Vol. 20 No. 5
September-October 2009
The official publication of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
Scared of Black Cats? Be Aware - more abound than you know!
Vol. 20 No. 5
September-October 2009
No.185
Table of Contents FOHBC Officer Listing 2008 - 2010 .... 2 President’s Message .............................. 3 Recent Finds .......................................... 4 Fletcher ‘shocked’ by nomination to Federation’s Hall of Fame Bill Baab........................................... 5
How a Common Coca-Cola Bottle Became a Historic Relic of the Past Bill Baab .........................................37
July 31, 2009 FOHBC Board Meeting Minutes Ed Herrold ......................................60
Glass Passion and Color Ferdinand Meyer V ....................... 38
Classified Ads & Ad Rate Information ... 62
Tracking Cleveland’s Black Cat Jack Sullivan .................................. 44
Shards of Wisdom ................................. 6
Deland M-T Bottle Show Report ........ 49
Paper Trail ........................................... 10
Louisville, Ky., History Betty Blasi ...................................... 50
Regional Reports ................................. 12 2009 National - The West Coast Event Dar Furda ....................................... 26
Show Biz Show Calendar ............................... 66 Membership Additions and Changes... 69 Membership Application ..................... 71 Membership Benefits .......................... 72
Jacob Hoehn and California’s Summit Mineral Water Eric McGuire ................................. 48
Don’t miss an issue - Please check your label for expiration information. Fair use notice: Some material above 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).
WHO DO I CONTACT ABOUT THE MAGAZINE? CHANGE OF ADDRESS, MISSING ISSUES, etc., contact the Business Manager June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct., Raymore, MO 64083; Phone: (816) 318-0160 or email: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com To ADVERTISE, SUBSCRIBE or RENEW a subscription, see pages 64-65 for details. To SUBMIT A STORY, send a LETTER TO THE EDITOR, or have COMMENTS and concerns, Contact: Jesse Sailer, 136 Jefferson Street, East Greenville, PA 18041 Phone: (215) 715-2611 or email: jsailerbotmags@verizon.net 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 401 Johnston Ct., Raymore, MO 64083; Phone: (816) 318-0160; Website: http://www. fohbc.com. Non-profit periodicals postage paid at Raymore, MO 64083 and additional mailing office, Pub. #005062. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bottles and Extras, FOHBC, 401 Johnston Court, Raymore, MO 64083; ph: (816) 318-0160. Annual subscription rate is $30 or $45 for First Class, $50 Canada and $65 other foreign in U.S. funds. The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, Inc. assumes no responsibility for products and services advertised in this publication. 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, MO 65101
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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 2008-2010 President: Richard Siri, PO Box 3818, Santa Rosa, CA 95402; phone: (707) 542-6438; e-mail: rtsiri@sbcglobal.net First Vice-President: Bob Ferraro, 515 Northridge Dr, Boulder City, NV 89005; phone: (701) 293-3114; e-mail: mayorferraro@aol.com Second Vice-President: John Pastor, 5716 Versailles Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103; phone: (734) 827-2070; e-mail: jpastor2000@sbcglobal.net Secretary: Ed Herrold, 65 Laurel Loop, Maggie Valley, NC 28751; phone: (828) 926-2513; e-mail: drbitters@mindspring.com Treasurer: Alan DeMaison, 1605 Clipper Cove, Painesville, OH 44077; phone: (440) 358-1223; e-mail: a.demaison@sbcglobal.net Historian: Richard Watson, 10 S Wendover Rd, Medford, NJ 08055; phone: (856) 983-1364; e-mail: crwatsonnj@verizon.net Merchandising Director: Kent Williams, 1835 Oak Ter, Newcastle, CA 95658; phone: (916) 663-1265; e-mail: KentW@ppoa.org Membership Director: Gene Bradberry, PO Box 341062, Memphis, TN 38184; phone: (901) 372-8428; e-mail: Genebsa@comcast.net Convention Director: R Wayne Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083; phone: (816) 318-0161; e-mail: JarDoctor@aol.com
Business Manager: June Lowry, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083; phone: (816) 318-0160; e-mail: OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com Director-at-Large: Carl Sturm, 88 Sweetbriar Branch, Longwood, FL 32750; phone: (407) 332-7689; e-mail: glassmancarl@sprintmail.com Director-at-Large: Sheldon Baugh, 252 W Valley Dr, Russellville, KY 42276; phone: (270) 726-2712; e-mail: shel6943@bellsouth.net Director-at-Large: Cecil Munsey, 13541 Willow Run Rd, Poway, CA 92064; phone: (858) 487-7036; e-mail: cecilmunsey@cox.net Midwest Region Director: Jamie Houdeshell, PO Box 57, Haskins, OH 43525; phone: (419) 722-3184; e-mail: JHBottle@hotmail.com Northeast Region Director: James Bender, PO Box 162, Sprakers, NY 12166; phone: (518) 673-8833; e-mail: Jim1@frontiernet.net Southern Region Director: Ron Hands, 913 Parkside Dr, Wilson, NC 27896; phone: (252) 265-6644; e-mail: rshands225@yahoo.com Western Region Director: Bill Ham, 4237 Hendricks Rd, Lakeport, CA 95453; phone: (707) 263-6563; e-mail: billham@sbcglobal.net Public Relations Director: James Berry, 200 Fort Plain Watershed Rd, St. Johnsville, NY 13452; phone: (518) 568-5683; e-mail: jhberry10@yahoo.com
September - October, 2009
Bottles and Extras
Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
President’s Message Just got back from the National Show at Pomona, California, had a great time and picked up some Cutter whiskies for my collection. Home for a day, then off to Reno, Nevada for the Hot August Nights car show. Will be there for a week, and while I’m there, I will be looking into having the 2012 Expo in Reno. Sacramento, California Is also under consideration as well as someplace in the New England states. Next year, the National will be held in Wilmington, Ohio the first weekend in August. Put that date on your calendar. 2011 will be somewhere in the Southeast. At the board meeting, we approved revisions to the ByLaws. These will be made available to the general membership to view on the web site and a final vote will be taken at the Baltimore 2010 meeting. Now that the magazine is up to date again and on time, we are turning our attention to the web site. It needs to be brought up to date and have current information for the viewers to access. One of the things we discussed was building a museum. Not a brick and mortar museum but a virtual museum on the web
Support your local club!! Get involved in this great hobby. Attend meetings. Become a club officer. If you need assistance finding a local club, your local editor or FOHBC Regional Director can supply you with a list of clubs in your area. See page two for a list of officers including your regional director.
3 President: Richard Siri PO Box 3818 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 (707) 542-6438 rtsiri@sbcglobal.net
site. The museum part of the web site other than a teaser would be available only to FOHBC members in good standing. Our goal is to increase the membership by offering this program. We have already had some collectors offer images of their collections for these programs. This will give collectors a chance to view bottles that are extremely rare and are not ever put out for public display. Details for this project are being worked out and a person knowledgeable about web sites will be submitting a proposal to do this. Increasing the membership is a goal we all need to get involved in. It spreads the cost of what we do over a greater number of people, which means we can hold the membership costs down and do more for members. Get those stories and articles in to the editor. We want you to share your knowledge and experiences in the hobby with the rest of us. Sincerely, Richard Siri - President FOHBC
Where there’s a will there’s a way to leave collections to 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. An example of a bequest would be:
(This is not legal advice, please consult an attorney)
I give and bequeath to the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, 401 Johnston Ct, Raymore, MO 64083, the sum of $____________ to be used as its Board of Directors determines. 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 us in your donation plans. Richard Siri, President Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors
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Bottles and Extras
RECENT FINDS G.W. Hasley Dose Cup
Whiting’s Ink
This mold-blown embossed dose cup from the 1840 to 1860 period was produced by G.W. Halsey of New York. The dose cup is pontiled and has a light tint of amethyst. Dr. G.W. Halsey produced a very popular medicine known as Halsey’s Forest Wine. An ad from the 1853 Lyons N.Y. Gazette claimed that over 1,000,000 bottles were sold annually. G.W. Halsey advertised that the medicine tasted like a good port wine. The medicine came in bottles as large as quarts and was most likely consumed in large quantities for it’s “medicinal qualities”. The dose cup is 2 ¾” tall and slightly larger than a whiskey taster from the same time period. This would be a great go with for the extremely rare HALSEY’S FOREST WINE pontiled medicine. Contact Dave at dave@BottleAuction.com for more information.
This mold-blown embossed cobalt colored ink was produced by Fredric A. Whiting. F.A. Whiting ink advertisements appeared in the early 1880’s. Two Whiting inks labels were registered with the US Patent office. “Whiting’s Magic” marking ink label was registered October 23rd of 1883 while “Whiting’s Process Drawing Ink” was registered November 20th, 1883. Both labels were registered with a Wellsley Massachusetts address. Later advertising and boxes were shown with a Lowell Massachusetts address. Whiting’s Process Drawing Ink was very popular and was known to be sold in Europe as well as in the United States. F.A. Whiting’s embossed bottles appear to be very rare. The Whiting’s ink bottle pictured is marked Boston and may have been produced earlier than the advertising or patent registrations. Although the bottle is not a standard ink shape or marked with the word “ink” it is a very rare and unusual bottle. The bottle still contains the original contents with the cork intact. Box cover and advertisement images were provided by Lucy and Ed Faulkner. Contact Dave at dave@BottleAuction.com for more information.
*****HELP NEEDED***** Strike it Rich? Want to Share? This is your venue! This is the opportune time to share your recent finds with fellow collectors. Make this your column. You’ll see how infectious this can become for others to follow. We welcome your write-ups and your photos. Remember: This space belongs to you
Bottles and Extras
September - October, 2009
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Fletcher ‘shocked’ by nomination to Federation’s Hall of Fame By Bill Baab Southern Region Editor Last March following his nomination to the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Hall of Fame, I e-mailed Johnnie Fletcher to learn his reaction to the news. “I was absolutely shocked when Ed Stewart called with the news,” Fletcher declared. “I had no inkling that I had been nominated for any FOHBC honors until his call. In fact, when Ed told me about the nomination, I just sat there, stunned, for a few seconds because I didn’t know how to respond. “Anyway, I am very appreciative of the honor and the people who nominated me. Over the years, I’ve seen other people nominated to the Hall of Fame and remember thinking, ‘They sure deserved it.’ I just don’t picture myself in the same category and even now I’m wondering if I’ll get a call telling me, ‘Sorry, a mistake was made in your selection.’ “Until then, I’ll be very thankful about all the nice people in the bottle collecting hobby of which I play a small part.” What made the whole thing so satisfactory to Fletcher’s nominators was that the original intention was to put him in the FOHBC Honor Roll, no little honor in itself. But at the Federation meeting during the Baltimore Bottle Club show in March, board members decided Fletcher’s contributions to the hobby deserved the ultimate honor. Fletcher’s friends and sometime digging buddies Stewart, who lives in Paola, Kan., and Kenny Burbrink, from Newton, Kan., designed the book containing messages from nominators during the fall of 2008. Nominating letters were from myself; Richard Carr, president of the Tulsa Antiques & Bottle Club; and collectors Jerry Callison, Ed Tardy and Mark Wiseman. As Southern Region editor, I am a direct beneficiary of Fletcher’s work as editor of the Oklahoma Territory News,
newsletter of the Oklahoma Territory Bottle & Relic Club which he helped found back in 1987. He volunteered to be newsletter editor and it appears to be a lifetime position. He is closing in on 300 newsletter issues. One can sense his enthusiasm for the hobby in each issue, which rewards readers with digging adventures, Oklahoma bottles sold on eBay and other features. He complements his stories (sometimes written by himself, other times by Mark Wiseman of Des Moines, Iowa (with Elsie the Pup), Stewart, Burbrink and others). I have no problem adding excerpts from many of those stories to my
Southern Region reports carried in Bottles & Extras. In addition to finding time to go digging and handling the newsletter, Fletcher also has published a number of bottle books. I just purchased a copy of his Kansas Bottles, 1854-1915, which contains a fantastic amount of wellresearched information in its 389 pages. I also own a copy of his Oklahoma Drug Store Bottles book. Another Fletcher book is A Collector’s Guide to Oklahoma Bottles, 1889-1920, and he is working on a book about St. Joseph, Mo., bottles. Other Federation honors include Best Newsletter and Best Story awards in 2003.
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Bottles and Extras
The FOHBC National Show in Pomona, California On August 1st & 2nd, my wife Karen and I attended the FOHBC National Show in Pomona, California. We participated as both dealers and collectors and arrived in great anticipation as this was as national shows have been held infrequently out west since we began in the bottle hobby back in 1995. But with our excitement we also felt a bit of apprehension as to what to expect considering the ailing economy and possible diminished collector activity. Over the last year we had sold at several shows with mixed results. Though our local show in Phoenix did well for us, we had earlier in the year been to another
Karen Miller (L) with show chairperson Pam Selenak
Whiskeys for sale courtesy of Jim & Julie Dennis show at which we had much poorer than normal sales. As we arrived Saturday morning at the hall prior to dealer setup we were quite pleased with the layout and lighting of the hall. Loading access, which has been a nightmare at other shows, was very accessible and uncomplicated and we moved our many boxes of merchandise into the hall in short order. Since we had time on our hands prior to the actual setup we spent this visiting with some of the Los Angeles club members and several Arizona collectors which had
made the same trip west as we had. Soon enough 1 p.m. arrived and we began the actual show with a minute by minute anticipation of the wonderful items being pulled from boxes all over the hall. I am not sure how many tables there were but Karen and I were in agreement that the show easily compared to the other national shows we had attended both in the west and back east. Equally impressive was the great array of displays which lined the north wall of the hall. These included many different aspects of collecting including
Bottles and Extras
Colorful sales table
September - October, 2009
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displays of demijohns, a 50 state collection of hutch sodas, Western Glass Manufacturing Company items, wicker covered bottles, Nevada stoneware and calendar plates, Hire’s bottles and California milks, to name but a few. After making my usual multiple rounds of the sales tables and picking up a few nice items for Karen’s western dose glass and pharmacy bottle collection, I decided to seek out the person who had organized the show. As a former show chairman of the Phoenix show, I am quite aware of the work required to put on a bottle show and wanted to thank her for the great job. After several inquiries I was introduced to the show chairperson, Pam Selenak and had a nice conversation about the show. I thanked her and asked her to thank all of the Los Angeles Club members for their hard work and told her that we were very happy with how they had pulled off such a wonderful show in these hard economic times. The remainder of Saturday and Sunday were spent making the rounds visiting friends, finding additional pieces for our collections and selling quite well thank you. Our worries were relieved and we left with a renewed positive feeling about the present state of the bottle collecting community. Our long trip back to Phoenix was spent with conversation about how happy we were about the show we just attended and how we were looking forward to the next great show. Michael Miller
Please send letters, comments, questions, what-is-its, any type trivia, information, etc. for this column to: Jesse Sailer 136 Jefferson Street East Greenville, PA 18041 (215) 715-2611 jsailerbotmags@verizon.net Historical flask display
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Cary A. Adelman Cary A. Adelman, age 53, is survived by his loving family, his wife Elizabeth (nee Fagan); brothers Grant and Skyler (Lisa) Adelman; niece Rebekah Adelman; nephews Joseph Adelman and Aaron Adelman; his mother Betsy (Herb) Hamilton; his mother-in-law Mary Fagan; his sistersin-law Fagan (Richard) Baldwin and Kate (Bruce) Burgun and many loving friends. His father, Donald Y. Adelman, preceded him in death. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the AntiCruelty Society, 510 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60610. Info: 847-679-4740
IN MEMORIAM A dear friend and bottle buddy has passed away -- black glass collector Cary Adelman, of Chicago, Illinois. He died unexpectedly in his sleep the night of June 9-10 at his home in Glencoe, Illinois, leaving his wife, Elizabeth, his mother, two brothers and many grieving friends and acquaintances made by Cary throughout his 53 years. Drawn to his outgoing nature and his funny, quirky, charismatic persona, a near standingroom-only crowd attended his June 15 memorial service. Here’s a further look at Cary for those who knew and loved him and those who never had the
September - October, 2009
privilege. I first met Cary in 2002, as a customer for $5 & $10 medicine bottles sold out of my antiques shop space in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. He found out when I was working next and made it a point to stop in and meet me. In Cary’s customary fashion, he introduced himself with a big grin as my “best” customer (he was), talked my ear off for over an hour and then assembled six or eight of my bottles for a “deal.” He then negotiated with me with a tenacity I’d never seen before, only for a moment irritating, then endearing because his insistence on “his” price was so interwoven with his smile, diplomacy and good humor. He got his price...and I got a friend. As a matter of fact, I was now his Buddy. Anyone who Cary liked and made friends with, which was so easy for him, instantly became, from that moment on, his Buddy! So the next time you saw him or heard from him on the phone, it was “Hey, Buddy!” We made many such deals, as Cary frequently came to Cedarburg, his mother-in-law residing here. As Cary became more and more enthralled with early glass and bottles, I knew I had to have him over to the house to see the collection. That did it. I “fanned the flames” of bottle-lust and became his early bottle collecting mentor. Cary’s thirst for knowledge was immense, frequently seeking my advice as he quickly stepped-up to spending three figures and eventually a whole lot more. I introduced him to the absentee auctions and, of course, bottle shows. As we got to shows like Baltimore, Keene and Mansfield plus the Federation shows, Cary got totally turned on by the earlier stuff and started buying chestnuts, demijohns, utility bottles, New England pontiled medicines....and then black glass. I don’t remember when he bought his first “serious” piece of black glass, but I do remember selling him a common “onion” early on. As Cary quickly ventured deeper into this mysterious, dark and ancient category of bottles, of which I knew little, he quickly connected with like-minded collectors, bottle auctioneers Norm Heckler and
Bottles and Extras
Jim Hagenbuch, and started attending shows like Elsecar, across “the Pond,” where his desire for information and growing passion for this glass could be satisfied. It soon became evident that rolereversal was in process. Instead of asking me about a bottle, Cary would now call and tell me about a purchase he was contemplating or had just proudly made. He had become my mentor. Why black glass? Cary was a true character himself...why would he not gravitate to those earliest of vessels that were the rarest, crudest, the most varied and inconsistent in form and exuded the most “personality?” Anything but perfect, himself not a perfectionist, Cary would forgive minor flaws, especially in a black glass piece. While he would revel in amazement that some 200-300 year-old pieces could be virtually mint, I really think Cary treasured more the time-worn “patina” of those less-than-perfect specimens. Cary dealt with lots of personal issues in his life. Life was like a potato chip to Cary. . .never could he “eat” just one. Receiving help from others, he was always ready and willing to lend a patient, concerned ear to a friend. Many a time he and I shared personal stuff that was going on. I found Cary to be a wise personal advisor, especially in how to relate effectively but lovingly with other people. Cary could show you how to “get life done” without hurting or upsetting others. In short, little man, big heart. Yet Cary’s restless, mind-wandering, sometimes thoughtless self could frustrate me one minute and be endearing the next. I fondly remember him coming into the shop and quickly flipping up his t-shirt on his back, revealing a long scar produced by his rolling off the sofa (in slumber) onto a Stoddard demijohn I had sold him. Cary had healed well; the demijohn didn’t...but at his request I found him another. If I look hard I’m sure I can still see the grape soda stain on my car mat that Cary inflicted on an early trip to the St. Louis show. Each day I will see the oil drips on my driveway from Cary’s beloved car, a bright red, 30-year-old Mercedes convertible. But
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most of all I will every day see and feel the mark you made on my heart, Cary. . .I love you and will miss you, Buddy! Jeff Burkhardt Cedarburg, Wis. Cary Adelman – in memoriam In the early morning of June 11, I learned that a dear friend, Cary Adelman, had passed away the previous evening in his sleep. Cary was much loved by his wife, Elizabeth, of eighteen years, brothers, family and friends alike. It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I am writing this, for not only did I loose a good friend, the hobby has lost a wonderful ambassador. For virtually anyone who had the pleasure to meet Cary, he left an indelible smile on your face. I met Cary many years ago during his early days of collecting. His desire to learn about the bottles and his infectious warm personality instantly brought us together. He was a passionate collector, eager to soak up any knowledge he could glean from other collectors as well as from the many books he acquired. His phone calls would characteristically begin with, “Hey, Buddy, how ya doing?” He was just as eager to hear about any new bottles that I had acquired as he was to excitedly describe his most recent treasure. He loved antiques and bottles in general (including chestnuts, utilities, New England glass) and early black glass, in particular. Some might think it odd that a youthful collector from the northern suburbs of Chicago would gravitate toward early English, European and American black glass, but then Cary was a rather unique person. Cary’s passion for the folks that he met in this great hobby, as well as the early bottles that lead him to travel abroad, was virtually unsurpassed. Many collectors can only hope to aspire to the enthusiasm that he enjoyed. His excitement was contagious and undoubtedly an inspiration to so many others, including myself. During the past few months, with a number of issues weighing heavily on
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him, it was evident that Cary was under a great deal of stress. Probably few of us really knew to what extent. Nonetheless, as a true friend, Cary would often call, concerned to see how the business was going, how our move was coming along, how my drive back from out East went, or any number of such things. Following the funeral, Cary’s wife, Elizabeth, was kind to share with me that Cary told her that whenever we talked, it brightened his day. Little did he know that he always put a smile on my face in return.
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Cary was truly the essence of his endearing favorite phrase that he would call out to all those whom he befriended, “Buddy.” Although his passing came much too early, I will always be blessed by his memories and from the true “Buddy” that he was. Our hobby has lost a wonderful and enthusiastic ambassador, but more than that, I have lost a dear friend whom I greatly miss. John Pastor New Hudson, MI
HELP/ASSISTANCE NEEDED!! History of Antique Bottle Collecting in the United States State-by-state survey by Bill Baab, Southern Region editor, Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors. 2352 Devere Street, Augusta, GA 30904-5202 (706) 736-8097 riverswamper@comcast.net
Dear Fellow Collector(s): I have embarked on an ambitious project: Compiling a state-by-state history of bottle collecting in the U.S. I need your assistance. I feel it needs to be put into print before names, events and dates slowly slip into time, to be forgotten. Below is a list of things to be addressed. Don’t hesitate to add anything else on your own. Don’t worry about length. Once the survey has been completed, each state’s story will be told in Bottles & Extras, one state at a time. The following needs to be written in story form, starting with the earliest happening and winding up with the latest. If you feel uncomfortable about writing, just include as many facts, places, people and dates as possible. I am a retired journalist and can put it into story form. Be sure to sign your name and include mailing and e-mailing addresses and telephone numbers. If I have any questions, I’ll contact you. Once I get through editing your report, I’ll e-mail it to you to be checked for errors or omissions before publishing it in Bottles and Extras. Accuracy in everything is a must. 1. During what year did bottle collecting start in your state? In what areas, cities or towns did it first start? Who was (were) credited with getting the hobby started? Did any one thing or event or find lure them into the hobby before it became statewide? You may include yourself if you were one of the key people in the early days of collecting. 2. Are there any photographs of digs or individuals and collections available from the early days? If so, please have as many identified as to who’s in them, where photo was taken and when. 3. These state-by-state stories will be published under the byline(s) of those compiling the data. I also am interested in hearing how the compiler(s) got started in the hobby. 4. During the early digs, what were some of the prized bottles being found? Anything unusual dug? (One of my club members dug a Prince Albert tobacco tin with a $5 gold piece inside!) Finds also can include pottery, since many of us branched out into antique and contemporary ceramics after having started in bottles. 5. This is not the history of the Federation, but an individual’s or a club’s affiliation can be included. 6. Anyone have wild adventures during their pursuit of bottles? If so, please describe to the fullest just what happened, to whom, when (dates) and where.
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Bottles and Extras
Kickapoo Indian Medicine Company 1896 Almanac Last month we viewed a few Kickapoo trade cards. This month let’s take a quick look at another vehicle the Healy and Bigelow firm used to deliver its advertising. Pictured here are the front and back covers of what has to be one of the more colorful of the Kickapoo publications: the 1896 “Kickapoo Almanac and Household Guide.” Among the products advertised inside are Kickapoo Indian Prairie Plant (The Famous Indian Female Herbal Remedy), The Kickapoo Indian Tape-Worm Secret Remedy, and of course Kickapoo Indian Sagwa. The usual collection of testimonials from satisfied customers are also found throughout the almanac. Our copy has a good part of the last inside page torn away, but just enough is present to tell us that the Kickapoo paper dolls, discussed in a previous Paper Trail, would be sent to any address for a couple of two cent stamps and one wrapper from any Kickapoo product. This last page also lists a number of other Kickapoo publications which could be had by sending the
firm enough stamps for mailing. Among the booklets offered were, “Life and Scenes Among the Indians,” “Kickapoo Indian Dream Book,” and “Kickapoo Indian Doctor.” We’ll have more Kickapoo fun in our next issue. Patent Medicine Newspaper Ads Nestled in the hills of southeastern Minnesota, the little town of Rushford was once serviced by The Rushford Star newspaper. We are not sure what the population might have been in Rushford in 1880, but by 1900 it was 1,062. Shown here are two ads published in the May 27, 1880 issue of The Rushford Star. It should be no surprise that the two-and-onequarter-inch by three-inch Hostetter’s Bitters ad makes the usual claims regarding the efficacy of that nostrum. The Dr. Clark Johnson Indian Blood Syrup ad fills an entire lefthand column of the newspaper, measuring two-and-onequarter inches by nearly 20 inches. It contains the word cure at least 12 times, claiming the good doctor’s medicine will
Bottles and Extras
cure everything from dyspepsia to coughs and colds. The ad also tells the story of one Edwin Eastman who spent nine years as a captive of Wakametkia, a Commanche medicine man. Mr. Eastman eventually escaped and brought the Indian syrup recipe with him. Ads like these, which once appeared in countless small-town papers across America, are reminders that advertising saturation is nothing new. These ads likely appeared in this paper daily or weekly for years at a time, compelling a gullible public to buy the nostrums and make the proprietors rich. Such ads reached a few thousand readers when they were published in small newspapers like The Rushford Star. Today, with the click of a computer key, millions of e-mail recipients might receive an ad for a product which is equally dubious. Submitted by Steve Ketcham
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“Paper Trail� is a regular feature which showcases the wide world of bottle-related ephemera, from trade cards and post cards to letterheads and blotters. Readers are encouraged to submit items for publication. Simply scan or photograph your item (JPG please), add a short paragraph or two about the item, and include a photo of the bottle to which it relates. E-mail your contribution to: Steve Ketcham s.ketcham@unique-software.com or mail it to: Steve Ketcham PO Box 24114 Edina, MN 55424
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A very special program was held in June. Liz Hogan, from Ford’s Theatre in Washington, presented “Lincoln’s Assassination.” Liz portrayed and dressed as Mary Todd Lincoln. The annual election of officers was also held in June. The Annual BABC Scholarship ($600) was presented to a student at Loch Raven High School. The scholarship was presented by a club member at the award ceremony. The club also made other annual donations: National Bottle Museum ($600), 11th Annual Keith S. Miceli Memorial Scholarship ($500), CCBC - Essex Athletic Dept. ($500), Wheaton Arts Center ($500), and Maryland Historical Association ($300). Others were under consideration. The club’s mission in part is to support nonprofit and educational institutions. Longtime editor Mary Collins is stepping down and wrote a wonderful article on her reflections as editor these past 19 years. She thanked a number of individuals for their contributions, and told how the newsletter has evolved through the development of regular columns and features.
Northeast Regional News Chris Davis 522 Woodhill Newark, NY 14513 (315) 331-4078 cdavis016@rochester.rr.com
Whittle Mark East Merrimack Valley ABC North Chemsford, Mass. The club has had fun with show and tell themes lately. May’s meeting was “Black & White,” June was appropriately “the Beach,” and July was “Animals that aren’t cows.” Members brought in some good items for each. It was admitted that some were a stretch, but fit the topic nicely. The editor gave high marks for a program by club president Al Morin. Best known as a milk bottle collector, Al gave a talk on “Glass Novelty Trays & Other Items Made by the L.J. Houze Convex Glass Co.” According to Al, “From the 1950s until well into the ‘90s, these little trays were on everyone’s coffee table, and now they’re in every antique shop in the country.” They served as advertising and souvenir items. The company was very diversified, also making accessories for cars, car vases, juicers, and more. The company was based in Point Marion, Pa. July’s meeting was the annual pizza night. The speaker was Greg Blair on half-pint flasks, ranging from freeblown and historicals to strap-sided. A letter from National Bottle Museum Director Jan Rutland was included in the newsletter, thanking the club for their generous donation of $500. Donations are very important to non-profits during these bad economic times. The MVABC is considering a one or two day bus trip to the museum in Ballston Spa, N.Y. Baltimore Bottle Digger Baltimore ABC The annual picnic was held in August at the home of members Herb and Mabel Close. It always seems nice when club picnics are held at a member’s home. The club provided crabs, meats and soft drinks!
The Digger Richmond Area BCA, Richmond, Va The June issue cover story was “The Unfortunate Dug Clear Glass Sodas,” by Mark Seeley. The first paragraph explains, “If this title doesn’t clue you in, and if you are a digger of local crown top sodas, then this story will come home.” Younger member Noah Bradshaw wrote two articles for the newsletter, including “Noah’s Ark of Bottles”, and “What a Day.” President Bruce Wadford reported “a super crowd” of 27 members at the first meeting at the new location. It was the largest crowd in quite a long time. The Dale Ruritan Club offers plenty of room, lots of tables and chairs, ample close parking, clean rest rooms, and “a refreshing upgrade from the previous location.” The club’s Summer Picnic was held in June, with an auction held after lunch.
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Each person was allowed to sell up to 10 lots each (a lot can include more than one item). Minimum bids were acceptable, with 10% going to the club. Bottles Along the Mohawk Mohawk Valley ABC, Utica, NY Show chair Peter Bleiberg was thanked for his work on the successful 15th Annual Show & Sale, held May 3rd. The club picnic was held in June. Entertainment was provided by a singing quartet including Bleiberg. The annual club dig, at an undisclosed location, drew 10 members in mid-May. The digging site was covered with beautiful violets in bloom. Lots of bottles were found, including milks, drug stores, sodas, and more. Editor Jon Landers once again wrote an outstanding article entitled “Louis Bierbauer Brewery, Canajoharie, N.Y.,” with illustrations. It was very informative and well-written. The July program was presented by members Ron Weir and Howard Dean on “Moses Bottles”. These familiar figural bottles contained Poland Spring Water from Maine, and occasionally whiskey. The power point program included beautiful pictures of Poland Springs. The speakers also told how to tell the older bottles from the later ones. Club member Howard Dean was recently recognized by the Saratogatype Bottle Collectors Association for his great contributions to the hobby. He was made an Honorary Lifetime Member of the SBCA. Howard is also a member of the FOHBC Hall of Fame. Congratulations, Howard! Several thefts at the June 5th Saratoga show were reported: a very rare turtle ink embossed “Shipman’s Black Ink, Utica, N.Y.” (possibly unique with “Black Ink” embossed), and a small cobalt blue coffin poison. It may be the same person stole both items. Contact Fran Hughes at 518377-7134 if the ink is seen. Yet another well-researched article “The Oneida Community and O.C. Jars: The 19th Century Utopian Society of John Humphrey Noyes,” made the pages of the July newsletter.
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Applied Seals Genesee Valley BCA, Rochester, N.Y. The June meeting was the club’s annual summer picnic, with outstanding weather and turnout. The club provided meat and beverages. The club’s meeting site at Brighton Town Park, in a lodge, also serves as a wonderful site for a picnic, with a lake, woods, trails, playground, as well as baseball and basketball. Aaron & Pam Weber, show and dealer chairs, provided a Show and Sale Summary for the club’s 40th Annual show in April. All the numbers were up! Founding members of the club in 1969 were honored at the show -- Jack and Audrey Stecher, Joe DiTucci, Evelyn Bowman, John DeVolder and Burt Spiller. The speakers in May, Lynn & Jerry Mantione, spoke on “Depression Era Glass Animals.” They are members of the Depression Glass Club of Rochester, as well as new members of GVBCA. The program generated quite an array of show & tell items related to the talk, including a rare yellow figural pig bitters by Bob Sheffield, purchased at the Mansfield, Ohio, show. Traveler’s Companion Greater Buffalo BCA, Buffalo, N.Y. John Spagnoli was thanked for an outstanding program on fruit jars at the June meeting. He really educated the club on this subject. He explained the first jars were created to help armies
store food during war times hundreds of years ago. The July meeting may be held at the Flying Bison Brewing Co., a local microbrewery. Plans are well underway for the club’s 11th Annual Show & Sale on Sept. 27th, at the Polish Falconers Hall in Depew, N.Y. Contracts and flyers are out. Jersey Shore Shards Jersey Shore BC, Toms River, N.J. The June meeting a show and tell, with no program planned. Colored glass items filled the tables to go along with Rich Dalton’s program in May on early drinking vessels. A form was included in the newsletter for members to list their show and tell items and a description, which will then be published in the Shards. Glenn Vogel and Bob Randolph have a bottle display at the Wall Library. This is always a good opportunity to promote the hobby and club. A club membership application was included in the June newsletter. In the application, it was stressed that members should participate in club activities and serve as an officer and on committees to the best of one’s abilities. Bits and Pieces Empire State BCA, Syracuse, N.Y. President John Golley welcomed new newsletter editor Darryl Stivers of Liverpool, N.Y. John asked for the club’s support by submitting articles, and for
Midwest Regional News Joe Coulson 10515 Colingswood Lane Fishers, IN 46038 (317) 915-0665 jcoulson@leaderjar.com
Hello, bottle collectors! Welcome to another installment of the Midwest Region news report. This time around we will cover the May and June newsletters that were sent in. We love to hear from the Midwest bottle clubs so keep sending in those news items, please, please, please and thank you!
Ill.
Antique Bottle Club of Northern Illinois (ABCNI) Dorothy Furman is the newsletter editor of the ABCNI, and Jeff Dahlberg is president. The club has been holding its meetings at the Antioch Senior Center, 817 Holbeck, Antioch,
In the June (ITAL)Pick and Probe (NF)newsletter, we heard the following from Dorothy: “We had a good treasurer’s report, as our club made money on the bottle show held May 3rd. We had some great help in the kitchen with John Puzzo as chef
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constructive input. Darryl reminded everyone his job was to edit. It was reported that the only way to receive the newsletter was by email. June’s speaker was well-known collector of central New York bottles (and fishing lures), Tom Kanalley, of Cortland. He spoke on “S.S. (Samuel Smith) Sodas. Central New York clubs are fortunate to have Tom in their midst, who frequently shares his great knowledge of antique bottles, and his collection through exhibits. An article covering the recently sold “Kentucky Glass Works” target ball ($19,000 + 15% buer’s premium), by Glass Works Auctions, provided an interesting background on the story of this unique ball. Another article chronicled the C.F. Sauer Co., of Richmond, Va., manufacturer of pure flavoring extracts. Founded in 1887, the company is still very much in business. The Applied Lip Finger Lakes BCA, Ithaca, N.Y. The club’s 40th Annual Show & Sale will be held October 4th in Dryden, N.Y. Tom Kanalley is show co-chair, with George Blaasch. Tom is asking the club for suggestions on how best to commemorate the event. There are many good ideas in the works, not the least of which include a club exhibit, a special cake, recognition of founding club members, and more.
and his group of helpers. The setup crew were Greg, Jim K. and John Puzzo. I’m sorry if I missed anyone who deserves credit but this was really a joint effort on many of the club’s members and everyone deserves a big thank you. I was the big winner of the 50/50 Raffle and this is the first time I have won anything at our show during 29 years as a member. Thanks to all who contributed. “It was suggested that we have the show at the center again next year, but we have to settle on a date. It was suggested that we might have the show on a Saturday, but the Wilmot Flea Market is every Sunday and might conflict with our show.”
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For information on joining the ABCNI, you may contact: Dorothy Furman, 26287 W. Marie Ave., Antioch, IL 60002. Circle City Bottle Club / Indianapolis Bottle Club Martin Van Zant is newsletter editor. Here is a report in the club’s May newsletter: “Hello once again, it ís nice to see the weather finally clearing up. We have had several good meetings already, and I can’t wait till the next one. I have been out and about looking for those goodies, which seem to be fewer and fewer, and almost always in someone else’s hands. That’s the way it goes, as my Dad would always say, snooze, you lose. I was out with my friend the other day, and we were looking for a future digging spot. I told Richard that maybe we should put the tools in the truck. Thank goodness we did, as sure enough there was a little construction going on. We parked the truck to examine our curiosities. A privy was sticking right out of this great big excavated spot. I told Richard that perhaps as privyologists we should check it out. The privy had the top six feet cut off for us. This is my type of digging right here. The first three or four feet usually aren’t all that great anyway. They filled this crapper with, well, some crappy bottles, that’s for sure. However, there were a lot of them so this made it kind of fun. Also this was almost on the side of a hill, so there was no fill in or anything. There were mustards and ketchups and Indianapolis Brewing bottles and more ketchups, perfumes and more ketchups. Oh, and for you milk guys, there were two half-pints from Polkís (aqua). This was still a fun dig. The weird thing is that usually at the bottom, you can sometimes find older and better stuff. Not on this pit, the bottom was black and thick mucky nasty dirty dirt. It was so black and mucky and empty that I couldnít believe it. There were hardly even any shards in this thing. It seems like they cleaned it out, used it for however long it took to build a foot layer and then filled it in. We enjoyed it,
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and took home three buckets of bottles. Most of them dated to around the 1900s. They were all bi-mold and pre-machine made. Martin Van Zant is drumming up support for this new bottle club in Indianapolis, Indiana. The club meets the last Thursday of the month at Ben Davis High School, 1200 N. Girl School Rd. (Door 17, Room U102). You may contact Martin by email at mdvanzant@yahoo. com or postal mail at 5997 Redcliff Lane North, Plainfield, IN 46168 or by telephone at 812-841-9495.
happenings of the club on your computer at those places. The FABC has a good website with pictures from annual shows. You should check it out: http://fabclub.freeyellow. com/home.html. Richard Elwood is the club president. Monthly club meetings are held at the University of Findlay. They usually have their annual show and sale in October. To find out more about their monthly newsletter, ìWhittle Marksî, send a note to: Findlay Antique Bottle Club, P.O. Box 1329, Findlay, OH 45839.
Findlay Antique Bottle Club (FABC) Tom Brown (newsletter editor) of the FABC submitted its Whittle Marks. Tom typically reprints several articles for club members in their newsletter. In the June issue the following articles were reprinted: Warren Sanitary Milk Co., article provided by Joe Clevenger (Union City, Ohio); Barton Balls: Exciting Find of Rare Target Balls, by Mike OíMalley, Bottles and Extra, Sep/Oct 2008. Also included were pictures of an Arcadia Creamery Calendar and a 1920 stock certificate from The Centennial Valley Oil Company (Findlay, Ohio). Tom found an early blob top soda marked B. Pietz / Piqua, Ohio / This Bottle not to be Sold (light blue color). James Oda, Piqua Public Library director, provided the following details on B. Pietz: “Barnhart Pietz settled in Piqua, Ohio in 1855 and established a bottling works in Huntersville on East Main Street. This small village east of Piqua was annexed by the city in 1893. Pietz died in the 1890s and the plant was taken over by George Pfister. The firm was later purchased by Ollie Klee and then the Lange Brothers. The Langes turned it into the Piqua Coca-Cola Bottling Company in 1917. The firm closed in 1973.” Thanks to Marianne Dow, the club is breaking new technology ground by participating in the world of internet social networking, maintaining a Blog (http://finbotclub.blogspot. com/) and Tweeting (http://twitter. com/FinBotClub). You can follow the
Huron Valley Bottle & Insulator Club (HVBIC) Michele and Shaun Kotlarsky are newsletter editors for (ITAL)The Embossing(NF), the club newsletter. Bob Powell is president. A new edition of the newsletter was not available at this time. The club will meet quarterly in 2009. The HVBIC meetings are held the second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the First National Bank, 8080 Challis Rd., Brighton, Mich. You can find out much more about the HVBIC online at the website: http://hvbic.org. The newsletter can be viewed there. Iowa Antique Bottleers (IAB) Mark Wiseman (newsletter editor) and Mike Magee (secretary) do a wonderful job each month reporting the IAB happenings. The June newsletter reported this bit of Iowa Bottle History: “Last year, I found a new drug store bottle for Des Moines while digging a wet pit in the bad neighborhoods. The bottle was embossed J.E. Cox & Co., Druggists, Des Moines, Ia. While researching in the Portrait and Biographical Album of Polk County, Iowa, (Chapman Bros. 1885, Chicago Lake County Publishing Co. 1890), I found the following information concerning the family lines associated with this bottle: “James E. Cox was born in Indiana in 1855, the son of Henry Cox, M.D. Mr. Henry Cox was born in 1821, orphaned in Indiana, where he had his early schooling, went to the gold rush in California in 1849 for two years,
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returned and graduated from the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati, in 1853, and took up practice in Danville, Indiana. In 1866, Henry Cox, M.D., moved to Des Moines and engaged in the wholesale drug business as a member of the firm of Russell & Cox. The article indicates he was quite successful for a time and displayed much ability in the management of his business, but adverse circumstances, over which he had no control, resulted in financial loss. In consequence, he resumed his professional labors in 1873. He was regarded as one of the leading physicians in Des Moines until he passed away in February 1888. The rest of the report gives a timeline from 1869 to 1895, showing City Directory entries. There were many historical newspaper article clippings reprinted in the June issue of the club newsletter (submitted by Mike Magee). Theme of the articles was soda bottling firms. The following is an excerpt from The Waterloo Courier, Tuesday, April 30, 1901: “Bottles Air and Water -- William Ewald Has New Carbonating Machine of Capacity of 36,000 Bottles. William Ewald has the finest equipped pop factory west of Chicago. In fact, he has the only double, continuous automatic carbonator west of the Windy City by the Great Lakes. This machine is made by the S. Twitchell Co. of Philadelphia and has a capacity of 3,000 dozens of bottles a day. Eight bottling benches can be used at the same time, each having a different pressure if need be. The pressure runs all the way from 60 pounds to the square inch for pop to 180 pounds for mineral water. The machine, which is run by steam, is similar to the ones used in England exclusively for the manufacture of carbonated drinks. “Highest Sanitation Attainable. The 32 kinds of drinks made by Mr. Ewald are as pure as it is possible to make them. The water used is raised by a steam pump from a 74-foot-deep opening into the basement which is perfectly cemented. The pump has a capacity of 60 gallons a minute and when the pumps are worked
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to the full capacity, the water in the well cannot be perceptibly lowered. The Ewald- Casebeer block has a system of water works of its own, supplied by this never-failing well into a large tank on the basement floor. “Steam is conveyed from the pump and engine until the water is heated to the desired temperature for baths, etc. From the basement the water is pumped into a large storage tank on the second floor. The tank has a capacity of 400 gallons. By this method of getting the water from the storage tank, the carbonating machine can be run mornings and nights when the pump is at rest. The syrup room is also on the second floor, with pipes leading down to the bottling machines on the first floor. The water is not only as pure as it can be had in a natural state, but before reaching the tank connected with the machine it has to run through a filter imported from Germany, the best of its kind that can be had. “The washing of empty bottles is an interesting procedure and here again the acme of sanitary care is manifested. The bottles are put into a large tank almost filled with water and there is a rotary device run by steam and covered with bristles about an inch long. A bottle filled with water is placed over this rapidly whirling brush and every part of the interior of the bottle is reached and scrubbed. Another man does the rinsing and the job is finished. “Mr. Ewald makes 32 brands of carbonated drinks and besides carries a full line of syrups for soda fountains and bar supplies. His goods have attained a reputation all over the state for purity and deliciousness which makes the demand large. A visit to the establishment will repay anyone.” The IAB newsletters always contain wonderful digging stories by Mark Wiseman. He has a regular column, “The Digger’s Scoop,” that tells of his local digging adventures with his dog, the old truck, and various friends who join him. You can find out more about IAB membership ($15/yr.) from Tom Southard, 2815 Druid Hill, Des Moines, IA 50315.
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Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club (KABC) Al Holden is the newsletter editor. A new edition of the newsletter was not available at this time. The Kalamazoo club has started posting meeting minutes on their website: http:// www.kalamazoobottleclub.org/ Chuck Parker is the club president, and you can contact him for more information about their club at 607 Crocket Ave., Portage, MI 49024 (ph: 616-329-0853). The club meets regularly at the Kalamazoo Public Library, located at 315 S. Rose Street. Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club (MAFJBC) The club has members nationwide and is heavily fruit jar-focused. Their meetings are generally held the first Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m. in the Cantina at Minnetrista, located in Muncie, Indiana. Dave Rittenhouse is the club president. The club’s June newsletter The Glass Chatter had a show and tell report: “Bill Wherrett shared a book that he found at his local library on the topic of Hazel-Atlas Glass. He said that his grandmother identified many items in the book that she had seen in the past. Bill showed pictures of his fruit jar display at the Valparaiso Public Library. This is a great way to share your hobby with others! “Dick Cole had a stash of Ball corporate envelopes left over from the days when he worked for the company. Dick gave these away to anyone at the meeting who wanted one! These make an interesting go-with for the Ball jar collector. “Lou Ebert told everyone that he heard a funny name of a band on a Lafayette radio station: Moonshine Mason & The Rotgut Gang. It might be interesting to find out what their music is like! Lou likes to read through the old newspapers of Grant County, Indiana, and he shared the following newspaper clipping from The Marion Daily Chronicle, April 30th, 1903, page 8: “Fairmount Boys Went to Circus. At a given signal yesterday, all the boys of a Fairmount glass factory dropped
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their tools and went to Marion to see the elephants. This action was the result of a previous agreement after the boys were refused permission to go. They held a consultation and decided to have a sort of miniature strike and see the show even if they lost their jobs. Their action resulted in the closing of the plant and most of the other employees took advantage of the holiday and went to see the sights.” (Lou mentioned that the April 27th edition of the newspaper indicated The Great Wallace Shows appeared in Marion and that the April 29th edition said the Ringling Brothers showed their circus in Marion.) The June newsletter had another installment of the “Legends of the Jar” series. This time the featured collector was Bob Clay, a well known pioneer Ball jar collector. Dave Rittenhouse also reminded everyone about Minnetristaís “Can It!” exhibit, which celebrates 125 years of the Ball jar. The exhibit includes historical photos, 125 years of examples of Ball jars, actual machinery used in early manufacturing, video, handson activities, live performances by Minnetrista Theatre Preserves, and an opportunity for visitors to add their own personal experiences to the exhibit. It runs until August 23. More details can be found at: http://www.minnetrista. net/Visit/Calendar/Exhibitions/CanIt. html The MAFJBC has a website: http:// www.fruitjar.org. Future meeting details as well as lots and lots of pictures from their semi-annual shows can be found there. Minnesota’s 1st Antique Bottle Club (MFABC) Barb Robertus is editor of the newsletter, The Bottle Digger’s Dope. Linda Sandell takes care of the printing and mailing. The club will not be publishing their next newsletter until September, which is when the club will resume meeting. The May issue had an interesting photo and note from Barb and Dave Southward. While spending a winter vacation, Dave was making rounds of garage sales in St. George, Utah. He
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noticed a small pottery jug on a shelf. He picked it up, thinking it would certainly fit in with their miniature jugs at home (they sold their bottle collection, but kept the little jugs). This 3-inch jug cost 25 cents, just the e he liked! The jug was made by the Vermont Pottery in 1876 commemorating the U.S. Centennial. Front of jug was inscribed July 4th 1876. Barb said it is very well documented on the Internet. The May issue also has a photo and short description of a Minnesota drugstore bottle: APW (monogram) / A.P. WILKES / DRUGGIST / SEVEN CORNERS / ST. PAUL MINN, yellow amber, oval form with flat front panel, 5 1/8 inches high, smooth base, tooled mouth, $250. Barb notes that recently in Antique Bottle & Glass Collector, there was coverage on colored drugstore prescription bottles. “We in Minneapolis were very surprised to see one listed from St. Paul, and selling for $250! Some info on the bottle (from our published bottle books) lists: 106 Fort near 7 Corners 1877 and 1881, 7 Corners 1882 and 1883, 959 W. 7th 1884 and 1886, 7 Corners 1887, Selby Ave. S.E. Corner Victoria 1892 and 1894. It seems to all boil down to its color, which really is common amber. This leads me into some questions I have on a very beautiful teal green drugstore prescription bottle. The color alone is so lovely, and if an amber goes for a high price, it makes me wonder. Membership in the MFABC is $10/ yr. For more information, please contact Linda Sandell, 7735 Silver Lake Road #208, Moundsview, MN 55112. North Star Historical Bottle Association (NSHBA) Doug Shilson is newsletter editor for the North Star Historical Bottle Association and does a great job each month reporting the club’s latest happenings. He puts a lot of effort into recording all the details that take place. Steve Ketcham is the club president. The June issue contained coverage (by Doug Shilson) of the May meeting at the LeDuc Mansion. Steve Ketcham reported: “Our May meeting was a
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super way to go into the summer break. The get-together at the LeDuc Mansion in Hastings drew nearly three dozen attendees. Dennis Nygaard placed ads for the event in the Hastings paper and that drew a crowd of curious individuals seeking to learn more about the bottles of Hastings and about old bottles in general. Dennis did a very nice job relating the stories behind the many Hastings bottles he and several other club members assembled for the program. A real treat was seeing a nicely etched, three-tier pharmacy show globe which is said to have served as a window display in one of the Hastings drug stores many years ago. Because of the size of the crowd, a formal tour was not possible. Instead, we wandered the LeDuc Mansion on our own. The many displays gave us a good look into the history of the home’s former occupants. One set of photos told the story of the time when an antiques shop owned by distant LeDuc relative Carroll Simmons occupied the house. We were awed to view photos of the interior when it was filled with antiques. In at least one photo, we could see early American flasks contained in glassfronted cabinets. Oh, to go back in time to the 1960s when the shop was still in existence and purchase those flasks at those once- upon-a-time prices! During the 1980s, a couple of us were able to buy some bottles from Mr. Simmons before he died. The U.S.A. Hospital Department bottles we purchased were found in the mansion and were actually brought there by the LeDuc family after the Civil War. How’s that for provenance?” Also, here is a copy of the meeting’s minutes coverage of the LeDuc Mansion visit: At the LeDuc Mansion, Sunday, May 17th, 2009. Approximately 20 (including kids) NSHBA members were in attendance. And 14 more from in and around the Hastings area for a total of 34. Dennis Nygaard put an ad in the local paper, telling (future members?) when they attended the LeDuc mansion, will hear about the history on bottle digging and what it had to do with Hastings. The lady who greeted us and showed us
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the rooms was Heidi Langenfield. She was a very patient person, especially when the small room filled up quickly. I don’t think Heidi thought that the program on old bottles would draw such a crowd of history nuts. Besides the terrific history lesson by Dennis and his partners Austin Fjerestad, Jeff Springer, Steve Showers and Jim Lewanski, some digging stories were told and a few bottles that were found close to the same building were displayed. The bottles sat on a table next to one very impressive in particular. It was a three-tiered show globe, one on top of the other, and a good three plus feet in height. Each of the top two fit perfectly in the mouths of the others. Each piece was either acidetched or engraved. My book, The Pill Rollers, shows the exact type of what we saw. The pictures in this book mention the years of 1883 to 1886, either from the Van Schaackís, Schieffelinís or the Dorflinger Glass Co. catalog. Too bad some of our members missed this one-time event. My memories and thoughts on this mansion: The ones that came, took a good look around this old house or mansion, if you will! Many years ago Jim Carlson, Steve Ketcham and I remembered it was an antiques shop in the 1960/70s, and it still had wallpaper. Was it original? Maybe the second, third time around? The wall paper was stained from the water that leaked from the roof, and had many areas where it was peeling off. Walking up those darkly stained wood stairs and looking in the rooms full of early collectibles was a sight I will never forget. The building was cold, but it had brightly lit stairways as the sun shown through the large windows, and each room was full of stuff. This time, Brian Mann, Jim Carlson and I went sightseeing in every room including the basement. The attic was off limits as it had a huge lock on the door. In each of the rooms as one would walk through many years ago, foot prints were frozen in time on the stone and wooded thresholds between each room. As to the size of each foot print, Brian put his foot in each depression and if that is an indicatoin of the size of the people who
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lived there over 140 years ago, they must have had mighty large shoes. William and Mary LeDuc’s home was a building that took five years to build, starting in 1862 and ending in 1866. Their building is called Gothic Revival in its architecture, and cost $30,000 to build. After finishing his time in the Union Army, William came back to Minnesota. His time in Hastings before the Civil War was being a lawyer in 1850s. This is but a small bit of history, but you can find more on the Internet. Personally I got the feeling this was a cold and dark home to live in, and with ceilings at 10 feet must have been hard to heat each room. This mansion is a work in progress, meaning it has to have donations to bring this beauty back to the original way it looked back before the Civil War.Still need lots of money to restore this beautiful home. The backyard sure made a change from the last time I was here. I was at an auction near the old dilapidated barn, and many items from this old house were being sold. It’s still a place to go to if you want to get the feeling of how a family lived when Minnesota was very, very young. It should be a must visit on anyone’s calendar. For more information on joining the NSHBA, please contact Doug Shilson, 3308 32 Ave. South, Minneapolis, MN 55406-2015. Ohio Bottle Club (OBC) Phyllis Koch (editor) and Donna Gray (secretary) always do a very nice job with (ITAL)The Ohio Swirl(NF), the club newsletter. John Fifer is the club president. The May issue had an article on The Shot Glasses of Dayton, by Jack Sullivan. There was also an announcement on the Smith Dairy (1909 to 2009). The Smith Dairy Product Company is having a year-long centennial celebration. It began in December and will have public and private events throughout the year. Smith Dairy is located in Orrville, Ohio and with its partnership with the Orrville Historical Society the month of June has been designated Smith Dairy Month. The business was started in 1909 by John and
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Peter Schmid with $300 of borrowed money. The June issue had an article on Imperial Glass: From Goofus to the Sublime, by Jack Sullivan. In 1995, the bulldozers razed a derelict factory in a small community 100 miles south of Youngstown, bringing a final end to a remarkable story in the annals of Ohio glassmaking industry. For 80 years, from 1904 to 1984, it had been the site of the Imperial Glass of Bellaire, a company whose products over the decades found their way into carnivals, art museums and millions of American homes. Club vice president Bill Koster said that he signed the contract for next year’s Mansfield show, to be held May 7th and 8th. He told club members that 40 members set up this year at the show, and that 80 dealers were from Ohio. The show was successful, but the meal is getting expensive. Next month, the club will discuss options. The auction went well, and Wilbur Bowers brought out the best prices. For more information on joining the OBC, please contact Berny Baldwin (treasurer), 1931 Thorpe Circle, Brunswick, OH 44212. The club also has a new website which can be found at: http:// www.ohiobottleclub. com. Details about the milk bottle book can be found there. Wabash Valley Antique Bottle & Pottery Club (WVABPC) Martin Van Zant is editor of The Wabash Cannonball. Peggy Zimmer is the club president. The June issue of had a digging story by Martin: “I woke up early on Saturday to meet my friend. I had to drive for two hours just to get there. The drive gives you plenty of time to think of the many different things you could dig up, to think of the many things you could dig up broken, so I just turn the radio music up and zone out. “It makes you wonder if there is even a pit, privy or anything to dig. Will I get there and not be able to find the pit? Amost every time that I have been digging, I have never come home
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empty-handed. There may have been nothing really worth anything but I still had something to talk about. “I arrived early (for once) and called my friend Doug Smith to come and get me. I have know Doug for a long time. He had been driving around already trying to find a spot to dig. We drove around, knocked on some doors, got some funny looks, got some noes. Finally we went to a neighborhood where he had been digging before. “Wow, is all I can say, some of the houses dated to the 1840s. Really coollooking stuff, not the kinda stuff you see around here. Well, the place we had permission at, had the young lady working in the yard. It’s surprising how some people are just plain nice. Here we are making a hole in the yard of this woman who we don’t really know and she’s offering to make us lemonade. We already had some water but thanked her just the same. We found two privies and had to decide which to dig first. That didn’t take too long because we knew we were going to dig both of them anyway. We carefully removed the sod and dipped in. Well, we dug down in one corner and revealed a stone liner. Nice, I don’t see very many stone liners on the west side of the state. We probed the walls and found it to be about 4x6x8. There were no
bottles, and I mean absolutely no bottles. We dug 7 feet of fill dirt with only a few shards in it. The bottom foot, turned out to be the same story. A few shards, but nothing to really tell us anything about the pit. Was it newer, old or just super dipped out? Who knows but the people who last used it, huh? “We filled that hole in pretty quick and wondered whether or not we should dig the other one. We placed the old sod back onto the hole and went for the next one. I want to tell you that I have never seen anyone who can replace sod like ol’ Doug. You really can’t even tell that we had been there digging. The next hole was waiting for us and there’s no sense in wondering what’s in there. Let’s dig it, and so we did. The grass peeled off easily and within two feet, we had a wall. “Another stone liner, you should see these bad boys. Smooth walls made out of stone, perfectly rectangular to the corners. The craftsmanship is just unbelievably good. The three trees circling this privy turned out not to be that big of a problem. There were a few thick roots to cut, but other that that it went pretty smooth. The fill was thick with ash and clay and the occasional sand mix. Again, nothing was seen until about six feet down, not even a shard. Then like night changing to day, the layer changed. We started pulling out
Southern Regional News Bill Baab 2352 Devere Street Augusta, GA 30904 (706) 736-8097 riverswamper@comcast.net
The Suncoast Antique Bottle Collectors Association, aka St. Pete Antique Bottle Club, has long been a member of the Federation, except this region editor didn’t know it, until recent e-mails from Linda Buttstead, club secretary and editor of The Glass Bubble. President is Charlie Livingston and vice president is Dale Sanders. George Dueben is treasurer and
show chairman, while board members are Bill Buttstead, Perry Houston and the officers. Chris Dill is assistant show chairman. The club has scheduled its 41st annual show and sale at the Manatee County Convention & Visitor Center Jan. 8-9, 2010. This is a new and roomier location. The old location, the National Guard Armory, would not accept contracts during the key month. The first day is for dealer setup from 1 to 8 p.m., and early buyers ($15 charge) from 4 to 7:45 p.m., while the general public will be admitted on the second day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $4. During the May meeting, member
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shards of all sorts. Two turtle inks with patent dates on them show up, both with nasty chips on the lips. A really goodlooking teal ink with a chip on the base popped outta nowhere. Then more shards, broken Holtzermans, drinking glasses, lamps, Pike’s Peaks, double eagles, pontil medicines, all broken. Then came an early looking crude bottle, with so many bubbles and whittles your mouth drops. We wipe off the dirt and find an Ayer’s cure, a popular and plentiful bottle. “Then under that was a cool bottle that read Hindoo’s Pain Conqueror. Back to the shards, more and more kept coming out. However, the whole bottles never came. A clay pipe showed up, with a lip chip.A nice onionskin marble turned up in a small size. A few clay marbles and broken frozen mollies were in the mix. Other than that it was a wash out. “We filled the hole in, and put the sod back. Once again, you couldn’t tell where we had been. We finished up, made our split and hightailed it home tired. The two-hour trip was filled with thoughts of what could’ve and should’ve been whole.” The WVABPC holds monthly meetings at Shadows Auction Barn, 1517 Maple Ave., Terre Haute, IN. Club dues are $10/yr. For more information, please contact Gary Zimmer (treasurer), 10655 Atherton Rd., Rosedale, IN 47874. Lynn McLarty discussed how to tell machine-made bottles from premachine-made. George Dueben is working on a Florida bottle book and asks club members to send in descriptions of Florida bottles in their collections. Types, colors, sizes, all embossings and/or paper labels are among information sought. George can be reached at his e-mail address of es08w341@verizon.net. Linda maintains the club website at http://mysite.verizon.net/reszwvzh/. You can reach her via e-mail at OriginalSABCA@aol.com. I look forward to each issue of Bottle Talk, newsletter of the Raleigh (N.C.) Bottle Club, whose editor, Marshall Clements, always comes up
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with neat innovations in each issue. The June issue’s cover spotlights a rare etched decanter, Meisch Wine Decanter from the C.W. Garrett Co., Medac, N.C. The company has been in the wine business since 1837. Featured in the issue is part of the wonderful Raleigh whiskey collection of club president Jack Murdock. Eight color photos of pre-Prohibition, labeled whiskeys are shown. Marshall always has a Blast from the Past color photo and this one from his personal collection features CocaCola Classic and Caffeine-free CocaCola Classic caps on a sign in eastern North Carolina. His cartoon creation, The Blobtops, features Uncle Clem Blobtop, who says, “Summer jobs are for the birds!” Uncle Clem is dangling upside-down as a hummingbird feeder. Check out the club website at www.raleighbottleclub.org. In the May issue, Marshall pointed out that white-bearded Skinny Medlin is an avid collector of all things White House Vinegar, so when the opportunity to buy a NASCAR Busch Series uniform complete with its bright green and yellow helmet, he didn’t hesitate. Show and tell items included a straight-sided, double script Pepsi from Raleigh and two nice CRUSH Diet sodas from Donnie Medlin. Joe Williams showed two variants of the Kinston, N.C. dispensary flasks and seven early (1965) Mountain Dew ads were shown by Robbie Delius. The State of Franklin (Tenn.) Antique Bottle & Collectibles Association is still celebrating the success of its May 1-2 show in Gray, Tenn., according to Melissa Milner, editor of The Groundhog Gazette. “We sold 84 tables and had six great displays. Pete Wyatt had a display of Dutch ovens, which won Most Educational and People’s Choice awards. One of the highlights was a cooking demonstration on how to use the ovens to make cobblers. She downloaded 16 show photos in the
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May issue. In the June issue, show and tell items included an Earles Drug Store baby bottle from Kingsport, Tenn., and Geff Moore displayed an early Mountain Dew advertisement from the 1960s. Carl Bailey was named the club’s historical officer, a new position. The front cover of the July issue of Oklahoma Territory News featured two exciting finds. One was a Baker & Shelby / Hotel Lee Block / Oklahoma City, O.T. (Oklahoma Territory) drug store bottle. It was dug by Johnnie Fletcher, president and newsletter editor of the Oklahoma Territory Bottle & Relic Club, and his friend, Francis Wiltz, from a privy in Atchison, Kansas. The other was a 4-gallon butter churn stenciled with a numeral 4 and The Enterprise / Madill, I.T. (Indian Territory). It was purchased by Fletcher’s friend, Ronnie Norton. This issue had a story penned by Fletcher’s friend, Ed Stewart, and titled “Digging Five and a Half Pits.” Stewart and Francis Wiltz were the stars of this Atchison, Kansas dig and Ed took six color photos to accompany the story. Best find of the day was an 1897S (San Francisco Mint) Barber halfdollar in fine condition, worth about $400 on the coin collectors’ market, Stewart said. It must have fallen out of someone’s pocket as he scrooched down over the outhouse seat. The wood-liners also yielded a number of drug store bottles including a pair of Noll’s Pharmacy / Atchison, Kan. / N.E. Cor 7th & Commercial and a single Simonds & McConaughy / (mortar & pestle) / Druggists / S&M monogram / Atchison, Kan., and a St. Joseph, Mo. drugstore bottle embossed Knight + Quentin / Prescription / K&Q monogram / Druggists / 8 th and Edmonds Sts. Other finds included a crown top Hekelnkaemper / Bros. / Atchison, Kan. soda and two marmalade jars. The June issue featured a color
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photo of a W. Hekelnkaemper / Atchison / Soda Water Factory / This Bottle / To Be Returned. The green ale had been a target of Fletcher’s since 1992 when he’d found fragments. He said an amber example with the same embossing was dug in a later dig. Mark Wiseman with Elsie the Pup and his Iowa Digging story filled 10 of the newsletter’s 12 pages. Numerous Des Moines drug store bottles were unearthed, including two J.E. Cox & Co. / Druggists and a C.W. Rogg / Apothecary. Wiseman said the Cox bottles were previously unknown and the company was in business from the late 1880s through the 1890s. Master potter Steve Ferrell of Edgefield, S.C., presented the June program of the Horse Creek Bottle Club. Steve, an expert on Edgefield District pottery, had spoken to the club a few years ago, but since the club has attracted many new members, his return was appropriate. After getting started in the bottle collecting hobby in 1963, Steve and his father, Terry, eventually found Edgefield District pots, including a signed Chandler for 50 cents! “That was the first pot Dad brought home,” Steve recalled. “We concentrated on collecting pots with names and dates to help fill in the blanks” of their knowledge. “Their visual beauty attracted me.” Then he read an article about the McClendon collection in Sandlapper magazine published in Charleston, S.C., and Steve met Ralph and Carlee McLendon, who had founded the Pottersville Museum in Edgefield. Pottersville was the early 19th century name for the town. Their collection later was auctioned. The first public notice of Dr. Abner Landrum’s ceramic endeavors in Pottersville was carried in The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle on July 15, 1809. The 200th anniversary of the beginning of what is known as the Edgefield Pottery Tradition was celebrated July 12 in Edgefield.
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Western Regional News Ken Lawler & “Dar” 6677 Oak Forest Drive Oak Park, CA 91377 (818) 889-5451 kenlawler@roadrunner.com
Antique Bottle Collectors of Colorado – Dump Digger’s Gazette One of the programs this year was presented by recent retiree Steve Presley. He worked as Brewmaster for the Anheuser Busch Brewery in Fort Collins. He focused on the history of beer. He “started back when caves were popular and continued right up through the recent micro-brew and big corporate merger trends.” Steve said, “Although the main ingredients have not changed there have been many modifications and variations to brewing that have resulted in many varieties. When water was not safe to drink as it is today beer was regarded as a necessary beverage.” Editor Don Hunt added, “Where would our club be without all of those great bottles that were produced to contain all that great beer!!!” Rick Sinner enthusiastically related news in his President’s Message about an “unbelievable auction.” His rough estimate was that an old-time Boulder family liquidated around 100 advertising calendars. Approximately 80% advertised businesses in Boulder. It was reported that 10% of the calendars were very rare pieces from the P.H. Zang Brewing Co. and the C.A. Lammers Bottling Co. in Denver. Beer collectors and some club members were among those who shared this exciting event. Rick was amazed that the majority of the collection was in mint condition. He also mentioned that it was one of those once-in-a-life-time experiences. Fred Bjork proudly showed his collection of A. Sagendorff, Colorado Springs druggist and whiskey bottles during a club meeting. Ken Watkins not only brought in a rare Colfax Bottling
Works hutch soda to display, but he also won the fourth prize spot on “the lucky spin.” He ended up winning a collection of Denver Fraternal Order ribbons from 1892.
Forty-Niner Historical Bottle Association – Bottle Bug Briefs Three new folks have been added to the membership list. Monte and Donna Moore collect bottles and coins. Kevin Korper collects small medicines and whiskeys. He also enjoys metal detecting. The Golden Drift Historical Society thank you letter was made part of an issue of a newsletter. They were impressed with this club’s generous donation. The Society’s purpose is to preserve local history. Mike Lake was responsible for a program on whiskey bottles. During his program he displayed 32 clear whiskey bottles. He explained their variations; weight, the use of flint glass, and stippling on the tops among other interesting facts. He said that he believes that stippled tops came from Germany. However if anyone has billheads, invoices, or shipping information for verification regarding stippled tops, bring them to a meeting for show and tell. Speaking of show and tell Max Bell brought an anthropology book with pictures of old bottles in it. Tom Lehr brought in two Ladies Legs that he had dug. Steve Abbott explained that the lettering on the back bar bottles he brought in was not gold leaf. The lettering was gold luster. A liquid was painted on them and then fired. Mike McKillop had dug three sauce bottles, metal mining utensils, and a rare blow pan. It was explained that “The pan is shaped like a fan with a bottom and two sides. Gold with impurities was placed in the pan, then the impurities were blown away leaving the heavier gold behind.” Mike Henness had a large dark green, “drop dead gorgeous,
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pickle bottle and a large McAlfe medicine bottle from Sacramento.” Mike had also brought in another find that he donated to the raffle. He brought in “a five foot rattle snake skin with rattlers attached.” Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society – The Corker This year’s show was a success. It couldn’t be said better than the way Gary Antone said it in his President’s Message: “We had more dealers and table sales than we have ever had in the Vallejo location, and no major issues with the ever-changing fairgrounds staff.” He also said that he knows that people picked up some great treasures for their personal collection and for resale. The President of the Northwestern Bottle Collectors Association, Eric McGuire, contributed an article for this club’s newsletter. It originally appeared in the NBCA April 2009 publication. Nice going, Eric! This club takes an annual summer break from June through September. Something tells me that maybe the next time we hear from them they might have some digging news to share with us or maybe another article from a contributor. Las Vegas Antique Bottles and Collectibles Club Secretary Rebecca Glantz wrote in her monthly meeting notes that a bus trip to the Rosebowl swap meet is being planned by wagon master, Jackie Shea. Jackie is rather new to the club and may need to ask questions of members who have previously planned bus trips. Members were reminded by President Mike Presley that the club needs an editor and a new name for a newsletter. The names of “Sagebrush Chatter” and “Pumkin Seed” have already been submitted. If anyone has a suggestion for a club logo, that would also be appreciated. It is expected that the naming and voting will take place during a meeting.
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It was mentioned that “Our own member June Bramble is searching for a bottle. It is a Beam bottle to be exact. She would like to get the Jim Beam bottle depicting the Bing Crosby Pro-Am Tournament at Pebble Beach. If you have one or know where she can get one please contact her at jbramble@ tm.lvcoxmail.com or let her know at a meeting.” Leslie Smith, collector, historian and connoisseur of military guns made a presentation. Here is what he did. “He showed us a flintlock, a broom handle Mauser and a Japanese Nambu gun, among others. He told us that the invention of interchangeable gun parts was the most important gun development. He said that in the 1980s, 35,000,000 AK 47’s had been produced. At his time, he says, up to 300,000,000 have been made. He also says no matter what the condition of a gun, to always consider it loaded.” If you want to end up with some cash to have handy for a future purchase you might want to take part in this club’s raffle. Here is an example of some winners: Dian Faulis received $10, Monika Robertson won $20, Medline Johnson ended up with $20 and Marie Kaupilla came out on top with $40! Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club – The Whittlemark The annual club auction turned out to be another success story. Dwayne Anthony and Tom Spellman were volunteer auctioneers who not only enticed the audience to bid, but they did a bit of entertaining, as well. After all, you have to have fun while you are spending money. President Dave Maryo reported that several Los Angeles sodas, milks and medicines found new owners. Bitters, whiskeys, beers and inks also switched owners. He said that a large Los Angeles bottle marked Modern Pharmacy brought the highest bid of the evening. A plea for article writers was made by Editor, Blaine Greenman. He wrote a comprehensive “Letter from the Editor.” Here is some of what he
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wrote: “As you may have noticed this month’s newsletter is much smaller than I usually publish. It takes a lot of work and time in order to produce an ‘Award Winning’ newsletter every month. It also takes the efforts of our members’ contributions, in the form of articles, stories, etc.” Blaine mentioned in addition to Dave Maryo’s full-front-page President’s message that Pam keeps the club up-to-date on various events and takes the Member’s Only bottle picture every month. Randy submits items for the monthly announcement section. Blaine stressed that “it takes teamwork and dedication” to make the newsletter happen every month. Other newsletter editors fully understand this situation. Blaine listed categories in which some members he has noticed have a wealth of knowledge. He has said that he will be approaching members regarding his plea for help. This club had successfully volunteered to be the host club for the 2009 FOHBC National Show. With that behind them club members had to forge ahead with their own annual show scheduled for a month later. Maybe with all of this “show business” out of the way some folks might find time to give Blaine a hand with newsletter articles. We editors want to encourage those of you who are not able to make it to the monthly meetings to give consideration of helping out from home. The list of categories is in the newsletter. If you have a different expertise, let Blaine know one way or the other that you are interested in helping out. Blaine’s phone number is on Page 2 of your newsletter. He would like to hear from you folks. Montana Bottle Collectors Association We called Ray Thompson recently and found out that this year’s show was probably one of the best. Some new dealers signed up this year. Ray also said there was some nice crockery available at this show. He himself said
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that he made a couple of trades and enjoyed talking to folks. If you know Ray you will know that he has plenty of tales to tell. Ask him about his other hobby, sometime. Edward (Red) Kacalek, editor of the Washington Bottle & Collectors Association’s newsletter Ghost Town Echo, said that we could share an article he had in his newsletter. He attended this year’s Montana bottle show and liked it so much he wrote an article. He took a couple of great shots of folks who were at the show like Lynn Harcharik, Bruce Gradwohl and Mike Henness. He said there were many high end quality bottles. “There were many barrel and other early bitters bottles, some great large cathedral pickles in deep shades of blue aqua.” He also said that there were several color variants of Dr. Townsend’s Sarsaparilla and a grass green J.F. Cutter w/star. Red told of two dealers who had an assortment of extremely rare Montana advertising jugs in quart, half gallon and one gallon sizes. Maybe this is what Ray meant when he said “there was some nice crockery available at this show.” James Campiglia has been chasing down members to get suggestions for a name for a newsletter. He already has received some suggestions. The names we’ve seen sound pretty cool. He still has to get a decision on that issue. Keep us in mind when you hold your four annual club meetings. If you can forward us the President’s message and/or your secretarial notes that would be helpful. This would give us enough fuel to crank up a few paragraphs about you folks until such time you publish a newsletter with an eye-grabbing title. Northwestern Bottle Collectors Association – The Glassblower A thumb’s up was given to the Golden Gate Historical Bottle Society for their show held in Vallejo. Frank Ritz said that it was a good show for him. He said he sold a lot of bottles. John Burton noted that “our club gives them a lot of support.” Another supportive effort took place this year. A donation of $100 was
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made to the National Bottle Museum. John Burton, being a man of detail, has put together a partial listing of Healdsburg bottles that he added to his July 2009 newsletter. He said that in time he will be adding trade tokens to the list. He is also working on Lytton Springs, Sebastopol, Sonoma and Occidental. Great pictures also accompanied his listing. The name Eric McGuire keeps popping up as related to article writing. He had written an article entitled “Is This Flask Incorrectly Described?” John Burton included the article with one of his earlier announcements. It deals with historical flasks. He says “Historical flasks are, as a subject of collection, perhaps the most studied group of American bottles known. Aesthetically pleasing and often with motifs that are as patriotically American as one can get, it is hard for any collector who appreciates glass to not hold a special reverence for them. One sub-category is the fairly large group of cornucopia flasks. The cornucopia has come to symbolize beautiful goodness and when embossed on a flask, may not be directly historical but could represent the bounty of our great country.” He goes on to explain that a father and daughter team devised a system of categorization of all known historical/pictorial flasks of their time. He writes that there has been much discussion regarding these flasks. At the end of his article he puts the reader to the test of getting involved with “what do they think?” We think that a LAHBC member, Richard Tucker, would be very interested in talking with Eric. Richard has a collection of fine historical flasks. Richard Siri stumped members with his show and tell which turned out to be a round shaped blue bottle with embossing that was impossible to read. Members thought it said 1850 something. Richard also showed a BL Kern Trenton NJ amber bottle that had an elks head embossed on it. Frank Ritz’s bottle was a half-pint amber Baltimore Monument Flask with a sail boat on the back. John Burton brought in
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three Petaluma Soda and Seltzer Works bottles. Evert Liljeberg passed around a clear one gallon JH Cutter beer barrel and a Cleveland Metal Works battery acid bottle. Chuck Ingram showed off his half-pint Oberon Brown & Gnesa Vallejo bottle. A Buffalo Brewery, Sacramento without the horseshoe was brought in by George Guzman. Oregon Bottle Collectors Association – The Stumptown Report Bill Bogynska spent his summer show season running around from show to show knocking himself out to bring some great “finds” home with him. He said that he was able to pick up a nice fruit jar and insulator for himself, along with more items for resale. His youngest son Tim found what Bill described as a killer item in a shop. Bill admits that Tim even “wrestled” a finder’s fee out of him, because his son recognized how eager Bill was to get his hands on it! The theme is “green” had members scrambling to bring in some of their best finds. “Bill started it off with a green pictorial ACL quart Mt. Hood Soda, a teal green barber bottle with inside hobnails; a Palmer green Owl Drug citrate and a teal green small size baby face Pfunder. Dennis had a jar embossed Griffin Cuttings Jam’s and Jellies, a large case gin with a seal and an embossed A Van Hoboken & Co. Rotterdam. He also showed a large size teal green baby face Pfunder. “Wayne showed a Green’s Lung Restorer Santa Abie / Abictine Medical Co. / Oroville, Cal. USA, and then Scott brought out the same bottle for his show and tell. Wayne went on with a green smaller size G.W. Merchant (gargling oil) bottle, a crude open pontil U.S. Navy Pepper bottle in sage green, a square olive green J.J. Melchers Schiedam Aromatic Schnapps, and a large size emerald green Brewer Drug Co. Stayton Ore. and Salem Ore.” Tom Bostwick’s story started out with the following header: “Attention – Have you or your loved one’s suffered needlessly with the pain and shame
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of B.D.D.? Has B.D.D. affected your marriage, ended your career, or caused irregularity during prolonged airline flights?” The story goes on to say “You and your loved ones no longer need struggle with the embarrassment of foot odor, hair loss, bad credit, poor gas mileage, obesity, liver spots, ugly relationships with relatives, or blurred vision caused by B.D.D. Doctors now understand how B.D.D., or Bottle Digger’s Disorder attacks the human immune system which leads to financial, emotional and psychological damage to the neurons in the brain and surrounding tissue.” The story leads into a remedy for the situation. Also shown with the story is a character sketch and a sketch of the remedy container. If anyone is curious enough to read the rest of the story, contact Bill Bogynska or call 1-800-Kick-Glass Today! (We don’t think the phone number we read in the story should be taken seriously…) Phoenix Antique Bottles & Collectibles Club – The A-Z Collector Show and tell is always a favorite time for every club’s meeting. These club folks are no different. They waste no time in showing off their finds. “Dave Carr brought two antique lanterns: an Archer and Pancoast dead-flame lantern dating from 1856 to 1868, and a Nail City Crank Tubular lantern dating from the late 1800s.” Steve Mares is famous for his porcelain signs. He couldn’t wait to show off his recently-acquired Chevrolet sign. “Rich Hopwood brought a cobalt John Wyeth poison bottle, and a medicine bottle marked ‘Gin Pills for the Kidneys,’ Montreal. Colleen brought an antique hairpin salvaged from Steve’s mother’s house in Minnesota, and a large ring from Steve’s grandfather.” Brent showed up with a small, rare embossed milk bottle from Naco, Arizona (circa 1915). Cole Lewellyn brought a number of items, including a match safe from Chloride, Arizona (circa 1912), a match safe from Nogales, A.T., a medicine bottle
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marked Lehi from Tempe, and a minijug marked Tucson Grocery Co., Tuscon (misspelled), Ariz. Lisa introduced Colleen who enlightened members with her program on Cross-Stitch Samplers. They have been produced from the 1400s to the present. Colleen explained the sampler’s importance from one century to another. She pointed out that from the 1970s and later, that the samplers have been machine made. Also mentioned was the fact that values range from as little as $50 for new, machine-made examples as to high as $800 to $1,000 for high-quality antique samplers. She warned that reproductions are out there.” It seems that no matter what category of collecting you become interested in, there are some similarities among those categories such as lower prices for newer items and higher prices for older ones. The warning of “buyer beware” seems to be universal. Reno Antique Bottle Club – digger’s dirt There is justice after all. Marvin Jacobson reported an update to the legislation concerning the future of special events such as their annual show. Marvin reported that the Bill seems to be making progress. It has passed through the Committee, Assembly and Senate. “The Governor has to sign the Bill to make it official. It should do away with the finger printing of dealers and the extra fees. (Amen and Hallelujah!)” It isn’t often that you find some history in a newsletter that covers one of the raffle bottles at a meeting. The raffle bottles mentioned were “A Yerba Buena Bitters circa 1870, A Doctor Hostetter’s Bitters with a partial label circa 1863, and a Wait’s with full labels on the front and back.” The history portion covered the Hostetter’s Bitters. The information is listed under, “Bits and Pieces.” Here is some of what was written: “There are many different variants to be found. The oldest variant was produced in 1855. These first bottles came with
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only a paper label. In 1859 the label with St. George slaying the dragon was added. The bottles also became embossed in the glass, along with the labels, about the same time. The sales of Hostetter’s Bitters reached such tremendous proportions that the bottles today are considered common (unless they are black with a crude pontil).” An ambitious undertaking has been completed by Marty Hall. “Marty has put together a wonderful slide program featuring a panorama of bottles and digs. It has been quite a task for him to convert his many pictures to slides. There is no one in Reno or around this area who does this anymore. After many telephone calls he found a place in Arizona to do the transfer. It will be a great program filled with many memories.” Marty you are to be congratulated on your dedication to get the job done. Club members are going to be in for a great treat when you do your program. San Diego Antique Bottle and Collectibles Club – The Bottleneck When club members resume their fall meeting schedule they will witness a bottle digging techniques program that will be presented by Ken Gallo and the Lawsons’. Stay tuned to hear about that one. Maybe we can pick up a few pointers to use on our own! A past program turned out to be “a fascinating lecture about glass items associated with old telephones. Dan has collected telephones and related items for decades (since he was 10). He spoke at length about the history of the items he brought and adventures he has had collecting. He recently opened a phone museum – Golden’s Antiques – in Oceanside at 1016 S. Tremont St. If any of you are interested to check out anything further here is Dan’s email dan@goldentelephones.com. He gives a website for those interested in this particular hobby. It is http://www. telephonecollectors.org. San Jose Antique Bottle Collectors – The Label
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Kathie Craig and one of the Western Regional News Editors (Dar) and Kathie have been in touch for the last couple of years. Neither Kathie nor Dar gave up until this club had joined in with the other clubs whose news appears in this column. Now that their hard work has paid off, it is time to give those of you who are not familiar with this club some background on it. Kathie was asked if she had something in writing about the club’s early beginnings. She responded with a write-up that was written by her father-in-law in 1978, entitled “The Del Kenyon Story.” Jack Craig wrote it the way he saw it. “Del started in the days when bottles were something to either throw a rock at, shoot with a rifle, or totally ignore.” Jack also wrote that Del’s hobbies at that time were hunting and fishing! One time while driving down an old dirt road, Del and his wife Vi spotted an old antique store run by Charlie and Winnie Steele. After a three hour gabbing session and seeing “Old Bottles” called out on the antique sign, Del left with a mild stirring in his gut. Later he returned to an old cabin he had discovered during a fishing trip. He found nothing the first time he looked in the cabin. This time he decided to take a shovel with him. While he didn’t strike it rich fumbling around with his first dig, he was proud of the Worcestershire bottle he found. He inadvertently caught the digging bug. “Del and his two newly-acquired buddies, Pat Koster and Giles Ralston kept their ‘search for old bottles’ a secret for four years. However, one day Del heard about a ‘Bottle Club’ in Sacramento. The three buddies attended a meeting. That adventure lead to the three men working out a set of bylaws for their new club. Their club, the SJABC, was formed in 1963 and the rest is history as the old saying goes. Del credited Charlie and Winnie’s influence the reason he started the club. Kathie had mentioned the fact that Willy Young had driven “all the way
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to San Jose” to present a program on “hand held fire grenades.” Willy’s history is woven into this club, as well. Kathie mentioned that he was a member of the club when he was a young man. We will be looking forward to meeting Kathie for the first time at the 2009 National in Pomona. We will also be looking forward to receiving future newsletters. Washington Bottle & Collectors Association – Ghost Town Echo The first thing we noticed in your newsletter is that you have more people pictures in it. The pictures are really a nice addition for those of us who like to see who is out shopping or gabbing or both. Nice job. Red always puts these little teaser type write-ups in his newsletter. Here is an example: “Way back in about 1972, my then digging partner, Dennis Hicks of Seattle, dug a gorgeous cobalt blue extract type bottle, embossed, ROYAL / HAIR RESTORER. It was dug in an eight foot deep hole in
Seattle’s arboretum under the access to the I-520 Bridge. The bottle was 7 ½ inches tall and in mint condition. At the time, Dennis was collecting Owl Drug Company bottles and other miscellaneous owl bottles and traded a collector in Maple Valley, Washington for a mint, with matching top, milk glass owl mustard jar. To this day, I still don’t know who got the best of that trade but I do know, they both went away happy and that’s what counts!” Red included a picture of each item with his article. Wouldn’t that white owl mustard jar be something to have! Former WB&CA long time member, past president and editor, David Bethman sent Red an email describing a summer 2009 digging adventure he had in Montana with Marc Lutsko. He said that he and Marc ended up “trying” Helena and Big Timber. He described that the soil in both towns was rocky. They dug a Montana Territorial outhouse in Helena. He mentioned a few best bottles as being five M.T. drug bottles (3 whole), early aqua California Fig
Hostetters Sign
Last year at the York Expo Richard Siri displayed a Hostetters Bitters reverse glass sign. It was a reproduction of a unique sign that was slowly falling off the glass. This year at the Pomona National Show he displayed another Hostetters Bitters sign that was also a reproduction of a cracked and flaking unique sign. It seems that some of these early 1900 era signs have approached their shelf life and are falling off the glass. Richard wants to preserve the images before they completely go away.
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Syrups (including a free sample size) and some 1885 aqua patent medicines, foods and unembossed coffin flasks. Among some bottles found on their next-day dig were a Great Falls, MT medicine bottle, and some J B Lockwood & Eugene Meyer Helena pharmacies. The next day they found a rare Stevensville MT Rexall Druggist bottle. In further digging pursuits they did end up with a scarce Coeur D’Alene druggist bottle. Now comes the “hard” part. No pun intended, however David did write that going to Big Timber was a bad decision. He said that they had to move basketball-sized donnikers (big Montana rocks) out of their pits. He commented about the weather. He said one day there was a blizzard, another the wind was their enemy. We personally can say that we have “been there, done that.” We know how you guys felt about the weather and the rocky soil. You have to look at it like it was a good work out and you did bring home some important “finds.” One more plus is that you contributed to Red’s newsletter!
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2009 National - The West Coast Event By Dar Furda Photos by Tom Tyshko & Ken Lawler
The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors National Awards Banquet was held July 31, capped by the two-day show August 1 – 2 in Pomona, California. Host club was the Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club and the show was the first Federation event to have been held on the West Coast. Looking around at the attendees at the Friday evening awards banquet, it seemed that more than a quorum’s worth of FOHBC officers were in attendance. Most of them came in from different states such as Nevada, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri, Florida, Kentucky, and New York. A few of them live in California. Alan DeMaison was the recipient of the President’s Award, receiving
a plaque from President Richard Siri for his outstanding contribution as Federation treasurer, combined with his additional feat of tracking the monies for this year’s national show. I worked with Alan regarding the program advertising money that I collected. He produced several detailed spreadsheet reports that those of us involved with volunteering relied upon to check on our own numbers. He was a great guy to work with. The Hall of Fame gained another member this year. Johnnie Fletcher was originally nominated by Ed Stewart for inclusion on the Federation Honor Roll.
Alan DeMaison
Ed Stewart and Johnnie Fletcher
It turns out because of his enormous dedication to the hobby, that board members voted him into the Hall of Fame. Some history on Johnnie is that he was a founder of the Oklahoma Territory Bottle & Relic Club. He had been president of the club multiple times and has been the on-going editor of the Oklahoma Territory News since the club was founded in 1987. He has made several publishing contributions to the collecting world such as the Oklahoma Drug Stores, first edition of his Kansas Bottles 1854-1915, a second edition of Oklahoma Bottles and is currently working on a St. Joseph, Missouri bottle reference book. The annual contest winners were announced at the banquet. The winning newsletter was Glass Chatter from the Midwest Antique Fruit Jar & Bottle Club, Joe Coulson, editor. Second place went to The Ohio Swirl, Ohio Bottle Club, Phyllis Koch, editor. The first place show flyer award went to the Huron Valley Antique Bottle Club. The Antique Bottle Club of San Diego won second place. Jack Sullivan won the best researched article award for his “The Night the Axe Fell on Cleveland.” Dave
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Erika Lomeli, Isabella, R. Wayne Lowry (L to R)
member Erika Lomeli (coincidentally it was drawn by her daughter, Isabella). Michael Craig, member of the San Jose Club, won another Jeff Wichmann donation which was a pontiled and handled amber Chestnut Grove whiskey. LAHBC member Dar Furda donated $100 which was broken down into three segments of $50, $25 and another $25 prize. Show volunteer Val Berry, from New York won $50. Johnnie Fletcher won $25 and Ed Stewart won the other $25. The President of the San Jose Club, Kathy Craig, won the Blackburn Press donation of their book, “The Bottle Book.” Jeff Wichmann also won a book donated by the Blackburn Press, “Bottle Markers and Their Marks.” Local ghost town historian Roger Vargo and his wife Cecile took the banquet audience through a video adventure of
Michael Craig (L) and R Wayne Lowry (R)
R. Wayne Lowry (L) and Jeff Wichmann (R)
Banquet raffle donations were abundant, this year. Ferdinand Meyer, V donated $200. Juanne Herrold won that donation. A second $200 donation by Jeff Wichmann was won by LAHBC
Dave Maryo
Maryo, President of the Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club, won for his article “Forsha’s Balm is Endorsed by President Lincoln.” Mike Byrant, from the Antique Bottle Club of San Diego won both the original true story and the best fiction categories. His “A Snake in the Glass,” won the true story award. His best fiction column “Aunt Blabby” made him a winner, as well. Both Mike Bryant and Dave Maryo were present to accept their plaques.
Mike Bryant
Juanne Herrold
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Roger and Cecile Vargo
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Bob Ferraro from Nevada
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John Pastor from Michigan and Richard Siri from California.
Sheldon Baugh from Kentucky
Ferdinand Meyer V from Texas
Carl Sturm from Florida
Julie and Jim Dennis from Oregon
some of California’s famous ghost towns. Roger’s expert knowledge of California mining history and geology of Southern California was complemented by his professional photographic skills. Not only did this show have board members from across the country, but dealers were also not shy about signing up and either driving or flying to the West Coast. Folks also came in from Nevada, Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Ohio, New York, Washington, Wyoming, Oregon, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Michigan, Oklahoma, Missouri, North
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Carolina and Montana. There were even folks from England and Australia. Hopefully I didn’t miss anyone. There were thirteen displayers this year. Elaine DeMaison, from Ohio, displayed her jelly jars. Nevada’s Bob Ferraro brought in some of his finest
Elaine DeMaison’s Jelly Jars
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Nevada Pottery. I have to congratulate Elaine and Bob for toting their collectibles out here to California. The rest of the displayers were from California. Gary Frederick brought in his J.V. Baldwin Liquor Vault. Dave Hall brought in his Valverde Colorado glass factories display
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that covered the time period of 1896 – 1910. Dick Homme showed his detailed 50 State Hutchinson collection. Jose Lomeli, a new member of the LAHBC, did an outstanding job with his “Lomeli Family” California milks. President of the LAHBC, Dave Maryo, brought in some
Dave Maryo’s Midwestern Glass
Bob Ferraro’s Nevada Pottery
Dick Homme’s 50 State Hutchinson collection
Jose Lomeli’s California Milks Lance Westfall, Tom Quinn & Jon Lawson’s “Criers”
Gary Frederick’s J.V. Baldwin Liquor Vault
Displayer’s Appreciation Award created by Ken Lawler
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Midwestern glass. Steve Mello showed some unembossed Western glass. Terry Monteith had a variety of colors and sizes of demijohns and carboys. Richard Siri brought a display that explained how Native Americans used old bottles. Richard Tucker brought some of his fine historical flasks. Ken Loakes had a display of examples of Hires Extract. Lance Westfall, Tom Quinn, and Jon Lawson put together some vivid colored shards of rare old bottles. The broken fruit jar (AP Brayton, San Francisco) in that display would be worth $10,000 to $20,000 if it was in mint condition. Ken Lawler said someone told him that when the display was at the June San Diego show, the display was aptly named “The Bottle Graveyard from 1869 – 1885.” Two displayers were awarded ribbons. The People’s Choice Ribbon
Richard Tucker and his Historical Flasks
Richard Tucker (L) and Terry Monteith (R)
went to LAHBC’s Richard Tucker for his historical flasks. The FOHBC’s Most Educational Ribbon was awarded to Terry Monteith from the San Diego Club for his demijohns and carboys. Each displayer received a FOHBC Appreciation plaque that was designed and created by LAHBC secretary Ken Lawler. He kept with the western theme by adding the California flag and a piece of Pyrite under the flag to indicate “California Gold.” He dug the bottles he glued to the plaques and cleverly added the Jesse Moore Whiskey labels
Terry Monteith’s Demijohns and Carboys
to them. From what I could determine, there were dealers from the following clubs: Northwestern, San Jose, San Diego, Forty-Niner, Phoenix, Montana, Genesee Valley, MAFJ&BC, Ohio, Washington and of course, the host club. Hope I didn’t miss a club. At least you get the idea that the support was pretty evident. Anyway, who would want to miss a FOHBC national show? Photographer for the banquet and show was Tom Tyshko, long-time librarian of the host club. I think you will enjoy the pictures he has taken capturing the excitement of the show. Also, some of you may have noticed Alan DeMaison with the video camera interviewing the displayers in front of their displays. He believes this is the first time this has been
Pre-show (no comments allowed)
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Warren Friedrich’s Cassins coming up with a list of some of the most impressive collectibles that were available at the show. Some of the prime choices were historical flasks, Western whiskeys, Western whiskey flasks, Eastern handled whiskeys, E.G. Booz old cabins, Hostetters Bitters, figural done by the FOHBC in several years. I personally enjoyed the fact that Florida dealer Don Carroll came out west. Don had an abundance of what I collect -- teakettle inks. I got acquainted with Don’s inks at the York Expo last year. Between my volunteering efforts, I devoted some time to selecting some beauties to bring home this year. He mentioned to me that he thought that he would have a customer out here. In addition to stopping by Don’s table I decided to sit down and talk with the treasurer of the Northwestern club, Frank Ritz. I enlisted his help in
Frank Ritz
bitters, Indian queens, figural pigs, ear of corn bitters and various barrel bitters. The host club also awarded raffle prizes. Two of the prizes were donated by Jeff Wichmann. FOHBC Board Member Jim Bender won Jeff’s amber E.G. Booz whiskey. Host club member Scott Yeargain won Jeff’s aqua Maulton’s Oloroso bitters. An L. Nicholas Jug was won by Mark Acardi. Henry Johnston won a white grape vase. Karen Smith won a decorative plate, Frank Ritz won a Coronation plate and host club member Val Wippert won a purple grape vase. The FOHBC and the host club thank Jeff Wichmann for his generous donations of money and bottles.
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Scott Yeargain Frank Ritz
Val Wippert
The seminars were varied and heavily attended. We had some folks from out of state such as past Federation president Carl Sturm from Florida, who talked about his favorite subject, black glass. Sheldon Baugh from Kentucky and Ferdinand Meyer, V from Texas held an open forum for those interested in talking about bitters bottle collecting. Stan Paher came in from Reno, Nevada to present
his seminar on Death Valley California Ghost Towns and Mining Camps. LAHBC members Richard Tucker and Dave Maryo shared their expertise in historical flasks and Southern California wineries. Maryo, president of the host club, met the challenge of organizing the seminars as well as presenting one. I decided to chat with a few dealers and get their take on the show. John
Henry Johnston
Karen Smith
Stan Paher
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Richard Tucker’s seminar on historical flasks
Carl Sturm’s seminar on black glass
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Dave Maryo’s seminar on Southern California wineries
Sheldon Baugh’s open forum on Bitters bottles.
Pastor from Michigan mentioned that it gave him the opportunity to meet with new collectors that he had corresponded with. He also mentioned that the seminars were another great feature. “There were not as many displays as expected but they were phenomenal,” he said. His overall impression of the show was that it was very good and that he saw more quality
table top items than usual. John said that he was enjoying the show and had a nice time, but he added that he would have liked to have seen more sales tables. Warren Friedrich from Nevada City, California responded to my question of what was the best bottle that he would hope to sell at the show. He said that he would hope to sell more of a collection.
He explained what he needs for his collection. He says that “he specializes in early Western bitters made and marketed during the 1860s decade.” He said that there are probably only a dozen “out there” and that he is missing three examples. To give you an idea of the quality of what this man collects, during Sheldon Baugh’s Bitters Seminar Warren
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found out that they are avid followers of the FOHBC Expos and national shows. They have attended two Expos and four Nationals! They were hoping to sell lots of their poisons at this show. They enjoyed the atmosphere of the show and meeting old friends from other shows. They found that the show was “very good and well organized.” They said that the best memory of the show that they will take back to England with them will be the “friendliness of it all.” I met up with Australian James Bell at an aisle intersection. He flashed a wide smile and told me that he hoped to sell everything he brought with him. I asked proudly showed and talked about his Cassin’s and Rosenbaums. The highlight of the show for Warren was what he called “the shard display.” He remarked that he spent a lot of time looking at it. His overall impression of the show was that it was better than expected with some disappointing expectations (he had come to the show with some “hearsay” information). He was pleasantly surprised to see that the show had over 150 tables. Another happy point was to say that he “spent time with fellow collectors he seldom sees.” He ended by saying that the best memory of the show was “the displays.” I went to the “overseas” folks for their input. I started with David Van Loon and Richard Wormsley from Leeds, England. They both shared the same thoughts on the show. First of all, I
James Bell from Australia
Paul & Pat VanVactor from Kentucky
Jeff Wichmann’s table
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Ferdinand Meyer, V’s prize fish (THE catch of the show)
him what he thought was the highlight of the show for him. He found “nice items for sale. The venue was excellent and the show was well organized.” His most sincere impression was that it was “mainly the people” that he enjoyed. James thinks this is what it is all about: “The people we meet and the friendships we make.” My opinion is that the entire event was a positive one and I sensed a new direction and a rekindling of excitement evolving at this show. From my standpoint, this new direction started from discussions held within the confines of the board meeting. The rest was borne out in Sheldon Baugh’s “Bitters Bottle Forum.” As a result of the board meeting and the forum, the idea of determining new ways to grow the membership and entice younger folks to accompany the well-seasoned members of the FOHBC became a subject of interest. As Sheldon proceeded with his forum his enthusiasm became contagious. He explained his feeling about collecting. He stated that he could get as excited over a $50 bottle as one worth thousands. He drew the audience into volunteering as to what category of collecting they were interested in such as color over geographical location. Ferdinand Meyer V, from Houston, Texas, explained his involvement in the hobby and said that he was rather a new collector compared to some of the others in the room. (Note: Check out Ferdinand’s “cobalt Fish Bitters” he proudly guarded on his table at the show.
A picture is included with this article.) He added to Sheldon’s enthusiasm. Both men were also at ease with adding a little humor to their conversations. Statistics were quoted from Warren Friedrich, from Nevada City, California as he stated specific facts concerning the Cassin’s and Rosenbaums he talked about during a portion of the forum. These three men kept the audience intensely interested. When Sheldon took the lead again he encouraged input from the audience as to what folks collect. The forum started at 7:00 and was to last an hour, but it was 9:15 before the group broke up. Sheldon made the remark at the end of the forum that he didn’t want it to end. Neither did the audience. You could sense that by the way the audience gravitated toward the front table to get a closer look at Warren’s examples and carry on further conversations. With the enthusiasm level rising, it might be a good idea to check out how you can join in and become a part of this group of collectors. Contact me if you would like to learn more about how to become more involved by becoming a member of the FOHBC. I can point you in the right direction. Now is the time to thank everyone from volunteers to dealers, displayers and the public who purchased. A special thanks to the FOHBC Convention Director Wayne Lowry and business manager June Lowry and the LAHBC Show Chairman, Pam Selenak for their tireless pursuit in keeping the show on track.
On Page 2 of the 2009 FOHBC National Show Program many of you were greeted by Pepper “the unofficial 2009 greeter.” Pepper realizes that my article is finished so he says that this is...
Darlene Furda 6677 Oak Forest Dr. Oak Park, CA 91377 dfurda@roadrunner.com (818) 889-5451
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How a Common
Coca-Cola
Bottle Became a Historic Relic of the Past By Bill Baab, Southern Region Editor
To collectors of antique bottles, a Coca-Cola hobbleskirt bottle from the 1950s doesn’t attract much attention in 2009. It’s still a half-century away from becoming a true antique and its numbers are in the millions, the supply far exceeding the demand. However, what if the bottle played a role in the travels of an ex-President of the United States? Would the bottle attain some value if its contents had quenched the thirst of, say, Harry S. Truman? In 1953, during the summer following his departure from the White House (following the inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower), Truman and his wife, Bess, embarked on a cross-country road trip in a new Chrysler. No Secret Service agents accompanied them; they considered themselves ordinary Americans doing what other ordinary Americans liked to do – travel. They stopped for gasoline at a Frederick, Maryland Gulf station whose manager, Carroll Kehne, was a devout Democrat. Truman went inside the station and said, “The Boss (Bess) wants a glass of water and I’d love a Coke.” When Truman finished the Coke, Kehne saved the empty bottle, later inscribing it “This Bottle Used by Harry S. Truman June 21, 1953. Carroll H. Kehne Gulf Service Station 400 West Patrick St., Frederick, Md.” Kehne died in 1994 and his son found the bottle among his effects. Carroll Kehne Jr., donated the bottle to the Historical Society of Frederick County. This anecdote and many others are contained in a wonderful little book, “Harry Truman’s Excellent Adventure. The True Story of a Great American Road Trip,” by Matthew Algeo. It was published by the Chicago Review Press and sells for $24.95 in the U.S., $27.95 in Canada.
It is available at bookstores everywhere and through the Independent Publishers Group, 814 No. Franklin St., Chicago IL 60610.
Photo by the Matthew Algeo, courtesy of the Historical Society of Frederick County, Maryland
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Glass Passion and Color by Ferdinand Meyer V
Part I: Life Transformation There are wheelers and dealers, diggers and finders, historians and organizers and legends and statesmen in our profession and hobby. I represent the collector. One simply focused on the selfish desire to have the best, to have the most fun getting it and the most enjoyment looking at it. That is the passion.
Bottles and Extras
Is the bottle back-lit? Is there a shadow or reflection? Are you looking at a bottle picture on a computer screen? Is there another bottle next to it? Has the bottle color been changed by the sun or manipulated electronically or by artificial methods? All critical factors and concerns. I will attempt to share my journey (Part I) in this first article and focus on the complicated topic of glass color (Part II) next issue. I think it is important to set the stage on why I have chosen to specialize in color runs and color relationship in historical antique glass bottles.
The development, definition and description of glass color and the understanding of how glass reacts to light is one of a number of special and defining related interests that assist in my pursuit of a specific bottle and documentation of my collection. Is the bottle color Light, Medium or Dark Amber? Deep Amber, Yellow, Red or Orange Amber? Green Tint? Tobacco or Old Amber? And what is this color Puce that is so widely used and misused? [Fig 1]
[Figure 2] Stained Glass Window at Roland Park Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, Maryland
As a child, I remember sitting in church in Baltimore, Maryland with my farther and grandfather Ferdinand Meyer III and IV. My brothers and I were fidgety of course, and dreaded the approaching long sermon. As time passed, I would sit transfixed and focused on the incredible stained glass windows surrounding all four sides of the aisles and pews. I wonder how many hours I spent looking at the colors and patterns in the glass. I noticed the sun’s position on a specific window and cloud movement. This was instrumental in my perception of the windows at any given moment. This natural symphony of changing colors put on a magnificent show for me. Simple, though my first important impression, emotion and memory of color and glass. [Fig 2] [Figure 1] Amber Doyles Hop Bitters color run with different hop leaf embossings.
Are you looking at a bottle in natural light? Is it morning, midday or late afternoon sun? Are you looking at a bottle in a created light situation such as a photograph with a flash, or a studio shot as some auction houses use?
During this same time period, my foundation with collectibles, started with my grandparents collection of United States and foreign stamps. On Sundays, if I didn’t go to a Baltimore Colt game with my father and grandfather, I would spend hours sorting and posting well designed, colorful and beautiful stamps in the impressive albums with my grandmother. Now, to this day, my collection of
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rare United States stamps is formidable, but remains locked in a cabinet. Great pleasure and satisfaction, but hidden enjoyment. [Fig 3]
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attention, though it seemed to change often, was poison bottles and figural bottles. My brother, Charles Meyer is also a longstanding member of the club and possesses a really great collection of Baltimore pre-prohibition blob top beer bottles. Though I would pick up a bottle here and there in antique shops or at the shows, these bottles would just sit in windows dormant, waiting for the right time to make a move on me. After graduation, I headed for Houston, Texas and was hired for my first full-time, serious job at an international architecture and design firm. I had been to Houston only once before during my junior year at college where I had visited to see the great French artist, Paul Cezanne’s collection of impressionistic paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston that was only visiting three cities in United States. It is interesting to note that Cezanne was also very interested with light and color and would paint the same landscape scene scores of times to understand the relationship between the two.
[Figure 3] Scott #C13-C15 1930 Graf Zeppelin Air Mail issue. Color and design.
Getting an art scholarship and attending the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design in Missouri kept me on the right and creative side of my brain. Glass at this time was not a major part of my life though I did attend a few Baltimore Antique Bottle Club shows in the late 70s and 80s where my late father was embedded. His
[Figure 5] Color Run of R/H F45 and F46 Fish Bitters. My first figural bitters is the second bottle from the left
Owning and directing my own design consultation firm since 1983 has allowed me to pursue my interest in glass. Many of my commissions for major public destinations and institutions incorporate my glass sculptures and designs. [Fig 4] With this said, how did I start seriously collecting glass? My father eventually founded the Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) Antique Bottle Club. He tried to get me interested in antique glass bottles by sending me a care package of glass from one of his shows. Though one broke in shipping (important lesson learned), I put the bottles in my windows as decoration though this neat looking figural Fish Bitters bottle kept his ever watchful eye on me. [Fig 5]
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During the 90’s, Elizabeth and I did get to a few bottle shows and primarily started looking at glass insulators. We picked up quite a few depending on what caught our attention. We even had a special invitation to visit the great insulator collection of Marilyn Albers in Houston. I was really impressed with her collection and saw how you could combine passion, knowledge, documentation and exhibition into the foundation of a particular interest.
[Figure 4] Carved glass Tapestry of Life feature at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, Georgia
Now established in Houston, I met and married the best woman on earth in 1993. This is probably the most important ingredient with my progress because if you do not have a supportive wife, forget it. I can not tell you how many times I have had to take Elizabeth to our favorite Mexican restaurant, and after a few Margaritas, tell her I just bought or was ready to buy a particular bottle with a five figure price tag. Now it does help that she has her horses. I always remind her, I am investing and putting money away for the future while she is shoveling money out the back door. As long as she is happy, I am happy [Fig 6]. I even am fortunate that she routinely goes to the Baltimore, Heckler, Keene and National FOHBC bottle and glass events and shows with me each year.
[Figure 6] Simple mathematical equation to keep wife in support of buying great bottles. Extremely rare Athertons Dew Drop Bitters dug by Greg Bair. Bottle first seen and deal closed in Greg’s car in the pouring rainstorm at a past Heckler event.
My wife, discovering eBay around this time, even surprised me with two bottles. The first eBay purchase was a 3 5/8” tall, pontiled Dalby Carminarive from this eBay dealer called Bottleski. This fellow has become a trusted source of bottles and I always enjoy running into and talking to George at a show. The second bottle was a Drakes Plantation Bitters [Fig 7]. Unbeknownst to me, the foundation for my life change just happened with these initial logs. The cabin and the fish now stood side by side on a shelf.
[Figure 7] Color run of 6-Log Drakes Plantation Bitters. The cabin on the bottom row, second from left was my first cabin. This magnificent run has presented an increasing challenge to find a color variation addition though I have my ideas and pursuits lined up. That is the hunt part I love.
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[Figure 8] One of seven glass rooms, Victorian Room
Only after a Delmarva Bottle Club show in September 2002, did I purchase ten or so nice bottles in amber and aqua, mostly bitters. The grouping included a Caldwells Herb Bitters, Big Bill Best Bitters, Doyles Hop Bitters, Curtis & Perkins Wild Cherry Bitters, Fennor’s Capitol Bitters, Greeleys Bourbon Bitters, Morning Star Bitters, Dr. Soules Hop Bitters, Bunker Hill Monument Cologne, Radams Microbe Killer and a BBB (Atlanta, Georgia) medicine. Bringing them to my father’s bayside house, I placed them on a glass table on his screen porch. Of course, I arranged them to appeal to my eyes and was amazed how this little group danced and caught my attention throughout the day. I also realized that the color and my perception of the color changed during the day and oddly, it also changed when the bottles were rearranged. In talking with my father, he noted my interest in bitters and said, “start and focus on the pig, queen, corn and cabin,” [Fig 9] “get only the best” and “Color is king.” Key advice. I suppose I might be primarily a milk bottle collector or historical flask collector had it not been for that fish or cabin that started things off. By the end of 2002 I had discovered Pacific Glass Auctions, Glass Works Auctions and the value of a private transaction. By years end, I had included a highly detailed yellow Professor Byrne Stomach Bitters, Boggs & Cottman German Tonic Bitters, two National Bitters ear of corns, another Drakes Cabin, a couple of pigs (Suffolk
[Figure 9] Delicious colors for a Brown’s Indian Queen, National Bitters, 4-Log Drake’s Plantation Bitters and Suffolk Bitters
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[Figure 10] Extremely rare color run of triangular OK 1840 Plantation bitters. The muscle car equal to bottles in my opinion. Killer in every respect.
and Berkshire) and three queens, including a green Indian Queen (ex: Judge MacKenzie and Doy McCall), to name a few [Fig 9]. Off to the races. Other great milestones in 2002 and 2003 include meeting and discussing bitters bottles with Bill Ham and the purchase of the great Bitters Bottle book by Carlyn Ring and Bill Ham. Jeff Wichmann’s Antique Western Bitters Bottles book was also a major inspiration and planted the seed for bottle photography, color runs, and my looking west for great bottles. This was confirmed after the FOHBC Reno
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National Show in 2006. Never have I seen greater color, quality and depth then on the tables and in the displays in Reno. I also was fortunate to meet and introduce myself to the greats I had only heard and read about including Richard Siri, Bryan Grapentine, Warren Friedrich and Mike Henness to name a few. In the east, I can not forget the day I spent at John Feldman’s house looking at his great collection. John seemed most concerned that it was a cloudy day and has asked us back to see the collection in sunlight. To be honest, I didn’t even notice since I was so amazed and inspired. Other great connections for bottles and information that kept me focused during these years included Ed and Cathy Gray, Jeff and Holly Noordsy, Dick Watson, Jeff Burkhardt, Jim Hagenbuch, Norm Heckler, Mark Warne, Bob Currens, Bob Overfield (Lightning Rod Balls) [Fig 12], Rod Walck, Ed Herrold, Jim Mitchell, John Pastor, Jim Hall, Tom Lines’ and my special bottle friends Tom and Alicia Booth. I remember seeing Tom Lines collection of quart Corn for the World flasks displayed in Baltimore one year. Another epiphany.
[Figure 11] Color group of Skilton, Foote & Company Bunker Hill Pickles / Trade Mark (Motif Of Light House)
I save the mention of Bob Ferraro for a special paragraph. What a wonderful man and inspiration. He epitomizes the best of our select group. He always has the patience to talk. I remember using a magnifying glass to look at the bottles on his shelves in a past FOHBC Bottles & Extras article. I was astonished. I
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[Figure 12] Color grouping of Lightning Rod Balls and Pendants in raised and flat quilt pattern mold
now have an invite to see his collection after the FOHBC National this year in Los Angeles (Pomona). We now compete for bottles and have a great time. We usually end up discussing barrels [Fig 13]. I have fifty plus and he is a bit ahead of me with seventy or so. You can sometimes see us together at a show in the parking lot looking at a barrel so special and rare that it does not even come in the show doors. Wow, it has been almost eight years now. I know this is just a short period of time compared to many in our elite group, but using my focus, determination, passion and resources, I’ve put together a cathedral of glass that stops me at any time of the day depending on where I’ve paused to look and what the light is doing to my glass.
Our Houston loft contains our contemporary glass collection while our house contains the antique glass collection. Primary focussing on antique bitters bottles, I have secondary collections of figurals, medicines, historical flasks, lightening rod balls, inks, and insulators. I’ll share a few pictures in this first article. I would like to investigate the complicated topic of glass color and documentation next issue. This will include how glass colors are made, how light reacts with glass, photography, research and documentation. If you see me at a show, I usually have three volumes of my collection in organized binders and my laptop with the same information. This allows me a somewhat reasonable chance of finding a new and unusual color variation for my collection.
[Figure 13] Interesting run of the smaller R/H 74 Roback’s Stomach Bitters
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September - October, 2009
Bottles and Extras
Tracking Cleveland’s Black Cat by Jack Sullivan (Special to Bottles & Extras)
A young immigrant and former Confederate soldier came to a Northern city shortly after the Civil War to market a product named after a well known symbol for a bad luck. We might assume that his failure was swift and certain. But not if the Johnny Reb’ was Morris Ullman, the city Cleveland, and the product Black Cat Whiskey. Ullman and his extended family can be tracked through more than 50 years as they rose to wealth and business prominence in Northern Ohio. A distant relative of the renown physicist Albert Einstein, Morris Ullman was born in 1835 in BadenWurtemberg, Germany, and emigrated to the United States in 1851 at the age of 16. According to newspaper accounts, he first settled in Alabama and then moved to Guilford County, North Carolina, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1857. In 1860, like hundreds of thousands other Southern boys, he joined the Confederate Army and served for the duration of the Civil War. The role of Jewish soldiers in the Confederate Army generally has been overlooked by historians. Shown here is a caricature of one from Jewish
magazine (Fig. 1). More than 10,000 fought for the South. Gen Robert E. Lee allowed his Jewish soldiers to observe all holy days. Northern generals, including William Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant, by contrast would not.
Germany to Cleveland and was hired by the Ullmans as a clerk, bookkeeper and salesman. Herman’s older brother, Leopold, had come to Cleveland earlier
The Founding of Ullman Brothers Morris came North after Lee’s surrender and settled initially in Franklin, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles northeast of Youngstown, Ohio. There he met his wife, Lenche, a year older than he. They married in 1866 and their son, Monroe, was born in Franklin later that year. Soon after, Morris and his new family moved to Cleveland. There he was reunited with an older brother, Emanuel Ullman, who already may have been engaged in the liquor trade. The company they founded dated its origins to 1866, but Ullman Brothers & Co. first showed up in Cleveland business directories three years later, in 1869, located at 69-71 Michigan St. in the Tower City area. From the beginning the brothers demonstrated a marketing flair. Shown here is a highly decorated, etched shot glass with the “U” initial, designating the firm (Fig. 2).
Figure 3 : Ullman, Einstein & Company logo
Figure 2 : Ullman Brothers’ shot glass Figure 1 : Caricature of a Jewish Confederate soldier
In 1873 their 18-year-old cousin, Herman Einstein, emigrated from
and also likely was in the whiskey business. After Emanuel Ullman’s untimely death in 1881, the two families merged their efforts and created Ullman, Einstein & Co. (Fig. 3). Herman and Leopold became partners in the firm with Morris Ullman as the managing partner. Enter the Black Cat Almost immediately the partners began to merchandise throughout Northern Ohio and beyond its Black Cat Whiskey (Fig. 4) The label featured the feline and declared the liquor to be “pure” and “old.” How old is open to question. UllmanEinstein were not distillers. They obtained their product from a number of sources, probably in Maryland and Kentucky. The firm may have been involved in “rectifying,” that is, mixing a number of lines of straight whiskey into a Figure 4: Black Cat Whiskey bottle blend to achieve a consistent taste, then putting its label on the bottle. However they arrived at the Black Cat, the Ullman-Einsteins advertised it widely. (Fig. 5). They also featured
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whiskers and eyes, the cat projects real personality (Fig. 6-9). Ullman-Einstein also issued several Black Cat highball glass, incuding one without a picture (Fig. 10). I particularly like an inlaid cloisonné porcelain watch fob in black, white, gold, red and blue that features the cat and the Cleveland municipal
Figure 5 : Black Cat advertisement
Figure 8 : “Cat won’t scratch” shot glass Figure 11 : Black Cat watch fob - front
Figure 12 : Black Cat watch fob - back Figure 6 : Black Cat shot glass (“rare...old”)
Figure 9 : Black Cat shot glass
Figure 7 : Black Cat shot glass - fluted
it on a range of giveaway items. The Black Cat was depicted on a variety of shot glasses. With its distinctive
Figure 10 : Black Cat highball glass
flag. (Fig. 11). Even though the item was not cheap to produce, the back of the fob (Fig. 12) indicates that it too was a giveaway. Unlike popular superstition, the Black Cat brought the cousins good luck and, more important, prosperity. Outgrowing their Michigan Street quarters, in 1892 they moved to Sheriff Street, now known as 4th Street SE. The firm inhabited a building three stories high and more than a half block long. It stood across from Cleveland’s New Market House, a hub of the city’s mercantile trade. (Fig. 13). Signs on its building declared that rye and bourbon whiskies were among its specialties. Its letterhead (Fig. 14) claimed the company, in addition to being a whiskey distributor and “blender,” was a distiller, with a Baltimore facility.
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Figure 15 : Elk Ridge Whiskey shot glass Figure 13 : Postcard of New Market House, Cleveland
Figure 16 : Wedding March shot glass - detail
Figure 14 : Ullman, Einstein letterhead
Beyond the Cat Although the Black Cat was the flagship of the company, Ullman, Einstein presented a wide variety of brands to its clientele. The firm also was assiduous in registering many of them with the Federal Government to prevent trademark infringement. In 1905, it registered J. Gibbons, McGibben, Union Springs and Euclid
Club whiskeys. In 1906, Black Cat, D.T. Gilmore and Son, UECO Old Nectar, and Wedding March. In 1907, Brook Trout and Walnut Creek, and finally in 1911, Mor Lee. No record exists of its the firm having registered other known Ullman-Einstein brands like Elk Ridge, B.O.E., and Adalyn. U-E also carried labels from other whiskey dealers, notably Spring Garden, with
Figure 17 : B.O.E. Whiskey shot glass
Cincinnati origins, and James River, from Richmond, Virginia. The firm issued shot glasses for many of these whiskeys, most of them
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Figure 18 : Spring Garden Rye shot glass Figure 23 : Ullman, Einstein ceramic whiskey jug
20). For the most part, Ullman-Einstein marketed its products in bottles (Figs. 21,22) but from time to time used ceramic jugs (Fig. 23).
Figure 19 : Adalyn Whiskey shot glass
Figure 21 : Walnut Creek Whiskey bottle
Figure 20 : Elk Ridge tip tray
bearing the distinctive etched U-E monogram (Figs. 15-19). A giveaway tip tray for Elk Ridge Whiskey featured a famous British painting of a stag (Fig.
Figure 22 : Ventura California Port Wine
Exclusion and Philanthropy Two U-E brands tell a special story. During the latter part of the 19th Century most Jews in Cleveland, like the Ullmans and the Einsteins, were immigrants from Germany. Numbering only about 3,500, they were generally accepted among the city’s heavily German population. Leopold Einstein, for example, strongly championed German cultural interests. In 1888 he was a leading fundraiser for the construction of a new Germania Hall in Cleveland (Fig. 24). Yet Jewish families faced discrimination from exclusive business and country clubs such as the Union Club of Cleveland and the Century Club. In 1872, twenty-two Jewish businessmen, Morris Ullman probably among them, founded the Excelsior Club. After meeting at several locations, in 1908 the club moved into a new home on Euclid Ave. in the Wade Park district (Fig. 25). The building today is Thwing Hall at Case-Western Reserve University. Both the Ullmans and Einsteins were active members of the club. Perhaps as a result, one of the company whiskey brands was
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Bottles and Extras
Figure 26 : Euclid Club shot glass Figure 24 : Postcard view of Germania Hall, Cleveland
Beyond the remarkable business acumen of these cousins was their notable community involvement. The commitment to charitable work and preserving their religious heritage was strong among these early immigrants. In 1873, Morris Ullman was listed as a board member of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. He was given special mention in the 1899 American Jewish Yearbook for his work on behalf of his fellow religionists. Herman Einstein was a board member of Tifereth Israel Congregation. This group had broken away from a more conservative Cleveland synagogue to found their Figure 25 : The Excelsior Club, Cleveland own “reformed” temple. named Excelsior Club. Another U- He also served as treasurer of the Mt. E whiskey brand, perhaps ironically, Sinai Hospital, treasurer of the Hebrew was named for one of the exclusionary Free Loan Assn., and was a member of organizations, Cleveland’s Euclid Club the Federation of Jewish Charities. (Fig. 26).
The Firm Grows and Changes As the firm grew and flourished, important events were occurring in the lives of two families. Monroe Ullman, educated in Cleveland schools, early joined U-E as a salesman and “traveling agent.” In 1892, he married Florence Fuld in Albany, New York. They would have two children. In 1893, Lenche Ullman, mother of Monroe and wife of Morris, died at the age of 59. Jacob Einstein, a son of Leopold, joined the firm during this period. In 1904, U-E incorporated for the first time. Morris Ullman and Leopold Einstein were its principal executives. Herman Einstein was named secretary and Monroe Ullman, a vice president. The next year the company name changed to Ullman-Einstein, the comma replaced by a hypen. In 1908 Morris died at age 73. The same year the firm moved to 657-659 Bolivar Ave. SE. Four years later Leopold Einstein died and Herman Einstein succeeded him as president and treasurer. Both Jacob Einstein and Monroe Ullman, sons of the founders, became company officers. In 1914, the extended family received recognition from their community when all three of the Ullman-Einstein leadership were featured in a 1914 “Book of Clevelanders” that chronicled the city’s leading businessmen. Jacob Einstein was singled out as a member
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Bottles and Extras
of the board of the National Liquor Dealers Association and a trustee of the Ohio Wine and Spirits Assn. He clearly had become a state and national leader in the distilling industry. This generation continued the philanthropic work of their parents. Monroe Ullman was a member of the Hebrew Relief Association, the Hebrew Free Loan Association, and the Wilson Avenue Temple. Jacob Einstein was a trustee of the Monteflor Home for the Old in Cleveland. In 1903, he married Ruth Weiner, a local Cleveland woman. She became a wellknown leader in the Jewish community for 50 years, responsible for initiating a number of successful charitable enterprises. Demise of the Black Cat Unlike those felines said to have nine lives, Ullman-Einstein’s Black Cat had only one -- or maybe two.
Prohibition in Ohio and in the Nation dealt the kitty a death blow. UllmanEinstein went out of business in 1919, taking with it the cat and all the other U-E brands. Two family members did not live to see Repeal. Jacob Einstein died in 1919, young at 43. His uncle Herman followed in 1922. In the 1920s Monroe Ullman founded a security dealer and investment firm of which he was president. He continued to be a recognized business figure in Cleveland until his death in 1938 at age 72. His wife, Florence, would live another 25 years as his widow, dying in 1963. Black Cat Whiskey has had something of a second life. A labeled bottle sold recently on eBay for $160. That brand and other Ullman-Einstein products also live on in a multitude of collectible shot glasses, watch fobs, tip trays, bottles and jugs. They remind us of an immigrant family who rose to
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prominence in their adopted country and community through hard work and imagination. For them the Black Cat proved to be a symbol of fame and fortune. Notes: Information about UllmanEinstein came from a variety of Internet and other sources, a principal one being www.prepro.com. The force behind that site is Robin Preston who has devoted himself with great energy to preserving the pre-Prohibition data about America’s whiskey industry. Illustrations of UllmanEinstein items largely are through his courtesy. The “Encyclopedia of Cleveland” was another useful resource. Portions of this article appeared earlier in the Ohio Swirl, the monthly publication of the Ohio Bottle Club.
39th ANNUAL DELAND M-T BOTTLE SHOW AND SALE The 39th DeLand M-T Bottle Collectors Annual Antique Bottle, Insulator and Collectibles Show and Sale were held at the Volusia County fairgrounds on March 20 & 21, 2009. The March lion wind was calm, the birds chirped, the weather cooperated and we were spared the duress of the huge all time high gas prices as they stabilized around $2.00 at the highest, we had a most welcome surprise in the form of another successful show, with 118 sales tables and 3 exhibit tables. The successful annual show and sale preparations began months before the March show. Chairwoman Maureen Pallasch started with the printing of flyers, mailing dealer contracts, numerous telephone contacts and meetings with city and county officials. Members met early on Friday March 20, to distribute show signs at points around the city while others started the set up of 118 sales tables, chairs and 3 exhibit tables in preparation for the dealers to set up their wares at 1 P.M. The admission was free and there was more than ample parking at the county fairgrounds. The club offered free bottle appraisals at the show, free handouts on bottle identification, club information and free bottles which were quickly taken by the attending public. The net result was the addition of five new families of bottle collectors uniting with our club. As usual, there were dealers from around the East, The majority being from Florida, then Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, New York, Texas and Illinois. The Building was
filled with many bottles, insulators and varied collectibles. The dealers were given a printed sign for their table and a computerized pin type plastic encased nametag showing their name, town and state with attached Gold ribbon with Black lettering for easy identification. There was a visible air of sadness as the dealers and public learned about the passing on February 17, 2009 of long time club member, digger, past President and bottle show chairman for 17 years, Charles O. Benton. This year’s bottle show was dedicated to his memory. Friday afternoon the dealers were busy visiting old friends and making new ones as they bought, sold and traded. There were tales of bottle digs and finds as they unloaded and set up their sales tables. There were three excellent exhibition displays for the enjoyment and education by all who attended the show: Display Awards 1. Louise O’Quinn of Deland, FL was awarded The Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors Ribbon for the most Educational Display of Florida Jugs. 2. Pickle Jar Display - Mike and Betty Jordan of Ocala, Florida, was awarded the People’s Choice for the most unique display of Fruit Jars. 3. Paul Conner of Jacksonville, FL was awarded the M-T Bottle Club Plaque for his display of Milk Glass
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September - October, 2009
Louisville, Ky., History
Bottles and Extras
by Betty Blasi Louisville, Kentucky
Although there were surely bottle diggers in Kentucky before the 1960s, I knew nothing about them. My own accidental trip into that wonderful world of the beautiful, the rare, the colorful and the whimsical from the glassblower’s blow pipe began with a walk in the woods in the late ‘60s. I kicked up a pale aqua bottle embossed “Electric Brain Food / Sure Cure for Headache and Neuralgia” on the front, Palmer Chemical Co., on one side and Louisville, Ky., on the other. That little bottle continued to warm my heart for more than a half-century, always close at hand to show amused and interested guests whether they were involved in the bottle world or not. I recently sold my little favorite to Dr. John Wolf in whose fabulous Cure collection I knew it would find a perfect home. If my first find had been clear and unembossed, the rest of my life may have been very different. As it was, I kicked around more, eventually finding an early 1900s dump in a nearby draw. Ever after, “she’s down in the dumps” had nothing to do with my state of mind, but was the usual answer if either of our sons asked where I could be found in
case they needed me. After many months of this behavior, my husband, Gene, who had belittled the passion I had exhibited for this “useless and unprofitable” pastime, suddenly changed his long-held position on the subject. He discovered that there were actually grown men in town who spent their weekends and all other available time they could manage digging on construction sites, turning up beautiful and valuable pieces of the history of our old river town. He joined in the group out of curiosity at first and was soon one of the most devoted members. Here’s a story I wrote for Old Bottle Magazine in 1973. I include it because it may be of interest to beginners to see how, after much trial and error and a few unpleasant quarrels, diggers in Louisville worked out some of the problems which seemed always to arise at a hole. Certainly not every digging group works this way. But as the ‘70s and ‘80s came and went, the process explained in this article was considered the fairest way to proceed. The article was titled “Confessions of a Privy Digger’s Widow.” “If you’ve never been a digger’s
Here’s Betty Blasi at a Louisville show behind black glass, case gins and cathedral pickles. (photo courtesy of Betty Blasi)
wife, you don’t know what you missed. You’ve missed being hauled out of bed at three in the morning by a phone call from a male stranger who tells you that ‘your husband needs a longer ladder at the Thirteenth Street dig.’ You’ve missed those loving little calls, ‘There’s no place to eat around here. Can you bring something?’ “You’ve missed getting stares from the grocery boy when you open your car trunk and are exposed to the whole world as a hoarder of crud-encrusted shovels and shoes. You’ve missed explaining to the dog why you put down papers for Dad. “But, you’ve gained a lot, too. Aside from the bottles and doll parts, guns, marbles and coins, you’ve gained some good friends and a lot of memories. You’ve also acquired a strange passion for dirty old glass. The best way to get hooked is to take a trip on a Louisville dig where the local diggers have gathered to excavate what looks likes an old outhouse in a very early section of town. “The prospects from the beginning seem exciting. The hole has been spotted on a vacant lot by one of the diggers, a construction foreman on a skyscraper going up nearby. He scouts the area from his salaried perch every day with binoculars. The calls have gone out and the clan has gathered. “Wearing a hard hat and a butcher’s white coat, Marvin Wylie arrives with his shovel and a three weeks’ supply of Banana Moon Pies. Marvin wears a butcher’s coat to keep clean and to look as official as possible. Casual passers-by may hear him addressed as ‘Inspector.’ He is a salesman for a well-known pharmaceutical firm. Bob Chaney, the skyscraper man, arrives. He became interested in bottles in a unique way. After chasing local diggers out of one of his construction sites four times in one night, he decided to get into the hole to see what it was all about. By the
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This Louisville, Kentucky site produced whiskies, blobtop sodas and ceramic goods. (photo courtesy of Betty Blasi)
time they crept in the fifth time, he was digging in it himself! “My husband, a hospital pharmacist, is there: First-aid man, photographer and chief supplier of large equipment. He owns the extension ladder, the batterycharged spotlight, the ropes, baskets, gloves, scrapers, etc. Local entrepreneur and antiques man Tiny Kennedy arrives: Town character, friend of man and beast, possessor of outstanding knowledge and chief overseer of the labors of others. Ainslie Hewett, a commercial artist; Don Coulter, an insurance man; Billy Hughes, a TV repairman, and other bottle lovers congregate. “From the beginning, it is decided which men will dig this hole and it becomes their responsibility to the end. Others will take probes and check out the rest of the field for other buried brickwork which might indicate other outhouses or wells. Some will stay and dig for 12 to 14 hours, regardless of the weather and other obligations. (Many a cold dinner getting colder). Some will drift off to promising holes elsewhere. Some decide to rest up and dig the next night. Some hang around to observe. When the Banana Moon Pies give out, the men are separated from the boys. “This group of men is equipped to stay warm, stay late, store large numbers of bottles carefully and light their way to the bottom of a hole that may go 35 feet. Only one man is in the hole at a time. He
wears a construction helmet to protect his head from falling objects. Others take turns hauling up dirt in buckets to which ropes have been attached. At least one man always stays near the rim of the hole so that the man down under is never left alone. When a digger gets tired, he calls for the ladder and another takes his place. “When the dig is over and the hole has been faithfully filled (to keep peace with Urban Renewal and prevent accidents), the men will flip a coin to see who gets the first draw from the night’s take. Then, in turn, each man chooses one bottle at a time until all the bottles
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are gone. This procedure has long been adopted as the fairest way to distribute the treasure and the trash. “A novice can learn a great deal from observing such major digs. He learns that on a bitterly cold night, a delicate pontiled bottle which has been buried deep in the warm earth should not be brought to the surface without some protection from the sudden change in temperature. A good bottle out of wet earth is easier to clean up later if it is kept moist with water or oil at the hole. A novice learns that there are times when a hundred-year-old brick wall needs to be braced for the safety of the man going down. Sheets of plywood and two-byfours strategically placed are enough to make most excavations secure. Such deep digs can be very rewarding. Some excellent bottles have come out of these Louisville digs. Resident diggers are very fortunate that their town is a very old river community built on early river boat commerce. Bottles from all over the eastern United States have made their way up the cobblestone levee at Louisville. “But some of the greatest bottles are the homegrown natives: the Louisville Glass Works scroll flasks; the pontiled ‘Dr. Geohagen’s Cure for Scrofula, Louisville, Ky.’; the beautiful blobtop emerald green ‘Crystal Palace’ sodas;
Neither rain, nor snow, nor anything else can keep bottle collectors from their privy digs. Louisville collector is unidentified (photo courtesy of Betty Blasi)
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the unusual ten-paneled blobtop soda, ‘J. Ruckstuhl, Louisville, Ky.’; the delicate pontiled ‘Dr. John Bull’s King of Pain, Louisville, Ky.’; and the heartbreaking, almost emerald ‘Daily’s Balsam of Waughoo, Louisville, Ky.,’ in eight pieces. (The latter was particularly tragic to the writer, who is a balsam collector). “Since deep digs are not always productive, a sense of humor is a must. It is necessary to appreciate the less serious side of bottle digging. A neighborhood wino often drops by to pass the time of day and it can be pretty disconcerting when he tells you this outhouse used to belong to his family and you are wasting your time because his grandmother never threw anything into it. “There are also the little kids hanging around, who ask questions so fast that they’ve forgotten what they asked before you get the answer out. Today’s innercity kids are fascinated by the whole idea of outhouses. The original purpose is beyond their comprehension, and they contemplate the whole idea with shock and disbelief. Their comments are legendary. “It’s all a great experience and when it’s all over and your dirty old man staggers home with the night’s haul, he may have a dozen pontiled medicines or he may have a ‘Hoyt’s Nickel Cologne.’ By the time my husband, Gene, became interested in bottles, the digging was being done by perhaps 12 to 15 individuals. The merry band was led by the unforgettable and inimitable Tiny Kennedy. Gene was standing next to Tiny in an antiques store one day when he overheard him talking about a “dig,” entered into the conversation, and was asked to go along on the next one. Tiny had a special gift of talking his way onto heavily guarded construction sites. He always had something handy to use as persuasion to get next to tough overseers and determined supervisors. A bottle of whiskey, a hilarious story, a little sermon on the historic importance of what might be found – anything went for the good of the project. He was strong on bottle knowledge, but notoriously slow in the spending of
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elbow grease. Even so, he was usually found at any working hole. He was so completely absorbed in the business of digging, researching, collecting and selling bottles that it dominated his life . In fact, his wife, Robbie, felt it was appropriate to have the bottle part of the well-known logo for the Kentuckiana Antique Bottle & Outhouse Society engraved on his tombstone. It was beautifully done and she was right – nothing could have been more suitable. Other diggers in those early days included Billy Gonterman, Billy Hughes, Jim Smith, Steve Vittoe, Ken and Gordy Raymond, Steve Keith, Peter Guetic, the Goffinet Brothers, Karl and Howard, Ainslie Hewett and his son, Don Kay, Frank Mathews, Bob Menafee, Marviun Wylie, Gene Blasi, Stan Roessler and partners Cliff Campbell and Jerry Richie. Some of the digs were particularly memorable. There were high
Here’s the view from below as a Louisville digger awaits his turn in an outhouse pit. (photo courtesy of Betty Blasi)
expectations on one and the diggers’ imaginations were stirred when the merry band was allowed to dig in the backyard of the Thomas Edison House. It was understood that all relics would be donated to the museum being planned by the Thomas Edison Butcherton House Inc. Such possible riches! It turned out to be a big disappointment. After spending all day in subfreezing temperatures, they didn’t find a single item or locate the outhouse. By far the most exciting time was
Bottles and Extras
when six diggers went in together and bought an old city dump in Shelbyville, Ky. There was a deal, of course. When they were through with it, the diggers were to donate the land to that city for a public park! There was an old shack on the property in which they were to live for whatever length of time it took to dig the sizeable piece of property. Problem was, the house had not been vacated and the diggers were forced to sleep in a rusty hulk of an old school bus deep in the nearby weeds. No running water, of course. The tenants, who had been in no hurry to leave, changed their minds when they were invaded by six shovelwielding, unshaven dirty men who eyed them almost malevolently. It was three days before the tenants departed and the merry band took over the shack. It was no castle, but it sure did beat that school bus. Food had to be brought in every day, lunch and supper by station wagon from Louisville because the men couldn’t get clean enough to go into any Shelbyville restaurant. Wives spent day after day cooking and packing food, washing towels and occasionally supplying clean clothes, although the latter task was certainly not a priority. It was all worth it. There were hundreds of amber Coke bottles which were much in demand and would bring $5 each or more if the bottles came from an unfamiliar bottling works. There were cathedral peppersauces, wonderful beers, rare whiskies and almost daily visits by the Shelbyville mayor who, with good reason, felt he’d better keep an eye on the goings-on in his future “park.” That dig went on for about three weeks, as I remember. For the most part in Louisville, diggers were allowed to do their thing because the police force came to understand that holes were always filled and these diggers were always good about getting permission. It was the cherished big construction sites near the river that were always touch and go, depending upon the supervisor’s whims. Relics and worthy bottles from that huge dig invariably would appear at the next Louisville bottle show. Some of
Bottles and Extras
Charles H. “Tiny” Kennedy was a founder of the Kentuckiana Antique Bottle and Outhouse Society in Louisville. Following his premature death, his widow thought it appropriate to have his grave marker engraved with the bottle part of the club logo. He is buried in the Low Dutch Cemetery in Pleasureville, Ky, (photo courtesy of Betty Blasi)
them were sold on the spot to individuals in the sizeable crowds that collected to watch, especially around lunchtime. The first Louisville shows were put on by the Kennedy family, but after the sad loss of Tiny in 1974, the club took over and put on its first show in 1975 at the Holiday Inn on Fern Valley Road. It was easy to find, had plenty of space, and the show prospered there for many years. While we appreciated all of our dealers, many of whom came from faraway places, we had a special affection for the bottle lovers from Chicago. They always chartered a big bus and brought dozens of enthusiasts with them. It was such fun to watch them pile out of the bus with their boxes and bags and “so happy to be here” attitudes. Each year, we gave them something to raffle off on the trip home. One year it as a country ham, another time it was a gift certificate to a Chinese restaurant in Chicago. Each year it was different, our way of expressing our sincere appreciation for their wonderful continued support. Several books emerged from the interest in antique bottles, which had begun in 1966 with Tiny Kennedy as he dug around the yard of his 100-year-old home. Peter Guetig and Conrad Selle produced a true labor of love when they published the 292-page “Louisville Breweries, A History of the Brewing Industry in Louisville, Kentucky, New Albany and Jeffersonville, Indiana.”
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It included great old ads, photos of collectors and an unbelievable amount of information. Also appearing on bookstore shelves was “Louisville’s Early Medicine Bottles,” a 92-page, spiral-bound study of 200 Louisville bottles written by Gene Blasi. This book has old ads, clear and sharp drawings of almost every bottle showing the embossing on all sides with complete descriptions of each bottle as to color, size, type of lip, base and rarity. Like books that have been written about bottles, collections of bottles have been lovingly assembled in Kentucky. In fact, Kentucky’s distilling families have a special bent for collecting these relics from our past. Robinson Brown of Louisville is known to have assembled one of the finest collections in the country. It’s no surprise that his grouping includes some spectacular old whiskies. There is early black glass, a 2,000-year-old bottle and about 700 fine old bottles and decanters. Mr. and Mrs. Brown generously shared a part of their collection with the Louisville club by displaying it at one of the annual shows. Another Kentucky distilling group represented in the bottle world is the T. Samuel Williams family, whose collection is smaller than the Browns’, but very impressive. Along with goldlettered decanters, this collection houses a large group of back bar bottles lettered in gold leaf and some are elaborate in design. This reminds me of a would-be treasure in the Louisville club archives. It is a letter on White House stationery stating that the President of the United States appreciated the invitation to visit the Louisville bottle show, but would be unable to attend. If only this had been signed by the President, which we had been hoping for in the very least, it would have at least been an amusing topic of conversation. But it wasn’t, We had to check the date and count back to stir the memory that it was President Jimmy Carter who was in office at the time. There are other well-known bottle collections in the state, including many that were dug. Peter Guetig’s beer
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collection is by far the most complete of Louisville and southern Indiana examples. Another collection worth mentioning was Gene Blasi’s Louisville bottles. Every category, inks, whiskies, beers, condiments, sarsaparillas, bitters, cures and medicines, were represented. The collection was sold after his death in 1996. Of all the bottles owned by Kentuckians, which are considered the best of the best? Residents of Louisville and pig bottle lovers certainly would vote for the Duffy’s Crescent Saloon bottles. There aren’t many of these little charmers known. John Duffy, whom operated his saloon on Jefferson Street in Louisville, used to hand out these bottles full of whiskey at Christmas. Then there are the Galt House flasks and, like Duffy’s pigs, are perhaps rarer and more popular locally. Galt House was one of the most famous hostelries in the South. It boasted the best of everything from oysters to weddings. The 6-1/4-inch tall, dark amber flasks are either embossed “James Raine, Galt House,” or “Silas Miller Co., Galt House, Louisville. Raine was the hotel’s proprietor in the 1850s. One night on an early dig on property near where the original Galt House had stood, six of the flasks were dug from one hole. Five were embossed with Miller’s name and one with Raine. Another important piece of glassware from the early days of Louisville is a one-of-a-kind target ball. It had been manufactured by the Louisville Glass Works and had been in the Tiny Kennedy collection unseen for many years. The 1855 glass house, credited with being Louisville’s first, had sprung from the earlier Kentucky Glass Works founded in 1850. The target ball’s embossing reads: “Manufactured by the / Kentucky Glassworks Company / Joseph Griffin & Sons Sole Agents / Also dealers in Guns, Pistols and Fishing Tackle Louisville / Kentucky. It was bought at a 2009 auction by Michigan collector Ralph Finch for $21,850!
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Jacob Hoehn and California’s Summit Mineral Water By Eric McGuire
Just as the bottled spring water business has boomed in the last 30 years, during the 19th Century most of the western world, including California, witnessed a proliferation of bottled natural and flavored waters from springs that were also exploited in the form of sanitariums, hotels and resorts. Perhaps no other state in the union provided so many bottled spring waters during the last half of the 19th century except for New York. Hot spots along the contact zone of the earth’s North American and Pacific tectonic plates have created a myriad variety of mineral laden waters that were once thought to cure nearly all of mankind’s ailments. Whenever a new spring was discovered a sample of the water was quickly whisked away to a prominent chemist who would perform a mineral analysis which was proudly advertised along with its curative properties. Generally accompanied with firsthand testimonials of its power, some waters gained a sort of mystical fame for their seemingly magical cures, with a far greater veracity than concocted medical remedies. Summit Mineral Water is just one example of California’s liquid mineral commodities although not nearly as famous as others such as Napa Soda, Pacific Congress, Aetna, Tolenas, Witter, Bartlett and so many others. Difficult to access, the site of the springs was locked in the Sierra Nevada deep freeze for half the year. It never accommodated a large number of vacationers and for some reason lapsed into disfavor and didn’t recover from a fire at the end of the 19th century. Currently it could be considered a “ghost resort”, still difficult to access and located on posted private property. Only a part of the original cabin structure still exists. The Old Soda Springs Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as No. 1978000734. Known as Soda Springs during its heyday, its waters were bottled for only a few years during the early 1870s. This paper explores its early beginnings and the history of the man responsible for marketing Summit Mineral Water. Jacob Hoehn was born in the Kingdom of Prussia on October 19, 1832 (1). He would have been 18 years old in 1850, certainly old enough for a young adventurer to sail to California on the eve of the Gold Rush. A record of his arrival has yet to be determined but Jacob must have arrived during the decade of the 1850s. The first documented evidence of Jacob Hoehn in California is in 1861 when the Sacramento Directory listed him as operating his Plaza Saloon at 286 J Street. From the late 1860s William Hoehn was working for Jacob as a bar keeper and was likely related and probably a brother, born in 1842 in Prussia. He may have been the same William Hoehn who was operating a restaurant in Virginia City, Nevada, as early as 1864. William died relatively young and unmarried in Sacramento in 1873. (2) Jacob Hoehn was well connected to the Sacramento
business community. Operating a popular saloon and active in the Sacramento Masonic Hall Association, he could feel the economic pulse of the community, and in the mid 1860s it was no secret that the western end of the transcontinental railway was well under construction and opening up a number of opportunities for shrewd business men. Lumber was already a booming business and the new railroad would vastly increase the market area of this commodity. Beginning in the 1850s the Sitka Ice Company held a virtual monopoly on the ice trade in California. Its primary source was the North Pacific Coast and the only mode of transportation was by ship to various port cities. Inland deliveries were more problematic and the cost per pound rose considerably based on transportation issues. While some Sierra Nevada communities used local ice it could not be traded long distances due to the lack of efficient transportation systems. The anticipation of using the newly constructed Central Pacific Railroad (C.P.R.R.) to harvest ice and store it at the summit of the Sierra Navada Mountains, then deliver it on demand via the railroad, was given serious consideration by a number of entrepreneurs. Benjamin Bernard Redding was the land agent for the Central Pacific Railroad. (3) The C.P.R.R. was the recipient of vast amounts of government land as part of the deal for constructing the western part of the transcontinental railroad. The Pacific Railway Act of 1862 granted ten square miles of public land - every other section - on each side of the new rail tracks, for every mile of track laid. (4)
Prior to the construction of the railroad the wagon road over the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains was difficult to traverse. Nearly all traffic between California and Central Nevada had to use this route. (5)
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This land was given to the company to use as it wished, with the presumption that its sale would help finance the railroad and also foster settlement and commerce. As the person charged with its disposition B.B. Redding was on the “inside” when it came to assessing its potential and the development of an ice business at the summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in close proximity to the railroad tracks was an easy option to pursue. Redding assumed a personal interest in the possibilities. B.B. Redding and Jacob Hoehn were obviously friends, and probably met through the social milieu of the Plaza Saloon. Pure speculation but the idea of the Summit Ice Company could easily have been discussed at the saloon with the details ever evolving over rounds of libations. However it happened, a small circle of acquaintances soon coalesced into business partners in a venture that that was to change the life direction of the subject of this discussion. Jacob Hoehn conveyed the operation of the Plaza Saloon to his brother and Jacob became a partner in the Summit Ice Company. Certainly the Plaza Saloon would have benefited from Jacob’s access to large amounts of ice during the oppressively hot Sacramento summers. How quickly we forget that there was no air conditioning at that time – not even a reliable ceiling fan. The thought of copious amounts of ice in a glass of refreshing liquid must have been an enticing thought, and a huge marketing advantage for the saloon. William Hoehn continued with operating the Plaza Saloon but his death on August 28, 1873, caused Jacob Hoehn to resume control until he could liquidate the business. He was well entrenched in the ice business by then and preferred to focus on that venture.
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On September 7, 1868, The Summit Ice Company was incorporated under the laws of the State of California. The trustees in charge were Fitz William Redding (Sr.) (the father of B.B. Redding), Samuel D. Smith and Jacob Hoehn. The other stock holders were B.B. Redding, and W.E. Brown. The business was to be conducted not more than a mile from Summit Station at what is now known as Serene Lakes (they are also known as Ice Lakes), on a 160-acre tract of land that was originally homesteaded by Fitz William Redding(Jr.) in 1866, presumably in anticipation of developing the Serene Lakes as a ice harvesting location. (7) The lakes appeared to be ideal for ice harvesting since they regularly froze in the winter and were less than a mile from the new railroad line.
Passengers disembarking at Summit Station were presented with a forest of posts that supported the huge roof of the snow shed. From this point the Summit Soda Springs were another 15 miles by horse. (8)
The newly constructed Summit Station with the Summit House on the left. Massive snow sheds were necessary to keep from paralyzing the movement of trains during the winter months. Construction of the C.P.R.R. to this point allowed for the cost effective harvesting of ice. This photo was probably taken no later than 1870 since the denuded landscape shows no sign of revegetation. (6)
What the Summit Ice Company had not anticipated was the huge volume of snow that fell at the lakes during the winter which had to be removed from the surface prior to ice harvesting. They endured several winters but gave up the site after fighting a losing battle with the snow. They soon learned that just a few miles farther east, on the other side of the summit, it was at least as cold but there was a “rain shadow” phenomenon since most of the precipitation had been wrenched from the clouds on the western side of the divide. At great expense the Summit Ice Company moved its operations to Prosser Creek, near the C.P.P.R.’s Prosser Creek Station, about seven miles east on the other side of the divide. The Truckee Republican summed it up best: “About a mile and a half from Summit Valley there are . . . beautiful little lakes, with some ice houses broken down by last winter’s snow, and abandoned by the company who have moved to Prosser Creek where they have as much cold weather but not so much snow.” (10)
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This advertisement appeared in July 1871, at about the same time the above photos of the hotel were taken. Understandably, it was not long before the proprietor realized that the nearby Summit Soda Springs was a bigger attraction than Summit Station. At best Summit Station would have been just a necessary one night stop to a more picturesque location. (9)
The Summit Ice Company remained at its Prosser Station location until it ceased to exist in 1882. Jacob Hoehn was its primary managing operative during its entire existence.
Jacob Hoehn’s 1872 Sacramento Directory advertisement. (11)
Ice companies proliferated at the summit to the extent that they were all pricing themselves out of the market. By April of 1873 the Summit Ice Company, Nevada Ice Company and Boca Mill and Ice Company, three of the larger companies in the region, decided to coalesce under one name – the Pacific Ice Company – in order to gain more market share. (12) The three companies also retained their separate identities as well, but enjoyed a better profit margin due to their price fixing umbrella monopoly. With this formation Jacob Hoehn was made superintendent of Union Ice, but still managed the Summit Ice Co. In 1882 B.B. Reading died and yet another conglomerate of companies joined forces under one name. This time a total of six separate competitors became the Union Ice Company and the umbrella known as the Pacific Ice Company fell by the wayside. Again, Jacob Hoehn was the superintendent, but this time the Summit Ice Company was dissolved. Lloyd
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Jacob Hoehn’s 1874 Advertisement in the Sacramento Directory in which he proudly notes his new brick building. The importance of the Pacific Ice Co., and diminishment of the Summit Ice Co. is also evident. This is the last year that Summit Mineral Water is mentioned. (13)
Tevis became president of the Union Ice Company. (14) Jacob Hoehn moved to San Francisco that same year and took a more distant role in management. He continued with the Union Ice Company until 1890 but also participated in the incorporation of the Sierra Lakes Ice Company on January 6, 1888. Along with Hoehn the directors of Sierra Lakes included Moses Hopkins (brother of the deceased Mark Hopkins, who died 29 March 1878, and was the primary recipient of Mark Hopkins’ vast estate), Edward Whitney Hopkins, Charles A. Grow and Russel J. Wilson. Jacob Hoehn was selected superintendent. The force that was Jacob Hoehn would soon come to an end in San Francisco when he died there on May 17, 1890. When the Summit Ice Company vacated the geographical place that was to become known as Summit, and moved to Prosser Creek, the partners continued on at Summit Soda Springs located about ten miles to the south of Ice Lakes – but with a different venture. Begun by at least 1871 the Summit Soda Springs offered naturally effervescent mineral water that bubbled from deep within the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The soda springs, located at 6,000 feet in elevation, in a grand canyon at the headwaters of the American River, had been known to the native population for millennia, as testified by the petroglyphs on the natural canvas provided by the massive Pleistocene glaciers that scraped the granite landscape smooth near the springs. First discovered by gold seekers, the springs remained so remote that only the most adventuresome were to visit until the C.P.R.R. established Summit Station. It became a relatively easy 15 mile buggy ride from there. Mark Hopkins was the first to exploit the virtues of the springs by constructing a small but well built log cabin there. Undoubtedly nurtured by the presence of the well known and well heeled Mark Hopkins the springs soon
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became a favored location for California’s wealthy elite to experience nature at its wildest, within the broad definition of the limits to which such elite would subject themselves. The cold effervescent water of the springs were laden with minerals and its tonic effect, along with the solace of the location, became a place to rejuvenate and recuperate from the rigors of the hectic life of the urban West. Within a few years a small hotel was also constructed there by the proprietors of the Summit Station Hotel. Benjamin Parke Avery wrote of a trip to the Summit Valley and the Summit Soda Springs in the mid 1870s: “Arrived at the summit of the Sierra Nevada, on the line of the railroad, there are many delightful pedestrian and horseback excursions to be made in various directions. At Summit Valley (which is associated with the relief of the tragically fated Donner emigrants, and is only three miles from Donner Pass) there is an odious saw-mill, which has thinned out the forests; an ugly group of whitewashed houses; a ruined creek, whose waters are like a tan-vat; a big sandy dam across the valley, reared in a vain attempt to make an ice pond; a multitude of dead, blanched trees; a great, staring, repellant blank; and yet this valley is not unlovely.” “Near the junction of granite and volcanic rocks, numerous soda springs boil up through seams in the ledges, often in the very bed of the stream. The water of these springs is highly charged with carbonic acid, is delightfully cool and pungent, and contains enough iron to make it a good tonic, while it has other saline constituents of much sanitary value. Where the fountains bubble up they have formed mounds of ferruginous earth and soda crust, and their water stains the river banks and currents at intervals. One of the largest and finest springs has been utilized, forming one of the most picturesque resorts in California.” (15)
The only located description of the bottling operations appeared in the San Francisco Bulletin in 1871: “Persons coming here will find no hotel, but either Mr. Tucker or Mr. Cardwell will supply them with necessary food and bedding to stay as long as they please. There is a log cabin and cooking utensils here, and an employee of the Summit Springs Soda Water Company (whose headquarters are at Sacramento) lives here and bottles thirty dozen bottles of the water daily, which is sold in Sacramento, Marysville and Stockton.” (17)
By July of 1873 the Summit Soda Springs had upstaged Summit Station as a Sierran destination, as this advertisement attests. (16)
This is the earliest, and only, reference found regarding the bottling of Summit Springs water. A similar descriptive article about Summit Soda Springs was printed just two years later but there was no mention of water being bottled at that time. (18)
The Summit Soda Springs’ first cultural improvement was the Mark Hopkins log cabin (center), which was built about 1870. It was followed by the Summit Soda Springs Hotel (right) which was constructed about 1873. A number of smaller cabins were also eventually located on the property. The actual spring is located on the far right and can be identified by the small light spot below the lowest window on the hotel. The light spot is a roof covering the spring. (19)
A bottling operation that produces only 360 bottles a day is a remarkably small venture, especially considering the springs were usually not accessible, and could not be functioning for half the year due to the heavy snow and ice conditions. The access road would not be available for the transport of bottles. Perhaps production increased over time, however, with the little recognition it received in the literature it probably never became a success. Also, with the market area being focused in Sacramento, Marysville and Stockton, the problematic loss and retrieval of bottles must have been a major problem. From the information located it is determined that it is unlikely the bottling of Summit Mineral Water witnessed the end of 1873.
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Jacob and Catherine had ten children, all born in Sacramento; William Jacob Hoehn, born September 21, 1864, died May 19, 1889 Elizabeth Hoehn, born September 2, 1866, died October 27, 1891. (She married Charles E. Kleinseorge and had William, but he died young on June 29, 1891 at 6 months 27 days old from cholera.) Emma Hoehn, born abt 1868, died before 1900. (She married John W. Geeslin and had Florence Emma Geeslin, born October 4, 1891, died May 26, 1981 in Shasta County, CA. Florence married a Gaines, probably later in her life, and no children have been found). John Hoehn, born abt 1871. He appeared in the 1880 U.S. census but apparently died young. George C. Hoehn, born 1873, died June 12, 1875 By the mid 1870’s Summit Spring had been improved with a rustic structure befitting of its sylvan surroundings. (20)
The popularity of the Summit Soda Springs came to an abrupt end on September 2, 1898, when it was destroyed by fire. The San Francisco Call newspaper described the devastation that effectively ended its life as a recreational destination. The hotel was never rebuilt. (21)
Tillie Hoehn, born February 16, 1875, died May 22, 1890 Minnie Hoehn, born September 2, 1878, died April 9, 1944 Katherine Florence Hoehn, born December 27, 1880, died February 26, 1964 Howard Thomas Hoehn, born May 17, 1884, died May 12, 1922 Ethyl May Hoehn, born February 1889, died April 7, 1963
Jacob Hoehn married Catherine Boss about 1863, probably in Sacramento. Born in Ohio in March 1847, she was the step-daughter of Anthony Hess, a farmer who had settled in the Runyon area of Franklin Township about 1858, located just south of Sacramento City. Catherine died in Sacramento on May 3, 1910.
Jacob Hoehn’s final resting place is in the Old Sacramento City Cemetery. He is buried with his wife and a number of his children, which is marked by a large granite stone.
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5. Photo from an old stereoview card, circa 1868 6. From E. & H.T. Anthony & Co., New York, Stereoview Card No. 7119 7. Originally three adjacent lakes, Serena, Dulzura and Sybil, a dam in the 1940’s created only two lakes and the name Serene Lakes became dominant. The Ice Lakes name was created during the short period when they were used for ice harvesting and has never completely disappeared. A subdivision of recreational cabins currently surrounds the lakes. Sugar Bowl Ski Resort is also located nearby. 8. Photo from an old stereoview card. 9. San Francisco Bulletin, July 14, 1871 10. Truckee Republican, August 26, 1872 11. Sacramento Directory for the Year Commencing January 1, 1872. H.S. Crocker, Publisher. Sacramento, Cal. 12. San Francisco Bulletin, April 25, 1873 13. Sacramento Directory for the Year Commencing January 1, 1874. H.S. Crocker, Publisher. Sacramento, Cal. 14. Tevis was a mega-rich capitalist of his day, and is perhaps best known for being the president of Well-Fargo Bank for 21 years. 15. Avery, Benjamin Park. Californian Pictures in Prose and Verse. New York, Hurd and Houghton; Cambridge, The Riverside press, 1878. pps. 97 & 98 16. San Francisco Bulletin, July 22, 1873 17. San Francisco Bulletin, June 12, 1871 18. San Francisco Bulletin, June 27, 1873 19. Photo from an old stereoview card 20. From Carleton E. Watkins New Series Stereoview No. 4214 21. San Francisco Call, September 3, 1898
Of all their children none produced heirs that are living today. In fact, they had only one grandchild who lived a natural life and she had no children. Of all Jacob and Catherine’s children only two were married – unusual for any family. The bottles produced for the sale Summit Soda Springs mineral water appear to have been blown in a single mold and all have visual characteristics of being produced at the Pacific Glass Works in San Francisco. Its only competitor, the San Francisco Glass Works, was not functional between 1868 and 1872 due to a devastating fire. It is unknown if more than one order of bottles were blown but they are not particularly common artifacts. All are made in shades of aquamarine with a capacity of one pint, with a typical blob top of the period. The embossing, all on one face, reads; SUMMIT / MINERAL WATER/ J.H. The initials can be for none other than Jacob Hoehn. End Notes: 1. His birthdate is calculated from his age on his tombstone. 2. Sacramento Daily Union, January 1, 1874 3. B.B. Redding arrived in California penniless but became the California Secretary of State; State Representative; first State Printer; Mayor of Sacramento, CA; U.S. Government Land Agent, State Fisheries Commissioner; State Prison Commissioner; Regent of the University of California; President of the Calif. Academy of Sciences; newspaper publisher and a number of lesser titles. He also lent his name to the City of Redding, CA, county seat of Shasta County. 4. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Railway_Acts
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Minutes of the July 31, 2009 meeting of the FOHBC Board of Directors at the Pomona, California Fairplex Center President Richard Siri called the board meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. Members present included June Lowry, Wayne Lowry, Alan DeMaison, James Bender, James Houdeshell, Bob Ferraro, Carl Sturm, Cecil Munsey, Ed Herrold, Sheldon Baugh, John Pastor, James Berry, Bill Ham and Mr. Siri. Mr. Baugh moved that the Board accept the agenda offered by Mr. Siri and Mr. Ferraro seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. Mr. Ferraro moved that the minutes of the meeting of March 7, 2009 be approved and this was seconded by Mr. Ham. The motion was unanimously approved. Treasurer Alan DeMaison provided three handout items to accompany his report. First was “Fiscal 08-09 (July1, 2008-June 30, 2009). The second was “Fiscal 09-10 (July1, 2009-July 23, 2009) and the third was a special report on the “L.A. National Show as of July 23, 2009.” In his presentation , Mr. DeMaison stated that the value of the organization’s investment portfolio declined from $145,224 as of June 2008 to $103,759 as of March 31 of this year. Since that date, however, the value of investments had increased to $116,461 as of June 30, 2009. Mr. Pastor moved to accept the report of the treasurer and the motion was seconded by Mr. Sturm. The motion was passed without dissent. Next on the agenda was the report of show chairman Wayne Lowry. He stated that 151 sales tables had been paid to date. There were questions raised concerning the mailing list after Mr. Bender stated that he had received two contracts, but his may have been the only duplication as there have been no other similar reports. The Los Angeles Club reportedly used a mailing list of 2,500 for soliciting contracts. The reports that Mr. Lowry had emailed to the board regarding the Collinsville and York Shows were also discussed. Pam Selenik, local club show chairperson for the Pomona show, opined that she thought the table prices at $90 were too high and discouraged table sales. There was a lengthy discussion about prices for sales spaces at other types of shows. There seemed to be a consensus among the board members that our table space prices were considerably less than for other types of shows. Comparisons were made with shows where stamps, coins, tokens, guns, casino chips, etc., and jewelry were sold. Because Pomona show costs were high (We had to rent the parking lot at $2,000 for two days, for instance!), there really was little opportunity to offer tables at a lower price. As for the 2010 National Show, Mr. Houdeshell located a site in Wilmington, Ohio. This was checked out and confirmed by Mr. Lowry, who stated that the cost would be much more reasonable than most other sites and was centrally located, both in Ohio (between Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus) and the U.S. generally. The show will be held the first weekend in August. He expects to have strong support from the Findlay Ohio Bottle Club. Club members Patty Elwood and Joe Harden have agreed to be co-chairpersons for the show. Mr. Houdeshell moved for acceptance of the Ohio site and Mr. Baugh seconded. The motion passed without dissent. Mentioned as possible sites for future shows included
Bradenton, Florida; Minneapolis, Minn.; Sacramento, Calif.; Manchester, N.H.; Reno, Nevada, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Baugh reported that he had determined that a liability insurance policy to cover officers and directors was available for $762 for a two-year term. Mr. Baugh moved that the policy be purchased, the motion was seconded by Bill Ham and unanimously approved. Next on the agenda were concerns regarding the displaying, storing and moving the Hall of Fame and Honor Roll plaques, books, stands etc., from show to show. They have been packed in 11 boxes and stored between shows in the secretary’s basement (and barely avoided damage last year when Mr. Herrold’s water heater began leaking). Mr. DeMaison and Mr. Pastor were asked to look into the possibility of computerizing the material so it would be available for display without actually having to move this material. ( Note: Mr. DeMaison took the display material with him on his return to his Ohio home following the Pomona show. Mr. Siri said that he next wanted to discuss the possibility of a need to raise dues because of increased postal rates affecting the mailing of the magazine. Mrs. Lowry said that the new rates were higher, but only by 17 cents per copy. No action was taken. A need to increase the membership was also discussed. Membership in August 2008 was 1140 and the current membership is 1188. Mrs. Lowry attributed the improvement in part to follow up renewal efforts by Mr. Sturm. Everyone was encouraged to consider possible ways we might improve membership, but no formal action was taken. The next agenda item was the Proposed Revised By-Laws as introduced by By-Laws Revision Committee chairman Bill Ham. Mr. Ferraro moved for approval of the Revisions and Mr. Ham seconded the motion. The Proposed Revised By-Laws were passed by a vote of 13-1 with Mr. Munsey dissenting. The revised By-Laws will be posted on the web site for viewing and a final general membership vote will be taken at the Baltimore meeting in March 2010. There will be a notice published in the magazine and any member not having computer access can request a hard copy from the business manager. This was followed by a discussion of the possibility of utilizing foundation grants as a source of funds for the Federation. Mr. Siri appointed a committee consisting of Mr. DeMaison, Mr. Lowry and business manager Mrs. Lowry to look into this possibility. Mr. Munsey spoke on a resolution he had submitted for establishing guidelines to be used for qualifying candidates for Hall of Fame and Honor Roll recognition. He emphasized that candidates should be selected on the basis of services to the hobby and not on their personalities or personal traits. Mr. Siri appointed Mr. Munsey and Mr. Ham as a committee to prepare guidelines to be used and re-submit these to the Board at the March 2010 meeting. During a discussion of finding ways to increase membership and improve funding for the Federation, Mr. Munsey introduced a camera-ready manuscript sent to him by the late David Clint. He stated that Mr. Clint had co-authored two books for the Denver Club plus a book on Pike’s Peak flasks which he co-authored with
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John Eatwell. He said that Mr. Clint had sent him the manuscript would continue as editor until the March meeting. just prior to his death. Vice president Ferraro said that he was Mr. Siri said that he was disappointed in our web site and well acquainted with the Clint family and volunteered to take observed that it needed a lot of work, as well as a new web manager. the manuscript and see what he could work out with them with Mr. Siri stated that he envisions a virtual museum and needs help regard to our possibly publishing the book, and report back to the to do achieve this. Mr. Meyer indicated that he could contribute to board. that concept and would include that in his Baltimore presentation. There was a brief but sometimes heated discussion concerning Jeff Wichmann, president of American Bottle Auctions, offered the Federation magazine, Bottles & Extras. President Siri reported his extensive photograph files for consideration. on his action of hiring Jesse Sailer as editor for the Federation The meeting was adjourned at 1:04 p.m. publication. Several expressed doubts as to the choice for editor, but Mr. Herrold, one of the doubters who complained of possible Respectfully submitted by Ed Herrold, Secretary, FOHBC conflicts of interest, praised the president Fiscal 08-09 Final Accounting for taking decisive Income Individual Dues $24,587.70 emergency action to Club Dues $4,912.50 return the magazine Advertising $3,550.35 to schedule. Mr. Siri Single issue, CD,s, & back auction catalogs $183.61 emphasized that Mr. Merchandise $2.00 Sailer was doing our Life Member Donations $330.00 magazine at his home Donations $100.00 and had purchased Refund (Franklin Advisers Distribution Fund) $26.00 his own equipment to Collinsville & York Souvenir Program included in National Show (Collinsville) produce it. It should be National Show (Collinsville & York) $2,000.00 noted that Jesse Sailer Collinsville & York show start-up return $6,500.00 is also an employee Investments (cashing in) $0.00 of Antique Bottles & Slide Show $46.00 Glass Collector. During the discussion of the Total Income $42,238.16 magazine’s future, the Chair recognized Expenses Ferdinand Meyer V of Treasurer $58.02 FMG Design, Houston, Business Manager Stipend $3,750.00 Texas. Mr. Meyer said Editors Stipend $6,250.00 B & E Totals/newsletter $18,273.98 that his company was Awards $1,638.21 experienced in graphic Membership $784.12 design, and that he, Insurance $3,425.00 individually, felt that Board Meeting,mailings & elections $118.50 he would like to “give National(National show start up) $7,222.31 something back to Software ($228.34) the hobby” in which Server Fees $50.00 he and his father had Slide show $47.42 participated for many Corporation Fee (Tennessee) $40.00 years. (Note: Ferd Meyer IV, now Total Expenses $41,429.22 deceased, had been a longtime collector and Fiscal 08-09 Net Income (Income minus expenses) $808.94 had served as chairman of the Baltimore and Beginning checking account balance 7/1/08 + $7,487.39 Delmarva bottle shows). Mr. Meyer offered to edit Total balance in the checking account $8,296.33 the magazine without charge, and agreed to Money advanced to FOHBC National Show $7,222.31 make a presentation at $116,461.31 the Federation’s board Money in the investments Note that the investments have lost $28,763.32 due to the economy. meeting in Baltimore since 6/30/08. in March 2010. Mr. Siri said that Mr. Sailer Total value of the FOHBC as of 6/30/09 as reported to the IRS
$131,979.95
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Classified Ads FOR SALE MANY EYEBATHS FOR SALE BREAKING UP COLLECTION Glass - China - Metal - European Rarities List & Photos - Email - rogereye@yahoo.co.uk For Sale: Pottery bottle 9 ¾” high – 3 1/2” diameter. Debossed D.L.O. & Sons – 1873 – Dormond Leonard Ormsby – Manhattan, N.Y. – very good condition. $150.00. Contact: Allen Christel, 112 Chestnut, Whitelaw, WI 54247. For Sale or Trade: Bottles from Auburn, N.Y. Free appraisals. Contact: Thomas Kanalley, 676 Hoy Rd., Cortland, NY 13045, ph: (607) 753-7250. For Sale: I have 2000+ dug bottles from southern Arizona ranging from 1890 – 1930. Some are embossed, most are not. Photos available upon request. Make offer – local pickup only. Contact: Brent VanDeman, 14749 W Clarendon Ave, Goodyear, AZ 85395, ph: (602) 818-6490, email: azokie99@cox.net. Thank you for your consideration!
WANTED Wanted: Dose glasses – desperately seeking any embossed dose glass from AZ, UT, WY and SC. Willing to pay hundreds for each! Also, any from GA or FL druggists. Other interesting dose glasses considered, especially those with embossed pictures, logos, monograms, etc. Thanks. Contact: Tracy Gerkin, 1131 Kings Cross, Brunswick, GA 31525, ph: (912) 265-4660, email: lgerken@bellsouth.net. Wanted: Oregon bottles and gowiths for breweries, liquor merchants, soda bottlers. Special interest in items from Medford, Ashland and Jacksonville, Oregon. Contact: George Mross, ph: (775) 782-0824, email: Mross_9A@ charter.net. Wanted: Findlay and McComb, Ohio
Bottles and Extras
September - October, 2009
Bottles and Extras
63 The Glass Artisan’s Bottle/Glass Cleaning Service Many years of cleaning service with dealer and collector satisfaction Your items are treated as if they were my own and with close attention to detail Prices start at $15 Contact STEVE (414) 281-5885 glassartisan@yahoo.com
bottles and advertising items. Also any John A. Scott & Co whiskey items from Findlay or Toledo, Ohio and Pleasant Valley Distillery from Owen Co. Kentucky. Contact; Joe Frey, 1144 Twp Rd 136, McComb, OH 45858, ph: (419) 293-2549, email: odants@bright.net. Wanted: Fort Wayne, Indiana bottles. Brewery items: Old Crown, Centlivre, Hoff-Brau, Berghoff. White Fruit House crocks. Contact: Doug Farmer, ph: (260) 760-1762, email: ftwynbrew@aol. com. Wanted: M.W. Hawley’s Embrocation, Fosgate’s Pulmonic, Fosgates Anodyne cordials in colors other than aqua. Auburn, N.Y. labels and go-withs desired. Contact: Thomas Kanalley, 676 Hoy Rd., Cortland, NY 13045, ph: (607) 753-
7250. Wanted: Top $$$ Paid for Arizona Bottles! Seeking any embossed Arizona soda, whiskey, pharmacy, oil, etc. Also interested in any Arizona jugs or signs. I am also interested in any Oklahoma and Indian Territory bottles. I will buy single bottles or whole collections. Please contact: Brent VanDeman, 14749 W Clarendon Ave, Goodyear, AZ 85395, ph: 9602) 818-6490, email: azokie99@cox. net. Thank you for your consideration! Wanted: Bottles and items marked “Rathjen Bros. Wine Merchants” or “Rathjen Merchantile Co.” Please contact: Les Rathjen, 107 E Bowen Ave, #506, Bismark, ND 58504, ph: (701) 301-9483.
Wanted: Kansas City quart beers, Mason’s Brewer; J.H. Schultz & Co.; Jos. Schlitz, Brew, Co. with “H.M.” (H. Muller) in slug plate. Contact: Patrick Montgomery, 5528 Aberdeen Rd, Shawnee Mission, KS 66205, ph: (913) 236-5399. Wanted: Chicago bottles embossed – John A. Lomax. I am interested in anything you have with that name. Take a look on your shelves and give me a call. Contact: Ray Komorowski, 127 S Cuyler, Oak Park, IL 60302, ph: (708) 848-7947, email: komo8@comcast.net. Wanted: ‘Fire Grenades,’ also grenade racks, advertising, trade cards, emphemera. Contact: Kirk, ph: (708) 878-83921, email: khumbrecht@ phoenixfire.com. Wanted: Female cures, contact: Janice Shier, email: jmshier@aol.com. Wanted: Jordan Whiskey, “That Good Whiskey” items. Contact: Mike Jordan, ph: (352) 291-1024, email: orbod@ embarqmail.com. Wanted: Bottles, trading cards or gowiths from Bliss or the word Bliss in it. Also Shaw. Contact: Bruce Bliss, 8292 Krebs Hwy, Clearfield, PA 16830, ph: (814) 765-5911, email: BDBliss@ hotmail.com. Wanted: Buffalo whiskey distillery bottles & jugs, Stamping Ground, Ky., Georgetown, Ky. whiskey & soda bottles or jugs. Louisville, Ky. sodas or drug store bottles. West Virginia stoneware, Ohio stoneware. Contact: Donald Finger, 3227 Cynthiana Rd, Georgetown,
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KY 40324. Wanted: Fort Wayne, Indiana bottles, Indiana blob beer and ale bottles. Contact: Jim VanEvery, 11929 Fisher Rd, Fort Wayne, IN 46818, ph: (260) 625-4872, email: oldjim44@embarqmail.com. Wanted: Dr. Langley’s Root & Herb Bitter: L-21, L23, & L-25. Large size only! Need all colors with different lip applications, pontiled and smooth base variants. Perfect specimens only! Top prices paid! One bottle or entire collection! Plus other colored or fancy bitters. Contact: Randolph, ph: (445) 518-4124, email: hawkeye751@comcast.net. Wanted: Wishart’s Pine Tree Cordials and demi-johns in odd colors, cod liver oil, root beer extract and cigar jars. Contact: Michael Lemon, 147 E
Bottles and Extras
Barrens Church Rd, Dillsburg, PA 17019. ph:( (717) 4327162, email: bottleking@ rocketmail.com. Wanted: All Wisconsin bottles, adv. Stoneware, tin signs, trays, beer glasses, mugs. Especially Ashland, Wis. & Stevens Point, Wis.. Also figural bitters. Contact Bill Mitchell, 703 Linwood Ave, Stevens Point, WI, ph: (715) 340-8939, email: kmitchell6425@aol.com. Wanted: Always interested in Houghton and Dalton Pottery. As the author of a previous book on Houghton and Dalton Pottery, it is my hope that with other persons, to update with much new information regarding this pottery. Contact: Mira or Jim, 1610 S. Main St, Findlay, OH 45840, ph: (419) 423-2895, email: houdeshell@ woh.rr.com.
Notice to Members
Take advantage of your membership benefits Use your free for sale and wanted ads Send to June Lowry
401 Johnston Ct., Raymore, MO 64083 816-318-0160 OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com
Notice for any persons interested in a show in Louisville, Kentucky
This letter is to inform everyone that I’m in the process of putting together a new show for the Louisville area. This process is starting with a gathering of names of dealers wanting to set up at this new show. So far, we have a list of about 70 dealers from 7 states on the list. A date has not been set as of yet. We are waiting to get at least one hundred names on this list and then we, the dealers, will select a date that doesn’t coincide with any popular shows that time of year. Then after a date is set, I will get a hall and all the necessary things to get this show on the road. Any dealers who would like to participate in this new Louisville show can visit a new website for getting added to the list. Check out www.midwestbottleshow.com. This list so far has some very premier dealer/collector names confirmed already. I’m looking at having a Saturday show with dealers and displays and possibly an auction. Thanks to all who are on the list already and soon Louisville will be back in action. Sincerely, Tom Doligale Crestwood,KY. 502-727-6118
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FOHBC Sho-Biz
Calendar of shows and related events FOHBC Sho-Biz is published in the interest of the hobby. Federation affiliated clubs are connotated with FOHBC logo. Insulator shows (courtesy of Crown Jewels) are indicated with an insulator. 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 Jesse Sailer, 136 Jefferson St., East Greenville, PA 18041 or E-mail: jsailerbotmags@verizon.net. Show schedules are subject to change. Please call before traveling long distances.
September 12 Downieville, California The Downieville Antique Bottles and Collectibles Show & Sale (10 a.m. - 3 p.m., early buyers 8 a.m.), at the Historic Hiway 49 Downieville School Gym, Downieville, Calif.. Info: Cherry Simi, ph: (530) 289-3659 or Tim or Fran Higgins, ph:(707) 7451026, email: downievilleshow@oldwestbottles.com. September 12 Arcadia, California Los Angeles Historical Bottle Club’s 42nd Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 4 p.m., early buyers 8 a.m.), at the Arcadia Masonic Lodge, 50 West Duarte Rd, Arcadia, Calif. Info: Don Wippert, ph: (818) 346-9833 or Dick Homme, ph: (818) 362-3368, internet: www.lahbc.org September 13 Pekin, Illinois Pekin Bottle Collectors Associations 40th Annual Show & Sale (8 a.m. - 3 p.m.), Knights of Columbus, 715 N 11th St, Pekin, IL. Info: Jim Searle, 1003 Illinois, Pekin, IL 61554, ph: (309) 346-7804. September 18 & 19 Jacksonville, Florida Antique Bottle Collectors of North Florida 42nd Annual Show & Sale, (Saturday, September 19, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; early buyers Friday, September 18, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.), at the Fraternal Order of Police Bldg., 5530 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville, Fla. Info: Mike Skie, 3047 Julington Creek Road, Jacksonville, FL 32223, ph: (904) 710-0422 or Jackie McRae, ph: (904) 879-3696. September 20 Kirtland, Ohio
Ohio Bottle Club’s 41st Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 2 p.m., early buyers Saturday 7 - 9 p.m.), Lakeland Community College, 1/4 mile south of I-90 on Route 306, Kirtland, Ohio. Info: Robert Smith, ph: (440) 285-4184, email: rts2ride@windstram.net or Tim Kearns, ph: (440) 285-7576, email: tkearns4@aol.com. September 20 Winchester, Virginia The Apple Valley Bottle Collectors Club’s 35th Annual Show & Sale, (9 a.m. - 3 p.m., early buyers 7:30 a.m.), at the Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Family Life Center, 1309 Opequon Ave, Winchester, Va. Info: Richard Venskoske, 2038 Chestnut Grove Rd, Winchester, VA 22630, ph: (540) 2474429. September 26 Albuquerque, New Mexico Enchantment Insulator Club’s 22nd Annual Insulator, Bottle, Barbwire and Collectibles Show & Sale (8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., dealer setup Friday, September 25, afternoon and evening), at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 9500 Constitution NE, Albuquerque, N.M.. Info: Mike Gay, ph: (505) 899-8755, email: cdn102@comcast.net, or Tom Katonak, 1024 Camino De Lucia, Corrales, NM 87048, ph: (505) 8985592, email: tkatonak@comcast.net. September 26 Placerville, California 3rd Annual Golden State Insulator Club Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 3 p.m. with setup 7:30 a.m.) at the Placerville Fairgrounds, in the Marshall Building. RV access available, call 530621- 5860 to reserve an RV spot. Info: Larry Shumaker, ph: (916) 4151555, email: twooldshus@yahoo.com
or Bill Rhode, ph: (530) 701-4377 email: norcalmud@yahoo.com September 27 Batsto, New Jersey North Jersey Antique Bottle Collectors Association’s Batsto Show & Sale, (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.), at the Batsto Village/ Wharton State Forest, 31 Batsto Rd, Hammonton, N.J. Info: Joe Butewicz, ph: (732) 236-9945, email: botlman@ msn.com. September 27 Depew, New York Greater Buffalo Bottle Collectors’ Annual Show & Sale, (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.), at Polish Falcons Hall on Columbia (off Transit), Depew, NY Info: Dave Potter. Ph: (716) 771-1581 or Peter Jablonski, ph: (716) 440-7985, email: peterjablonski@roadrunner.com.: September 27 Lowell, Massachusetts The Merrimack Valley Antique Bottle Club’s 35th Annual Show and Sale, (9 a.m. - 2 p.m., early buyers - 8 a.m.), at the Lowell Elks Club Hall, 40 Old Ferry Rd, Lowell, Mass. (exit 32 off US route 3 and follow the signs) Info: Cliff Hoyt, ph: (978) 458-6575, email: choyt48@comcast.net or Gary Koltookian, ph: (978) 256-9561. More information, maps, dealer contracts and discount coupons at choyt48. home.comcast.net/mvbc.htm October 3 Chesterfield, Virginia Richmond Antique Bottle Club’s Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 3 p.m., early buyers 7:30 a.m.), at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, 1030 Courthouse Rd, Chesterfield, Va. Info: Marvin Croker, ph: (804) 275-1101 or Ed Faulkner, ph:(804) 739-2951,
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(More) Sho-Biz email: com.
Faulkner@anqtiquebottles.
October 3 Salem, Oregon Mid-Willamette Valley Insulator 12th Swap Meet (11a.m. - last person leaves), Info: Nathan Lamkey, ph: (503) 580-5872, email: showinfo@ natsulators.com, natsulators.com/ show/. October 3 Point Pleasant, West Virginia West Virginia State Farm Museum Bottle Show and Sale, (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.), at the West Virginia State Farm Museum (four miles North of Point Pleasant on State Route 62, then right on Fairgrounds Rd). Info: Charlie Perry, 39304 Bradbury Rd, Middleport, OH 45760 ph: (740) 992-5088, email: perrycola@suddenlink.net October 3 & 4 Elsecar, England BBR Fall Extravaganza Bottle Show & Sale (Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. & Sunday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.), at the Elsecar Heritage Center, Elsecar, England. Info: Alan Blakeman, BBR Elsecar Heritage Center, Nr. Barnsley, S Yorks, S74 8HJ, England, ph: 011-44 1226 745156, email: sales@onlinebbr. com. October 4 Dryden, NY The Finger Lakes Bottle Collectors Assn’s 40th Annual Show and Sale, (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.), at the Dryden Firehall on Route 13, Dryden, NY. Info: George Blaasch, ph: (607) 589-6436, email: gblaasch@aol.com or Tom Kanalley, ph: (607) 753-7250, email: tkanalle@twcny.rr.com Website: www. fingerlakescollecting.org. October 9 & 10 Phoenix, Arizona
The Phoenix Antiques, Bottles and Collectibles Club’s Annual Show & Sale (Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., early buyers 8 a.m. and Saturday 6 a.m. 4 p.m.), at the North Phoenix Baptist Church, 5757 N Central Ave, Phoenix, Ariz.. Info: Betty Hartnett, ph: (602) 317-4438 , email: bettchem@cox.net. October 9 & 10 Santa Rosa, California Northwestern Bottle Collectors Association’s Annual Show & Sale (Saturday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., early buyers Friday 12 noon - 6 p.m.), at the Finley Building, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Santa Rosa, Calif. Info: Bev Siri, ph: (707) 542-6438, email: nbca@oldwestbottles.com. October 11 Keene, New Hampshire Yankee Bottle Club’s 42nd Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., early buyers 8 a.m.), at the Keene High School, Arch Street, Keene, N.H. Info: John Bemis, 28 Cross St, Keene, NH 03431, ph: (603) 352-5246 or Alan Rumrill, Historical Society of Cheshire County, PO Box 803, Keene, N.H., ph:(603) 352-1895. October 16 & 17 Canyonville, Oregon Jefferson State Antique Bottle, Insulator, & Collectibles Show (dealer setup and early admission Friday, 12 noon - 7 p.m., general admission Saturday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) at the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino Resort (I-5, exit 99), Canyonville, Ore. Info: Bruce Silva PO Box 1565, Jacksonville, OR 97530, ph: (541) 899-8411, email: jsglass@q.com, website: www.ecandm. com/acanyonville/. October 16-17 Moncks Corner, South Carolina General admission $2, children under
10 free with adult. Snacks and homecooked food for sale Friday and Saturday. Show open at 132 Citizens Lane from noon until 6 p.m., Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 17. Profits from show benefit those served by Berkeley Citizens Inc., a non-profit agency providing services and support to mentally retarded, people with autism and related developmental disabilities in Berkeley County, S.C., since 1980. For a show contract or more information, call Libby at 1 (843) 7610300, or visit www.berkeleycitizens. org October 18 Scriba, New York Empire State Bottle Collectors Association’s 37th Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 2 p.m.), at the Scriba Fire Hall, US Route 104 East, Scriba, N.Y. Info: Barry Hayes, PO Box 900, Mexico, NY 13114, ph: (315) 963-0922 or John Golley, email: bygolley@msn. com. October 18 Findlay, Ohio Findlay Antique Bottle Club’s 33rd Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 3 p.m., dealer setup Saturday 1 p.m. - 9 p.m.) at the Old Barn Auction House, 10040 State Route 224 West, Findlay, Ohio. Info: Fred Curtis, ph: (419) 4240486, or Marianne Dow, ph: (419) 648-5600, email: fabc@wcoil.com, website: www.fabclub.freeyellow. com. October 25 Glendale Heights, Illinois 1st Chicago Bottle Club’s 40th Annual Show and Sale (9 a.m. - 2 p.m.), at the Ramada Inn, 780 E North Ave (1/2 block west of I355), Glendale heights, IL 60139. Info: John or Claudia Panek, 1790 Hickory Knoll, Deerfield, IL 60015, ph: (847) 945-5493, email: paperbottle1@aol.com.
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(More) Sho-Biz November 1 Elkton, Maryland Tri-State Bottle Collectors and Diggers Club’s 37th Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 2 p.m.) at the Singerly Fire Hall, Routes 279-213, Elkton, Md. Info: Dave Brown, ph: (302) 738-9960. November 6 – 8 Springfield, Ohio 39th Mid-Ohio (aka “Springfield”) Insulator Show at Clark County Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ohio. Info: Steve or Lois Blair, ph: (740) 852-3148 or Glenn Drummond, ph: (334) 257-3100, email: glenn@patent-1871.com November 14 Belleville, Illinois Eastside Antique Bottle, Jar, & Breweriana Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 3 p.m., early admission 7 a.m.) at the Belleclair Fairgrounds, Belleville, Ill. Info: Curt Faulkenberry, ph: (636) 797-5220, email stlbottlebabe@yahoo.com, Bill Cress, ph: (618) 466-3513, or Kevin Kious, ph: (618) 3462634. November 21 Alto, Georgia DJIC Fall Swap Meet at Jaemore Farms, Alto, GA, Info: Mike Herron, ph: (706) 297-0191 or (706) 599-4705, email: hern@ windstream.net. www.jamsjellies. com/index.asp for more information on Jaemore Farms November 22 Greensboro, North Carolina The Southeast Bottle Club’s 8th Annual Antique Bottle, Pottery & Collectibles Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 3 p.m., admission $1, setup 7 a.m. - 9 a.m., No early admission) at the Farmer’s Curb Mar-
ket, 501 Yanceyville St, Greensboro, N.C. Info: Reggie Lynch, 4734 Pimlico Ln, Waxhaw, NC 28173, ph: (704) 221-6489, email: rlynch@antiquebottles. com, website: www.antiquebottles.com/greensboro. November 29 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Forks of the Delaware Bottle Collectors Association’s 36th Annual Show & Sale (9 a.m. 3 p.m., early buyers 7:30 a.m.), at the Bethlehem Catholic High School, Madison & Dewberry Avenues, Bethlehem, Pa. Info: Bill Hegedus, 20 Combridge Place, Catasauqua, PA 18032, ph: (610) 264-5945. February 20, 2010 Columbus, Ohio The Columbus Ohio Antique Bottle Show & Sale (9 a.m. - 2 p.m., early buyers 7 a.m.), at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, 17th Avenue & I-71, Columbus, Ohio. Info: Joe Hardin, 594 Laymon Rd, New Vienna, OH 45159, ph: (937) 371-0264, email: jkcollectables@gmail.com. January 8-9, 2010 Palmetto, Florida Suncoast Antique Bottle Collectors Association’s 41st annual Show & Sale, Manatee Civic & Convention Center, corner of U.S. Highway 41 and Haben Blvd., Palmetto, Fla. Dealer setup on Friday from1 to 8 p.m., with early buyers allowed in from 4 to 7:45 p.m. for $15. Show opens to the public on Saturday from 9 a.m., to 5 p.m., admission $4. More information: Linda Buttstead, show chairman, at originalSABCA@aol.com
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FOHBC MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY ADDITIONS & CHANGES New Members David & Joann Adams 1700 S Araby Dr Apt 101H Palm Springs, CA 92264 520-722-5017 polecat1777@yahoo.com California and Missouri medicines Phil Alvarez PO Box 396 Blairstown, NJ 07825 908-362-5339 phillipalvarez@earhlink.net Fruit jars John Baron 3636 Carpenters Creek Dr Cincinnati OH 45241 513-563-7183 oysterking@fuse.net Ohio beer and whiskey bottles, crocks Donald Bergseng 14916 SE Sun Park Ct Vancouver, WA 98683 360-882-3912 bergsengs@comcast.net Dose cups and medicine glass data collecting Bill & Linda Borchert 1715 Van Lennen Ave. Cheyenne, WY 82001 307-635-5862 wbborchert@msn.com American, English, & European beverge bottles 1650 - 1870 Linda Buttstead 8720 36th Ave E Palmetto, FL 34221 941-722-7233 SABCA@aol.com Black glass, stoneware Deborah Callard 307 Tuscany Rd Baltimore, MD 21210 410-243-2477 dwcallard@verizon.net Hostetters Arlin Cargill 2750 E Highway 97 El Dorado Springs, MO 64744 417-876-4989 Missouri bottles and jugs Dave Carvalho 2912 Winlock Rd
Torrance, CA 90505 310-569-9842 Terracasa_dave@yahoo.com Bottles BP Choma 9495 Lenox Crater Ct Las Vegas, NV 89148 702-262-0262 Coin-operated machines, Farbe Bros “Khome Kraft� steins, advertising - beer, liquor, Pepsi Dr. Peter Colman 82 E Green Valley Ct Round Lake, IL 60073 224-372-7233 peter@drpetercolman.com www.drpetercolman.com Tom Courts 964 Spanish Moss Dr Pensacola, FL 32506 850-748-3454 thomascourts@hotmail.com Flasks Richard Cullison PO Box 1425 Meadview, AZ 86444 928-564-2965 belvacullison@frontier.net Jim Dutra PO Box 1265 Watsonville, CA 95077 831-750-0092 OBCOM@aol.com All Keith Evans PO Box 6274 Spring Hill, FL 34611 Lori Turner & John Fox 401 Canaan Rd Pittsfield, ME 04967 207-692-0703 blackfoxtractors@yahoo.com Whiskey and pickle bottles Mary Ann Griffin 843 S Britain Rd Southbury, CT 06488 Andrew Higgs 4101 Arctic Blvd, Ste 206 Anchorage, AK 99503 907-345-8457 ash@northernlanduse.com Historic archaeologist
Jim R. Jack 63 Dunderberg Rd. Central Valley, NY 10917 845928-9144 jimbaggs@optonline.net Jenny Johnson PO Box 3281 Soldotna AK 99669 907-262-0888 izardgal@acsalaska.net Dave Kyle 195 Avenida De Las Flores Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 805492-1426 dkyle2@verizon.net Figural bitters Jon Lawson 6261 Estrella Ave. San Diego, CA 92120 619-990-5172 karenlawson2@yahoo.com Western glass Jeff Levy 215 E 2nd St Pomona, CA 91766 951-217-5101 jeffreystoys@yahoo.com Tokens, medals, toys postcards, bottles John Matted 105 Thornton Terr Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 bottles and insulators Tom Morton 9018 Balboa Blvd #111 Northridge, CA 91325 818-894-6113 tomscollect@yahoo.com Early advertising Robert Mraz 4225 Bannister Rd Fair Oaks, CA 95628 916-961-5647 Pre-pro shot glasses Charles Musick 1805 Franklin Chariton, IA 50049 641-774-2106 musick1805@iowtelecom.net Bottles and stoneware Laurie Nadel 57 Dalton St Long Beach, NY 11561
lnade@aol.com Blue bottles Jesse Sailer 136 Jefferson St East Greenville, PA 18041 215-715-2611 jsailerbotmags@verizon.net Dale & Barbara Santos 1921 Bell St Apt 126 Sacramento, CA 95825 916-920-3060 dabarlej@aol.com New Hampshire glass (Stoddard and Keene) Tim Schweighart 1123 Santa Luisa Dr. Solana Beach, CA 92075 858-481-8315 kmamargo@sbcglobal.net ACL bottles Tom Strickler 6634 Port Republic Rd Victory Hill Harrisonburg, VA 22801 540-289-5456 tdstrickler@aol.com KZ poisons (embalming) and glass toilet floats Cecil Taylor 601 W 23rd St Independence, MO 64055 816-461-9110 Brian Wade 39 E 16th St Huntington Station, NY 11746 631-271-7226 brian.wade@att.net Sodas, blackglass, general Pat Winans 1050 Grandview Ave Reno, NV 89503 Bottles and stoneware Changes Bob, Alex, & Austin Barbour 14207 W. 74th Terr. Shawnee KS 66216 913-248-1478 bbcr@everestkc.net Poisons, bitters, Sandwich colognes, target balls Keith Baumgartner 243 Mt View Place
70 Grants Pass, OR 97527 baumskinner@cox.com All types of botttles David Carr 534 W. Palm Ln Phoenix, AZ 85003 602-253-6772 aznative56@hotmail.com Arizona bottles, sodas and whiskeys and black glass Paul R. Conner Oaks Manor 461 Marion Ocala, FL 34473 352-804-7218 Figural liquors and bon-bon jars
September - October, 2009 Chevelle_Godsmack@yahoo.com Fruit jars Michael Hoffman 3135 Charter Club Dr Apt G Tarpon Springs, FL 34688 BNSaddoe@optonline.net Long Island bottles Jeff & Lourene Hooper 1305 Scrivner Rd Port Angeles, WA 98362 360-460-2791 jeffhoo4@hotmail.com Taget balls, token flasks, Palmer greens, pontiled medicines
Tom & Nancy Paskiewicz PO Box 118 North Billerica, MA 01862 978-663-6748 tomp342@comcast.net Bitters
John A. Wendler 896 Basalt Dr Vallejo CA 94589 707-332-1509 j.wendler@sbcglobal.net California beers
John Pastor PO Box 2277 New Hudson, MI 48165 248-486-0530 jpastor@americanglassgallery.com Flasks & pattern molded bottles
Amy Wendling PO Box 4094 Dublin, OH 43016 513-633-4849 Jars4aw@aol.com Fruit jars
W. Edwin Potter 7007 Grenadier Ct Shelby Township, MI 48317 Local items
Findlay Antique Bottle Club Attn: Richard Elwood, President PO Box 1329 Findlay, OH 45839 419-442-3183 fabc@wcoil.com www.fabclub.freeyellow.com/ home.html
Dennis Curtin 185 Little Creek Trail Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 304-258-4300 dcurtin01@gmail.com Historical flasks, local items
Kirk Humbrecht 744 Nebraska St Frankfort, IL 60423 815-434-9300 khumbrecht@phoenixfire.com Fire grenades and fire alarm insulators
Richard & Patty Elwood 12710 Township Road 40 Dunkirk, OH 45836 419-759-3841 prelwood@wcoil.com Fruit jars, aladdin lamps, lightning rod balls
Marc Lutsko 2267 Gold Rush Ave Helena, MT 59601 406-422-4690 Montana bottles, Owl drug, western bottles letsgo@montanasky.net
Dr. Burton Spiller 22 Tobey Brook Pittsford, NY 14534 585-264-8968 bottlebug@aol.com Bitters, historical flasks, early tin advertising, souvenir china
Stephen Ertman 18 Campbell Ave. Suffern, NY 10901 845-357-3871 sertman@hydroqual.com Inks and Owl Drug Store pre1900
Charles & June Marks 3110 Deer Trail Deland, FL 32724 386-736-7958 bmarks2@cfl.rr.com Florida drug store bottles and black glass
James Stumpff 14 Rabbit Rd Santa Fe, NM 87508 505-983-6603 New Mexico milks
David Hall 134 Mill Chase Dr Strawberry Plains, TN 37871 865-607-9740 dipdog@comcast.net Mini jugs, salesman samples, patent medicines, miniature gun, knives, coins, figural, & advertising
Edward C. Marriott 457 S Bayshore Dr Apt A St Petersburg, FL 33708 Dose cups - all areas, Vermont bottles, Vermont spring waters, Vermont souvenirs
Rick Hall 2265 Needham Rd Apt 20 El Cajon CA 92020 619-698-0167 botlmole@cox.net Western bottles, insulators Tim Henson 2027 Bluejay Dr Webb City MO 64870 417-624-6576
Dennis & Sheryl Meng 37400 SE Marie St Sandy, OR 97055 503-668-7280 NMSD2006@gmail.com Medicines, whiskeys, and inks Tommy & Sherry Mitchiner 163 Hooks St Gordon, GA 31031 478-628-2373 Sherry_mitchiner@yahoo.com Georgia blob tops and John Ryan bottles, etc
Bottles and Extras
Russ Smith ABC UK Denham Crafthole Cornwall PL11 3BW England 011 44 1 503 230 323
Roger Terry PO Box 42 Morgan, UT 84050 801-388-7840 soleagent@aol.com Western whiskey bottles and Utah liquor items Bobby Vaughn 180 W Main St Westfield, NY 14787 Deanne_vaughn@yahoo.com Bottles and antiques Gregory Watt 983 Mary Ln Bradwood IL 60408 815-293-2395 gwatt@madisonwarehouse.com Chicago pontiled and smooth base sodas, amber blob beers
Encourage New Members They are the future of our hobby!!!
Las Vegas Bottles & Collectibles Club Inc Attn: Bernard Choma, Treasurer 9485 Lenox Crater St Las Vegas, NV 89148 702-262-0262 www.lasvegasBottleClub.com Raleigh Bottle Club Attn: Sterling Mann 5416 Brushy Meadows Dr Euquay Varing, NC 27526 919-567-8008 smann2@nc.rr.com www.raleighbottleclub.org Richmond Area Bottle Collector’s Association Attn: Bruce Wadford, President 362 Dobbins Rd Blackstone VA 23824 434-676-8942 mlwbwad@meckcom.net http://home.comcast.net/ ~edandlucy1/RABCA.html St. Louis Antique Bottle Collector’s Assn. Attn: George Casnar 4455 Helterbrand Rd Festus, MO 63028 636-337-2326 vcasnar@aol.com Uwharrie Bottle Club Attn: Todd McSwain 8649 Eddins Poplin Rd Norwood NC 28128 704-474-0552 mcswain8649@windstream.net
Bottles and Extras
September - October, 2009
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September - October , 2009
Bottles and Extras
Membership Benefits 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. 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. In addition to providing strength to a national/international organization devoted to the welfare of the hobby, your FOHBC membership benefits include: • A full year subscription the Federation’s official bi-monthly publication, Bottles and Extras • One free ad per yearly membership of 60 words for use for “wanted” items, trade offers, etc. • Eligibility for a discount at FOHBC sponsored shows (National or EXPOs) towards “early admission” or • Access to a knowledge of the world of antique bottle collecting unavailable elsewhere • Contact information for clubs devoted to the study of historical bottles • A forum for your writings, articles, and editorials regarding the hobby • Participation in the nomination and selection of Federation members for the Honor Roll and Hall of Fame • Federation-sponsored writing, show poster, and newsletter-design contests • Free publication assistance for your book or manuscript • And more...
dealer table rent
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, as well as assistance with the creation of your website • Free Federation ribbon for Most Educational Display at your show • Slide programs for use at your club meetings • Participation in Federation sponsored insurance program for your club show and any other club sponsored activities Finally… We need your support! Our continued existence is dependent upon your participation as well as expanding our membership. The Federation is the only national organization devoted to the enjoyment, study, preservation, collection, and display of historical bottles. The FOHBC welcomes individuals who would like to contribute by running for Board positions or by sharing their expertise and volunteering their talents in other areas of interest such as contributions to our publications, assistance with the Federation’s National and EXPO shows, or through membership promotion. 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 Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors, please contact: June Lowry FOHBC Business Manager 401 Johnston Ct. Raymore, MO 64083 816-318-0160 OSUBuckeyes71@aol.com
or visit our home page on the web at www.FOHBC.com
Periodicals FOHBC C/O June Lowry 401 Johnston Ct Raymore, MO 64083
US Postage Paid Kansas City, MO 64108
Please check your information and notify us of errors.
With the one that didn’t get away!
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www.FOHBC.com