis Dayton, Ohio. Stewart Bros. Swamp Root Bitters, Columbus, Ohio. Greenhut’s Bitters, Cleve. Ohio, Cliff’s Aromatic Bitters, Clev. Ohio. Catawba Wine Bitters, Cleve. Ohio. American Plant Bitters, Wooster, Ohio. Hofstettler Bitters, Galion, Ohio. B&L Invigorator Bitters, Cincinnati, OH. Dear Wahre Jacob Bitters Toledo, OH. Frazier’s Root Bitters. For The Blood, Clev. Ohio. Hartley’s Peruvian Bark Bitters, Cincinnati, Ohio. Night Cap Bitters Cincinnati, Ohio. Pale Orange Bitters, Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. M. Pinton’s Pure Stomach Bitters, Cincinnati, Ohio. Holtzernann’s Patent Stomach Bitters Piqua, O. this is an amber square. Any other Ohio Bitters you might have; also, Blue Jacket Bitters. Thank you for your consideration and Best Regards, Contact: Gary Beatty (941) 276-1546 or Email: tropicalbreezes@verizon.net WANTED: Sacramento shot glasses: C&K/WHISKEY, Casey & Kavanaugh; California A Favorite; SILVER SHEAF/ Bourbon/H. WEINREICH & CO. (double shot); GOLDEN GRAIN/BOURBON/M. CRONAN & CO. (in black); bar bottle, JAMES WOODBURN (white enamel). Contact Steve Abbott: 916-631-8019 or foabbott@comcast.net WANTED: Amber quart cylinder whiskey shoulder embossed Garrick & Cather Chicago, IL plus embossed image of a palm tree. Contact Carl Malik, PO Box 367, Monee, IL 60449 (708) 534-5161.
WANTED: Odd/scarce/rare: COD LIVER OIL bottles. I’ve 115 different examples... many more exist. BYRON DILLE’ 60325 Acme Rd, Coos Bay, OR 97420 or (541) 260-0499 or email: Byronincoosbay@ msn.com
SEND IN YOUR SHOW INFORMATION AND/OR SHOW FLYER TO: fohbc.org/submit-your-show/
Remember!
Members Don’t forget to check out “Member’s Portal” for Special Access to past issues of BOTTLES and EXTRAS
You can submit show calendar information and renew membership online at FOHBC.org
And to check out Featured Stories and keep current with all the bottle news!
ALSO, DON’T FORGET TO USE YOUR MEMBERS PORTAL
Membership News 68
January - February 2019
SHO-BIZ
Bottles and Extras
Calendar of Shows & Related Events
FOHBC Sho - Biz is published in the interest of the hobby. Federation affiliated clubs are connotated with FOHBC logo. Information on up-coming 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, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002; phone: (713) 222-7979; e-mail: emeyer@fohbc.org, Show schedules are subject to change. Please call before traveling long distances. All listings published here will also be published on the website: FOHBC.org
January 12 Muncie, Indiana Midwest Antique Fruit Jar and Bottle Club Annual Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Horizon Convention Center, 401 S. High Street Muncie, Indiana 47305, Contact Info, Dave Rittenhouse, 1008 S. 900 W. Farmland, Indiana 47340, 765.468.8091
18th Annual Show & Sale, 8:30 am to 2:30 pm, DeFuniak Springs Community Center, 361 N 10th Street, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32433. Free Admission and Bottle Appraisals. Contact: Richard Bottleshows, PO Box 241, Pensacola, FL 32591, shards@bellsouth.net, Call or Text: 850.435.5425; Russell 850.419.1235 or Roy 850.520.2219.
January 13 Taunton, Massachusetts The Little Rhody Bottle Club Show, Holiday Inn, Taunton, Massachusetts, Early Admission, $15, 8:30 am, General Admission $3, 9:30 am, Contact Bill or Linda Rose, sierramadre@comcast. net, 508.880.4929, Directions: Take Exit #9, off Route #495 for 700, Myles Standish Blvd.
February 3 Manville, New Jersey New Jersey Antique Bottle Club (NJABC) 23rd Annual Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Admission $3, no early buyers. Show Address: V.F.W. of Manville, New Jersey, 600 Washington Avenue, Manville, New Jersey 08835, Contact Info: Kevin Kyle, 609.209.4034, bottlediggerkev@aol.com or John Lawrey, 973.222.7635, thebigmann@msn.com
More show-biz
Individual & Affiliated Membership Benefits Club Information
January 19 Jackson, Mississippi The 34th Mississippi Antique Bottle and Collectibles Show, Mississippi Fair Ground, Jackson, Mississippi. Early Admission: $20, Friday 12 pm to 9 pm & Saturday 7 am to 9 am; General Admission: Free, Saturday 9 am to 4 pm. Contact John Sharp, PO Box 164, Sebastopol, Mississippi 39359; 601.507.0105
February 3 Individual & Affiliated Milwaukee, Wisconsin 47th Annual Milwaukee Antique Bottle & Shards of Wisdom Advertising Show, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (Early Club Information Admission 8:00 am, $15) Admission $5, 170
February 15 & 16 Henderson, Nevada Las Vegas Antique Bottles & Collectibles Club presents their 54th Annual 2019 Antique Bottle & Collectibles Show & Sale at the Henderson Convention Center, 200 South Water Street, Henderson, Nevada 89015, Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Early Bird admission $10 (Friday 9:00 am to noon). Regular admission noon to 5:00 pm. Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. $5 admission, Dealers contact Nick Valenti 702.415.1568 or nv1948@cox.net, Attendees contact: Donn Blake 702.6459936 or tgs1mom@aol.com, Dealers Setup, Thursday 2/14/19 – 12pm to 8pm February 15th & 16th Columbia, South Carolina 46th Annual South Carolina Show & Sale Friday, 11am to 6pm - Saturday 9am to 1pm, No Early Admission Fee, Meadowlake Park Center 600 Beckman Rd., Columbia, South Carolina, 29203., Info: Marty Vollmer (803) 629-8553 or Art Gose (803) 840-1539 or southcarolinabottleclub.com
February 17 Enfield, Connecticut 49th Somers Antique Bottle Club Antique BotJanuary 27 tle Show and Sale, St. Bernard’s School, West Bayport, New York Campus, 232 Pearl Street, Enfield, ConnectiThe Long Island Antique Bottle Association is cut 06082, Sunday 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Early pleased to announce their 3rd show in more than February 8 & 9 admission 8:00 am Sunday, Cost of admission ten years, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Including displays Palmetto, Florida for show & early admission: early $10; general and door prizes!, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County 50th Annual Suncoast Antique Bottle & Tabletop $3, Somers Antique Bottle Club, Contact: Don Juliette Lowe Friendship Center, Lakeview AvDesjardins, Show Chair, 22 Anderson Road, Collectible Show & Sale, Saturday, 9:00 am to enue, Bayport, New York,Contact: Mark Smith, 3:00 pm; Dealer set-up and Early Buyers, Friday, Ware, Massachusetts 01082, 413.967.4431, 10 Holmes Court, Sayville, New York 11782, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, $20, Manatee River Fair As- dondes@comcast.net 631.589.9027, libottle@optonline.net sociation Building, 1402 14th Avenue West, PalFebruary 23 metto, Florida 34221, Contact: George Dueben, February 2 727.804.5957 or Linda Buttstead, 941.722.7233, Grand Rapids, Michigan Round Rock, Texas The West Michigan Antique Bottle Club’s 29th OriginalSABCA@aol.com The Austin Bottle Club’s 2nd Annual Austin Annual Show, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (Set-up Area Bottle, Jar, Advertising, Collectibles 8:00 am to 10:00 am), Fonger American Legion February 10 Show, Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; Dealer Post, 2327 Wilson S.W., Grand Rapids, MI. Columbus, Ohio set-up: Friday, 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm. General Ad- The Central Ohio Antique Bottle Club’s 49th General Admission $3, No Early Admission. mission: Free. Old Settlers Park Events Center, Annual Show & Sale, Sunday, 9:00 am to 2:00 Contact: Steve DeBoode, 616.667.0214, the3333 E Palm Valley Blvd (US 79 E), Round bottleguy@comcast.net pm; early buyers 7:00 am to 9:00 am, $20, Show Rock, TX 78665. Contact: John Reed, 8050 C R Address: Doubletree Inn, 174 Hutchinson Ave., 110, Round Rock, Texas 78665; 512.468.5097, March 10 Columbus, Ohio (I-270 & Rt. 23), Contact compliant.relo@gmail.com Info:Rojer Moody, 740.703.4913, rtmoody@juno. Baltimore, Maryland com or Clark Wideman, 614.439.8005, clarkwide- The Baltimore Antique Bottle Club’s 39th February 2 Annual Show & Sale, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, man@aol.com Rome, Georgia Website: baltimorebottleclub.org, PhysiRome Antique Bottle Show & Sale, 8:00 am cal Education Center, CCBC-Essex, 7201 February 15 & 16 to 3:00 pm, Rome Civic Center (Rock Bldg), Rossville Boulevard (I-695, Exit 34), Essex, Aurora, Oregon 400 Civic Center Drive, Rome Georgia, ConMaryland, Contact: Rick Lease, 410.458.9405, Oregon Bottle Collectors Association Bottle, tact: Jerry Mitchell, 770.537.3725, PO Box Antiques, Collectibles Show & Sale, Friday 12 – 5 finksburg21@comcast.net or Andy Agnew, 475, Bremen, Georgia 30110 or Bob Jenkins, 410.527.1707, medbotls@comcast.net :00 pm dealer set-up & early bird admission $5, 770.834.0736, 285 Oak Grove Rd, Carrollton, Saturday 9:00 am – 3:00 pm regular public admisGeorgia 30017 March 15 & 16 sion by donation, American Legion Hall, 21510 Morro Bay, California Main Street N.E., Aurora, Oregon, Contact Info: February 2 51st Morro Bay Antique Bottle Show, Morro Bay Wayne Herring, 503.864.2009 or 503.231.1235 DeFuniak Springs, Florida Veterans Memorial Hall, 209 Surf Street, Morro or Mark Junker, 503.231.1235 or Bill Bogynska, The Emerald Coast Bottle Collector’s Inc., Bay, California 93442, Friday 1:00 to 6:00 pm & 503.657.1726 billbogy7@gmail.com sales tables of bottles, breweriana and advertising. Also lectures, displays and door prizes. Show Address: Waukesha County Expo Center, 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin (I94, exit 294), Info: bottleshow@charter.net
Shards of Wisdom Wanted
For Sale
SHO-BIZ
& Related Events
Bottles and Extras
69
January - February 2019
(More) Sho-Biz More show-biz Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Early admission: Friday 12:00 Free Admission, Set up day(s) and time: Friday the 15th, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, Free Admission, San Luis Obispo Bottle Society, San Luis Obispo Bottle Society on Facebook, Contact: Webb Tartaglia, Show Chairman, 805.543.7484, dirtydiver53@gmail.com
April 12 & 13 Antioch, California The Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society’s 53rd Annual Show & Sale, Early Buyers: Friday 12 pm – 5 pm, $10 Admission; General Admission: Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Free. Contra Costa County Fairgrounds, 1201 West 10th Street, Antioch, CA 94509. Info: Gary & Darla Antone, 752 Murdell Lane, Livermore, CA 94550, 925.373.6758, packrat49er@ netscape.net
Individual & Affiliated Membership Benefits March 17 Club Information St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis’ 49th Annual Antique Bottle & Jar Show; Orlando Gardens, 4300 Hoffmeister, St Louis, MO 63125. General Admission $3 from 9 am – 2 pm; Set-up 7 am – 9 am. Contact: St Louis Antique Bottle Collectors Assn., Patsy Jett, 71 Outlook Dr, Hillsboro, MO 63050, 314.570.6917, patsy_jett@yahoo.com
April 14 Harrisonburg, Virginia The Historical Bottle-Diggers of Virginia 48th Annual Antique Bottle and Collectible Show & Sale, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Rockingham County Fairgrounds, U.S. Rt. 11 South, (Exit 243 off I-81), Harrisonburg, Virginia, Info: Sonny Smiley, 540.434.1129, lithiaman1@yahoo.com
Individual & Affiliated Shards of Wisdom March 22 & 23 Club Deland, Florida Information Deland Florida 49th Annual Antique Bottle, Insulator & Table Top Collectable Show and Sale at the Bill Hestor Building, Volusia County Fairgrounds, Deland, Florida 3150, E. New York Avenue, Deland, Florida 32724, Friday 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Saturday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm, $20 for Early Buyers, 3:00 pm Friday and before 8:00 am Saturday. Dealer set up is 1:00 – 6:00 pm Friday Early Buyers $20 and Saturday at 8:00 am show is free to the public. Deland Florida M-T Bottle Club, www.m-tbottleclub. com, Dwight Pettit, Club President, 719 Loretto Court, Deltona, Florida 32738, 386.956.8033 pettit9119@bellsouth.net
April 28 Rochester, New York 50th Genesee Valley Bottle Collectors Association’s Bottle, Paper, Postcard and Table Top Antiques Show & Sale, Roberts Wesleyen College, Voller Athletic Center, 2301 Westside Drive, Rochester, New York 14624, Admission $5. 17 and Under FREE, Show and Dealer Inquires: Aaron and Pamela Weber gvbca@frontiernet. net 585.226.6345
Shards of Wisdom Wanted
March 23 Daphne, Alabama The Mobile Bottle Collectors Club’s 46th Annual Show & Sale, 9 am to 3 pm, Daphne Civic Center, 2603 US Hwy 98, Daphne, AL 36525. Free Admission and Bottle Appraisals. Contact: Rod Vining, 251.957.6725, vinewood@mchsi.com, or Richard Bottleshows, PO Box 241, Pensacola, FL 32591. Call or text: 850.435.5425, shards@bellsouth.net April 6 St. Clairsville, Ohio The Ohio Valley Bottle Club’s Annual Bottle & Table Top Antiques Show, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; early buyers 7:30 am $15. Admission $2, J.B. Martin Recreation Center, 102 Fair Avenue, St. Clairsville, Ohio Exit 216 off I-70, Contact: Tom Chickery, 740.296.9430, tchick65@gmail.com April 7 Bloomington, Minnesota The North Star Historical Bottle Association’s 48th Annual Minnesota Antique Bottle, Advertising, and Stoneware Show and Sale, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, $2 admission; Set-up 6:30 am to 9:30 am, no early admission. Knights of Columbus Bloomington Event Center, 1114 American Blvd. West, Bloomington, Minnesota. Contact: Jeff Springer, 651.500.0949, springer_associates@yahoo.com or northstarbottleclub.com
May 4 Gray, Tennessee State of Franklin Antique Bottles & Collectibles Association 21st Annual Show – Sale, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Free admission & door prizes, Gray, Tennessee, Exit 13 on I-216, Appalachian Fairground, sfabca.com
June 6 & 7 S. Yorks, UK Britian’s Biggest Show: The 29th Summer National, BBR. Elsecar Heritage Centre, Nr Barnsley, S. York, S74 8HJ. Saturday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, Sunday 9:00 am – 2 pm. Info: Telephone: 01226 745156, Email: sales@onlinebbr.com, Web: onlinebbr.com June 14-16 Orlando, Florida 2019 National Insulator Association’s Annual Convention and Show, Oceans Convention Center at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at Sea World, 10100 International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32821. 15,000+ sq. ft of Glass and Porcelain Insulators, Hardware, Signs, Lightning Rod Balls, Battery Jars and Rests, Lamps, Bottles, Jars, Telephone and related items and MUCH, MUCH more! 175+ Dealer and Display tables. Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (NIA only). Open to the public Saturday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. and Sunday 9:00 am – 1:30 pm. WANTED: DEALERS!! Additional show info available now: Jacqueline Linscott-Barnes (bluebellwt@aol.com). Show packets/table sales available 9:00 am Friday, June 22, 2018 at the 49th Kansas City NIA Convention and Show. MORE INFO August 1 – 4 Augusta, Georgia 2019 FOHBC 50th Anniversary National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo, SHOW PAGE LINK, Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center and Augusta Convention Center, Information: Augusta National Consortium Chairs: Bill Baab, riverswamper@comcast.net, Ferdinand Meyer V, fmeyer@fmgdesign.com, Mike Newman, thenewm@aol.com, Walter Smith, supplies@furnituredoctor.net, Marty Vollmer, martyvollmer@aol.com, Eric Warren, scbottles@aol.com, FOHBC National Convention – Southern Region
For Sale
May 11 Mansfield, Ohio 41st 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 10. Info: Matt Lacy at 440.228.1873 or email info@antiquebottlesales.com or Louis Fifer at 330.635.1964, fiferlouis@yahoo.com May 19 Ellendale, Delaware DELMARVA Antique Bottle Club Show and Sale, Ellendale Fire Hall, 302 Main Street, Ellendale, Delaware, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Info: Keith Fleming, 302.684.8138, 352, JohnKeithFleming@gmail.com May 19 Washington County, Pennsylvania Washington Pennsylvania Washington County Antique Bottle Club 44th Annual Show and Sale, Alpine Star Lodge, 735 Jefferson Avenue, Washington, Pennsylvania 15301, Admission $3, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Info: Ed Kuskie, 412.405.9061, 352 Pineview Drive, Elizabeth, Pennsylvania 15037, bottlewizard@comcasat.net
August 10 Lincoln, Alabama 4th Annual Lincoln Bottle Show, Lincoln Civic Center, 123 Jones Street, Lincoln, Alabama 35096, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Vendor set up on Friday, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm and Saturday 7:00 am to 9:00 am. Contact chairman Jake Smith 256.267.0446, syl_bottleguy@yahoo.com. Free public admission, free kids table free appraisals. This is our fourth year and like every year we honor a different soda. This year Celery-Cola. Info on Facebook. July/August 2020 July 30– August 3 Reno, Nevada 2020 FOHBC National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo, Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, Information: Richard Siri (rtsiri@sbcglobal.net) or Ferdinand Meyer V (fmeyer@fmgdesign. com), FOHBC National Convention Western Region
Membership Benefits Club Information 70
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Individual & Affiliated Shards of Wisdom Club Information 9 Members gained this period. The names below represent persons agreeing to be listed in the printed membership directory. Some of those listed agreed to be listed in the membership directory but not the online directory.
Mary Cowser 17102 Houston Drive Cypress, TX 77433 mjc19691@gmail.com
Peter Roome 817 NW Skyline Crest Rd. Portland, OR 97229 (609) 468-7676 peter.roome@gmail.com Historical Flasks, Medicines, Bitters, Sarsaparillas
Shards of Wisdom
SEND IN YOUR SHOW INFORMATION AND/OR SHOW FLYER TO: fohbc.org/submit-your-show/
Paul Hanrahan 33 Shadetree Crescent Ottawa, Ontario K2E 7R3 Mark Skaggs (613) 723-5632 8319 Roseborough Road Early European bottles, or Louisville, KY 40228 black glass found in Suyana, SA skgger502@gmail.com Ben Levitt 1551 West Woodbury Road Hardwick, VT 05843 breakfast@riseup.net
Wanted
For Sale
Richard McCormick 2511 Brookwood Road North Chester, VA 23235 (804) 320-4115 rtmccormick@verizon.net
The National
Bottle Museum Where history is the bottle!
BBR’s WinterNational
Europe’s LARGEST specialist quarterly event of its type
Antique Bottles, Pot Lids, Advertising & Collectables Sat 19 Jan
Sun 20 Jan
Highly varied/ eclectic spread FREE pdf 2 weeks before FREE adm’n 9am Auction 11am
E.E. 8.30am £5 ord adm’n 10am £2
500+ lots General Auction
5 minutes from jct 36 off M1
the BIG SHOW 120 -150
sales stalls from all over UK
MAJOR cat’d Auction 11am
ALL BBR auctions
LIVE online
Situated in the heart of Ballston Spa, New York is a museum whose mission is to preserve the history of our nation’s first major industry: Bottle making. Exhibits inside of the National Bottle Museum allow visitors to view thousands of glass bottles.
National Bottle Museum 76 Milton Avenue Ballston Spa, NY 12020
NationalBottleMuseum.org
518.885.7589
Seeking quality consignments & entire collections
Tried • Tested • Trusted
• Nationwide collection • Unbeatable all inclusive commission • Worldwide advertising • Bidding: live, online, tel & absentee • Est’d 1979 - huge worldwide customer network/ database
BBR, Elsecar Heritage Centre, Nr Barnsley, S. Yorks., S74 8HJ t: 01226 745156 e: sales@onlinebbr.com www.onlinebbr.com
BBR gives you MORE Charges you LESS Pays out QUICKEST
listen in & BID LIVE via
Cat’s: 4 £20 UK 6 £25, single £6, pdf £3
1 • Apr 27 & 28 • Jul 6 & 7 • Oct 5 & 6 2019 Auction/ w/e dates: Jan 19 & 20
Bottles and Extras
71
January - February 2019
Individual & Affiliated Membership Benefits Club Information The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors cordially invites you to join a dedicated group of individuals and clubs who collect, study and display the treasured glass and ceramic gems of yesteryear.
Individual & Affiliated Shards of Wisdom Club Information
The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC) is a non-profit organization supporting collectors of historical bottles, flasks, jars, and related items. 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 Federation publication, Bottles and Extras is well known throughout the hobby world as the leading publication for those interested in bottles and “go-withs”. The magazine includes articles of historical interest, stories chronicling the hobby and the history of bottle collecting, digging stories, regional news, show reports, advertisements, show listings, and an auction directory. Bottles and Extras is truly the place to go when information is needed about this popular and growing hobby.
Shards of Wisdom
In addition to providing strength to a national/international organization devoted to the welfare of the hobby, your FOHBC Individual Membership benefits include:
Wanted
• A full year subscription to the bi-monthly (6 issues a year) 72-page publication Bottles and Extras. Various options are available including Digital Membership.
For Sale
• Free advertising of “For Sale” items in Bottles and Extras (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. • Follow the development of the FOHBC Virtual Museum. FOHBC members will be museum members. • The opportunity to obtain discounts to be used on “Early Admission” or table rental at the annual Federation National Shows and Conventions. • Access to the private FOHBC web site Member Portal and a wealth of historical information. • FOHBC digital newsletter and so much more. We encourage Affiliated Bottle Club memberships by offering these additional benefits to your group: • Display advertising in Bottles and Extras at an increased 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: Linda Sheppard, PO Box 162, Sprakers, New York 12166; phone: 518.673.8833; email: jim1@frontiernet.net or visit our home page at FOHBC.org
Where there’s a will there’s a way to leave Donations to the FOHBC. Did you know the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors is a 501C(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.
Club Information 72
January - February 2019
Bottles and Extras
Individual & Affiliated Shards of Wisdom Club Information FOHBC Individual Membership Application For Membership, complete the following application or sign up at www.fohbc.org (Please Print) Do you wish to be listed in the printed membership directory? (name, address, phone number, email address and what you collect) { } Yes { } No
Shards of Wisdom
Name_______________________________ Address_____________________________ City________________________State____ Zip _____________Country____________ Do you wish to be listed in the Telephone___________________________ online membership directory? E-mail Address_______________________ (name, address, phone number,
Wanted
email address and what you collect) { } Yes { } No
BOTTLES and EXTRAS 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.)
For Sale
Collecting Interests_ ___________________________________ ___________________________________ Would you be interested in ___________________________________ serving as an officer? { } Yes { } No
Additional Comments___________________ Would you be interested ___________________________________ in contributing your bottle ___________________________________ knowledge by writing articles
for the BOTTLES and EXTRAS? { } Yes { } No
Membership/Subscription rates for one year (6 issues) (Circle One) United States - Standard Mail $40.00 - Standard Mail for three years $110.00 - First Class $55.00 - Digital Membership (electronic files only) $25.00
Canada - First Class $60.00 Other countries - First Class $80.00
- Life Membership: Level 1: $1,000, Includes all benefits of a regular First
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 $5.00 for each associate for each year
Name(s) of Associate(s)______________________________________ *Associate Membership is available to members of the immediate family of any adult holding an Individual Membership. Children of ages 21 or older must have their own individual membership. Associate(s) Members enjoy all of the right and privledges of an Individual Membership
Signature ______ Date___
Please make checks or money orders payable to FOHBC and mail to: FOHBC Membership, Elizabeth Meyer, 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002 Effective 8/2015
Affiliated Club Membership for only $75.00 with liability insurance for all club sponsored events, 50% discount on advertising in the BOTTLES and EXTRAS, plus much more, Contact: Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002; phone: (713) 222-7979; email: emeyer@fohbc.org
Clearly Print or Type Your Ad Send to: Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer, 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002; ph: (713) 222-7979; or better yet, email Elizabeth at: emeyer@fohbc.org
Article Submission Requirements: All BOTTLES and EXTRAS articles or material need to be submitted on CD (preferable) or an email using a compressed (zipped) file. The file must be created by Microsoft Word, Publisher or Adobe N-Design so the editor does not have to retype the work. High-resolution digital images are our preferred format. Please submit digital images on a CD according to the instructions below. We will accept e-mail submissions only if the image resolution is acceptable. The e-mail or CDs must have only ONE subject per transmission to minimize confusion. Each image must be accompanied by a caption list or other identifying information. Professional-grade equipment is a must to achieve the size and quality image we require. The highest setting on the camera should be used for maximum resolution and file size. Only high quality images will be considered. Please do not send photographic prints or scans of images—the color and quality are generally not up to par compared with digital images or slides scanned by our imaging department. We will consider exceptions for photos that can’t be easily found, such as older historical images. We rarely use slides anymore and prefer not to receive submissions of slides due to the time and liability involved in handling them.
5:23 PM
Seeking quality consignments for our 2019 auction schedule!
American Glass Gallery
TM
As a consignor, consider these benefits to help ensure your valued items reach their highest potential: w Competitive consignor rates and low buyer premiums w Broad-based and extensive advertising w Experience, knowledge, honesty and integrity w Attention to detail and customer service These fine items, and many more, will be included in our 2019 Auction schedule.
American Glass Gallery • John R. Pastor • P.O. Box 227, New Hudson, Michigan 48165 phone: 248.486.0530 • www.americanglassgallery.com • email: jpastor@americanglassgallery.com
FOHBC C/O Elizabeth Meyer, 101 Crawford, Studio 1A, Houston, TX 77002
Please Check your information and notify us of errors.
FOHBC.org
Heckler
Happy New Year Looking Forward to Our 2019 Auction Schedule www.hecklerauction.com info@hecklerauction.com 860-974-1634 79 Bradford Corner Road, Woodstock Valley, CT 06282