Lot
Number | Description | Final Bid |
|---|
| BROWN'S CELEBRATED INDIAN HERB BITTERS PATENTED 1867. Ring/Ham B 223. One of the favorite bottles of bitters collectors, these were blown in the shape of a woman and not just a woman but an Indian Queen! This example sits exactly as it was discovered recently in a box with a bunch of other bottles discovered by a young man after he lost his mother. Apparently the father died in the 80's and had collected bottles for quite some time. He was a "condition freak" as most of his pieces are in just about Attic Mint condition. This one is a medium to deep amber example with the rolled lip. It hasn't been washed out or even dusted. Lip is about perfect. Super example in this color. Est. $300-500. MB $250. | $ 700 |
| NATIONAL BITTERS. Ring/Ham N 8. Here's another figural bitters that draws the eye of collectors. This is a crude example in a yellow green coloration. We have a couple of "Ear of Corns" in this auction and they are both exceptional. This one has no damage whatsoever and is very crude. There's plenty of green in this for anyone. About Mint. Est. $2000-3000. MB $1000. | $ 2,200 |
| NATIONAL BITTERS. Ring/Ham N 8. Another super example of this popular bottle. This one is also very crude and comes in a light to medium strawberry puce. We've photogaphed this a little unconventionally as the color is tough to photograph indoors. Lots of bubbles and overall a stunner. Color is on the money. All of these rare colored bitters are beginning to dry up. About Mint. Est. $2000-3000. MB $1000. | $ 1,900 |
| OLD SACHEM BITTERS AND WIGWAM TONIC. Ring/Ham 0 46. Applied lip, smooth base. Here's another piece from the same collection as the Indian Queen. This one at first glance looks like there's something going on with the top and guess what, there is! It's as crude a square collar as we've seen applied in an uneven circle and with glass dripping down the neck. Check out the pictures--the top is mint. The bottle itself is a brilliant golden yellow and in About Mint condition. It's doubtful this bottle was ever in the ground or for that matter any of the other bottles from this exceptional collection. Est. $800-1200. MB $500. | $ 1,200 |
| RAMSAY'S VIRGINIA TONIC BITTERS. Ring/Ham R 5. 8 1/2". Eight-sided. Applied top, graphite pontil. This bottle was found at Embarcadero 3 in San Francisco when it was open to diggers in the 1970's. To our knowledge this is only one of two or three known. A cracked one sold years ago and none have surfaced to our knowledge since. Listed in Ring/Ham as having a metallic pontil, this example has an open pontil. It is extremely crude with a ton of whittle and overall crudity. We thought at first it might be related to the Trinidad Bitters but this is a different spelling. It could use a cleaning however, it is also appealing in it's dug condition. In the light it has an opalescence quality to it. Besides the stain, this one is About Mint. No dings, bruises problems whatsoever. Est. $2000-4000. MB $1000. | $ 1,500 |
| Dr. RENZ'S HERB BITTERS. Wichmann 100. Square fifth, applied top, smooth base. The Renz bottles aren't particularly rare but nonetheless sought after by bitters collectors, especially in the west. There are basically three variants; the older one, which has smaller writing and doesn't have the curved "R's" and are believed to have been made from 1868-73. This is that variant. The second has the curved "R's" and was made for the next four years. The third variant is just a knock-off of the second made for around four years. They are all western made and the examples in green are usually the most highly desired. This example has an interesting top you don't usually see on this variant and the bottle itself is About Mint with a potstone the size of a pinhead with a tiny spider off it. We have photographed it and if you can't see it don't be surprised because we couldn’t either. It was discovered during cleaning. It was a little stained on the inside and we had it lightly tumbled. A beauty in a great color with a super top. Est. $500-1000. MB $500. | $ 950 |
| BRYANT'S STOMACH BITTERS. Wichmann 38. Applied top, sticky ball pontil. It's a known fact in the bottle world that a dozen and a half of the lady's leg variants of the Bryant's Bitters were found off the coast of Brazil in tolerable condition. Six years later, there are still a few floating around but like any good bottle, no matter how many there are, they seem to work their way into the woodwork. Still considered very rare, this example was part of the shipwreck cache and is one of the better ones found. After they were emptied (they were all found full) most were cleaned by a professional bottle cleaner. Unfortunately some didn't make it so the number of undamaged examples today, off the wreck or found in the U.S. is probably around 30. At any rate, the pictures tell the story, this is a solid example, cleaned but no chips, cracks or problems of any kind. Some parts of the bottle are a little uneven but the bottle displays beautifully with loads of overall crudity. Here's your chance to own a pontiled, eight sided, lady's leg bitters before they disappear altogether. Near Mint. Est. $1500-2500. MB $1000.
| $ 3,000 |
| DR. GUILMETTE'S EXTRACT OF JUNIPER BOSTON. Applied top, smooth base. Fifth. We featured this bottle in our "Recent Finds" column on our website and received a couple emails regarding the origin of this bottle. The consensus is that it was made in Lyndeboro, New Hampshire. It is believed other bitters were made there for some of the Boston merchants in the area. Similar to a C.A. Richards, for instance, a reader pointed out that it's most likely a similar mold. This example was recently found in Northern California and is a nice light yellowish amber. Unfortunately there is a hairline crack in the base, which was discovered when the consignor brought it in to a bottle show. After this bottle was cleaned, the damage for some reason became much harder to see and it's on the bottom back base (see picture). There is also an open bubble on the reverse. The glass itself is brilliant and it's a very attractive bottle. Was extract of juniper just another way of saying martini in a bottle? A very rare and beautiful piece, without the damage we'd have to add a zero to the estimate. Est. $200-500. MB $150. | $ 325 |
| L.Q.C. WISHART'S PINE TREE TAR CORDIAL PHILA TRADE MARK with embossed tree. Tooled top. 10 1/4" A solid example of this popular bottle. You don't have to have a multi-thousand dollar bottle to light up your window or bottle shelf and the Wishart's are testimony to that. Here's a good one with some decent crudity and About Mint condition. Just a nice example. Est. $100-250. MB $100. | $ 250 |
| BB EXTRA SUPERIOR WHISKEY BB. 10 1/2". Applied top. Quart. A rare whiskey bottle, the BB stands for Bluenthal & Bickart from Cincinnati. Good embossing pattern with a hand holding four cards. Also has a embossed label area on the back. Must be pretty rare, it is listed in Spirits of the Old West by Bill and Betty Wilson page 29. Trace of stain but generally a solid piece that grades Near Mint+. Est. $100-200. MB $50 | $ 130 |
| LYON'S POWDER B&P N.Y. 4 1/4". Rolled lip. A nice amber example of this popular little bug killer. These come in loads of colors and can be pontiled. This example has a bumpy smooth base. Lots of whittle and a good light color, has a minor amount of stain. Could use a light cleaning. About Mint. Est. $40-90. MB $30. | $ 60 |
| TAYLOR & CO. SODA WATER SAN FRANCISCO EUREKA. Markota 102. Iron pontil, 1850's. Here's a classic western soda water and this is a super example. When it arrived from the consignor it had a little dirt on the inside and even a little on the exterior. A little Windex and it shines like, well, a diamond in the wind. It has a couple scratches and a tiny ding on the lip (see picture) but has never been cleaned and if it was ours we wouldn't touch it. All graphite intact, loads of whittle, this is a real keeper. Found in The City (San Franisco). Near Mint+. Est. $200-400. MB $200. | $ 600 |
| LYNDE & PUTNAM MINERAL WATERS SAN FRANCISCO CAL.A. Markota 59. Iron pontil 1850's. And yet another classic western soda, this is one that is lighter than the usual examples and in a different colored blue. Never cleaned, it has an opalescence look to it with just a hint of stain on the interior. Absolutely no high-point wear, they don't get any better than this. Top specimen. Est. $250-400. MB $200. | $ 700 |
| SANTA BARBARA SODA WORKS SANTA BARBARA. Markota 120. 1897-1910. Applied top. You can count on one finger the number of these rare Santa Barbara sodas we've seen. There is another variant that is not as rare. What an example it is, too. Whittled to the max, it is almost Attic Mint with just a flake the size of a pinhead near the base. If you are looking for one of these, you can pretty much stop here. Mint. Est. $60-1870. MB $50. | $ 275 |
| J & A DEARBORN MINERAL WATER NEW YORK. Graphite pontil. Applied top. Another gorgeous soda, this is a turquoise blue and a super crude example at that. There's a little scratch or tiny ding here and there but this one has never been cleaned. Found in downtown San Francisco. A super crude piece with a huge top. Near Mint++. Est. $100-200. MB $80. | $ 750 |
