...located in the beautiful High Desert of Eastern Oregon

FOR SALE - Bottles & Bottle Books
& other collectibles

Click HERE to go straight to the "BOTTLES FOR SALE" pages links

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LINKS TO MY PAGES Homepage Medicinal Tonics Bottle Glossary Western Americana Books For Sale Photos & Links My eBay Page Historic Bottle Website

This and the associated linked web pages are my current listings of antique or "historic" bottles, bottle books, and other collectibles for sale.

I try to be as comprehensive as possible in describing bottle condition.  Many of the "flaws" or condition issues that I point out are often overlooked by others.  I also try to take representative pictures of all the bottles listed, though some bottles can defy accurate pictorial representation.  Click on the highlighted link(s) in each listing description to see the picture(s) of the specific item for sale. 

If you would like additional digital pictures or information, please e-mail me (link below). 

If you have any concerns about the quality or reliability of my transactions, check my extensive (and perfect) eBay® buyer & (sometimes) seller feedback: eBay Feedback for jfcutter.

To help properly describe the bottles on this list or for the people who found this page and have some basic questions about antique bottles, I have another web page that is a glossary of some major antique bottle descriptive terms. It is found at the following link - Bottle Description & Condition Glossary.  It includes more links to pictures to help portray some of the bottle characteristic described.

For more information also visit my eBay "About Me" page at the following link: MY EBAY PAGE.

My email is -
I ask that people trying to first contact me please use the email address above not call me by searching out my phone number on the internet.
 

Important Information For Buyers  Shipping & insurance is in addition to the listed price on all bottles & collectibles and will be calculated at the actual cost (or as best as I can determine) via the USPS website depending on the weight of the item and your zip code.  No additional packaging or handling fees.  All books are postpaid within the U. S. @ the media mail rate; faster shipping is extra. For an idea of the shipping costs, click on the following USPS link to calculate the cost from my zip code of 97624 - DOMESTIC RATE CALCULATOR.  Smaller bottles usually ship at under 2 pounds, average size at 2-3 pounds, with larger or heavier glass items at sometimes a 4 or rarely 5 pounds. Multiple bottles are harder to figure.  I will ship to the U. S. and Canada but typically not to other overseas addresses any longer due to the difficulty in determining shipping costs ahead of time...although feel free to inquire - I do make some  exceptions depending on the items. Insurance is extra if desired; insurance rates can be also be found at the previous link.  I try hard to pack well but one never knows how a package may be treated in transit.  I offer a 7 day, no questions asked, 100% (sales price) money back guarantee on everything I sell!  It's the only way to do "e-business." Payment can be made via personal or cashiers checks or money orders although my bank now advises a 5-10 business day (after receipt) clearing time for all these type payment methods these days.  My mailing address for sending payment will be provided via email once the total price - with shipping - is determined. I can only accept credit cards via PayPal and then only for orders totaling less than $50 (including shipping costs) unless the buyer is willing to add the additional PayPal fees to the payment (i.e., 3%).  Otherwise, a check/MO is needed for orders totaling $50 or more (including shipping costs).  If a PayPal payment is OK'd, I will provide the email address to my account so you can make payment. Please confirm item availability prior to sending any type payment and include your zip code in your message so that the shipping can be calculated.

I also have a books-for-sale (non-bottle books) list if you click on the following link: BOOKS FOR SALE. Though limited in scope, this list has a variety of books, with an emphasis on Western Americana books.

 

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ANTIQUE BOTTLES FOR SALE

• The bottle categories are listed in the menu below. 
• Click on each category link to move to that section. 
• The first category - "Western American Bottles" - is on this webpage below.
• The other categories are on separately linked pages.
• Use the browser back arrow to return to this menu from any of the category pages.
   

WESTERN AMERICAN BOTTLES BITTERS EARLY AMERICAN BOTTLES & FLASKS MEDICINAL "TONIC" BOTTLES OTHER MEDICINAL BOTTLES FOODS & CANNING JARS SODA/MINERAL WATER & BEER LIQUOR & MISC. BOTTLES and COLLECTIBLES BOTTLE BOOKS

Click on the thumbnail picture, highlighted title links, or other links within each listing to see pictures of the bottles described.
 

My email is -
I ask that people trying to first contact me please use the email address above not call me by searching out my phone number on the internet.

 

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Western American Bottles

Liquor/Spirits

SPRUANCE STANLEY & CO (in an embossed horseshoe with 18 and 69 at the ends) / WHOLESALE / LIQUOR DEALERS / SAN FRANCISCO / CAL  -  This is a moderately scarce Western whiskey cylinder that is more commonly found with a tooled lip; this example has an applied "glob top." According to Thomas (2002) the glob top versions date from the "late 1880s and 1890s" and are found in two variations - those wonderfully crude German-made red amber examples and these American made (SF&PGW most certainly) versions that come in various shades of amber.  Click on the lip and upper neck close-up to the left to view the slop over (please note that the small groove on the right side of the lower ring is NOT a crack but just a crude groove in the glass).  This example has the 8-pointed star or "asterisk" on the base which seems to be associated with the San Francisco & Pacific Glass Works.  Why this is on the base of many of their presumed (one never knows for sure) products is lost to history, but probably a mold engraver related feature or possibly a cryptic "makers mark" for the company.  Click base image to see this interesting base embossing as well as some bubbles in the base glass.  This example is 11.25" tall and as the images show a moderately deep amber though it passes the light well.  The condition is near mint with a few very minor scuffing spots, a couple tiny open surface bubbles and no damage, i.e., no chips, cracks, flea bites, or such.  There are a few nice sized bubbles in the glass here and there to round out this nice clean and solid example.  $225

J. H. CUTTER / OLD / BOURBON / (crown) / A. P. HOTALING & Co. / SOLE AGENTS  - All that is embossed within a circle (though not a slug plate) on this popular - at least to late 19th century Western drinkers and modern Western bottle collectors! - fifth sized liquor bottle blown and filled in San Francisco.  This version (Thomas #44) dates from 1877 to 1882 according to the late Mr. Thomas, has a somewhat crudely applied finish/lip (close-up image of lip), smooth slightly domed base, 4-piece mold, and is embossed with A No 1 on the reverse; click reverse view to see such.  Glass color is a pleasant light to medium chocolate amber with a smattering of bubbles in the glass. The embossing (click image to right to see a large version) is bold - as bold as I've seen with this mold - but has the somewhat "flattened" look of the pre-mold air venting era.  This mold/bottle also has the "curved R" indicating that the mold engraving was done by the famous - though un-named - mold engraver residing in the Bay Area from the early 1870s to mid-1880s.   This example is essentially dead mint - looks to have never been buried - with no chips, cracks or staining.  It could have been lightly cleaned but I doubt it given the boldness of the embossing and overall look.  There is a tiny rough spot on the inside of the lip that is purely in making, the result of a small flat fragment of glass being imbedded in the finishing glass I believe.  In any event, this is an exceptionally pleasing looking example that is as mint as they get.  $225

J. H. CUTTER / OLD / BOURBON / (crown) / A. P. HOTALING & Co. / SOLE AGENTS  - All this is embossed in a circle on this familiar (to Western collectors) fifth sized liquor bottle from San Francisco.  This version (Thomas 44C with the "S" in AGENTS underneath the "G" in HOTALING) dates from 1884 to 1886 according to the late Mr. Thomas, has a crudely applied lip (close-up image of lip), smooth slightly domed base, 2-piece mold, and is embossed with A No 1 on the reverse not in a circle.  Color is a nice honey amber and the glass has lots of nice stretched teardrop bubbles and a bit of whittle.  Click close-up image of the embossing to see such.  A very nice solid example that is in essentially mint condition...in fact, I can't find anything wrong with it (OK a few very, very shallow tiny open bubbles).   $120

COTTLE, POST & CO. / (phoenix bird rising from the ashes) / PORTLAND OGN - Here is one of the favorite of Oregon - and Western (maybe all!) - bottle collectors, the colorful medium blue-green Cottle & Post blob soda bottle.  Cottle, Post & Co. owned and operated the "Eagle and Excelsior Soda Works" from 1877 to 1881 on Front Street just west of the Willamette River in down town Portland (precursor to the "Portland Soda Works").  Although older than the E. A. Post blob soda bottles (E. A. Post operated the company in 1881 and 1882 without Cottle), the Cottle & Post bottles have an early tooled blob finish, whereas the E. A. Post bottles always have an applied blob.  Also, even though the embossing pattern is similar on the two bottles, the E. A. Post bottles were certainly blown in San Francisco (SF&PGW) as they have the distinctive "curved R" in the embossing pattern; the Cottle, Post bottles do not have that attribute even though they are of the right era.  Conclusion?  The Cottle & Post bottles were likely blown somewhere else - location unknown - or at least the mold was made by someone other than the famous but anonymous Bay Area mold engraver/maker who left his mark with the distinctive "R"s.  In any event, this is a nice example that has some very nice whittle to the glass...a very unusual attribute for these bottles.  The condition is near mint with very limited case wear (virtually none on the letters as is common on sodas) and scuffing and only a couple pin point "ping" marks on the body; no chips, cracks, or "flea bites."  It also has some  interesting crudeness and bubbles in the neck and (one small one is open on the inside it appears) which is somewhat visible in the full bottle image (click to view a larger example).  In any event, this is one of the nice, cruder ones I've seen and these are just not "around" much anymore.  $395

IMPERIAL / BOTTLING WORKS / PORTLAND, OREGON - This is embossed in a somewhat oval slug plate on this actually fairly rare and hard to find Portland, Oregon Hutchinson soda bottle.  Ron Fowler listed these as "rare" in his great book on Oregon soda bottles ("Ice-Cold Soda Pop: An Illustrated History of Oregon Soda Pop Bottlers") which means he believed there were 10-25 examples extant.  I've only had one other of these bottles over the years so believe they are indeed pretty rare.  These are also embossed on the back heel with McC. 7 which indicates it was manufactured by William McCully & Co., one of the biggest and long lived of the 19th century Pittsburgh glass makers...a "dynasty" according to the legendary Dr. Julian Toulouse's "Bottle Maker's and Their Marks" book from 1971.   Although the company dates back to the 1830s, this particular mark was used from the mid-1870s to 1896 when the company ceased the production of bottles (they made only window glass until they ceased operations in 1909).   Ron Fowler apparently found no history on the company (the date listed is "?") so it remains enigmatic though the McC makers marking indicates it dates no later than 1896.  Condition of this example is excellent - near mint with just some very minor scuffing and a several inch scuff type scratch on the back; otherwise the bottle has no chips, cracks, or other damage and has very clean, non-stained glass.  $60

L & B - The large, blocky lettering on this earlier, smooth base (1857-1870) Western blob soda bottle indicate use by B. R. Lippincott and Charles Belding who produced soda waters in both Marysville & Stockton, California.  These bottles come in both aqua and green...this one (obviously) being a bluish aqua color.  Bottle is about 7" tall, has an applied blob finish with some "slop-over" from the applied finish manufacturing method, smooth and somewhat domed base (these apparently all have smooth bases in my experience - no pontils), and the usual - for the era - absence of air venting marks which leads to a typically cruder bottle with more rounding to the embossing pattern.  Of interest, this bottle has a very faint "V" (partially filled in making it "ghosted") underneath the clearly engraved "L" indicating this bottle was produced in the same mold used for at least some of the earlier L&V (Lippincott & Vaughn) bottles which were typically iron pontiled, though the L&B bottles aren't.  Interesting, eh?  Anyway, this example has been professionally cleaned with some minimal ground wear still in evidence on the shoulder in a couple places away from the embossing.  There are still a few wisps of staining in the upper neck and inside the lip (aka "finish") though the bottle has no chips, cracks, or dings besides a few very hard to see and scattered peck marks (pin head size or less) from the filling, returning and re-using process long ago.  Overall this is a very nice example with some crudeness to the glass.  $60

 

C. & K. / EAGLE WORKS / SAC. CITY - These Sac (Sacramento) City blob soda bottles are seen fairly frequently in various shades of cobalt and sapphire blue...and apparently, to my knowledge, don't come in any other glass colors like the later versions (1867 to 1871) embossed with Owen Casey.  The "C" is for Casey - as in Owen Casey - and the "K" is for Kelly; these bottles date from about 1858 to 1866, according to the late Peck Markota's great book on Western blob sodas.  This example is a clear, pleasant shade of (what I would call) medium sapphire blue - see the images which represent the color well.   It is a tad over 7" tall, has an applied blob finish, smooth indented base, and very strong embossing.  The condition is excellent - near mint - and it almost certainly has been lightly cleaned at some point; there is no staining whatsoever.  There are no chips, cracks, or significant dings except for a bit of minor scuffing and a few very tiny (pin head or less) impacts marks here and there from handling during it use period.  It is in better condition that most of these I've seen over the years.  Nice bottle - you'll be pleased!  SOLD!

HOFFMAN & JOSEPH / (lion on a column) / ALBANY, OGN. - A very scarce to moderately rare Oregon blob top soda bottle from the only other city in Oregon than Portland to produce blob tops soda bottles (and Albany produced two...this and the related H. D. / ALBANY, O.).  Almost 7" tall, light greenish aqua in color, applied blob finish, smooth base, ca. 1880s.  This is the only example of the Hoffman & Joseph bottles I've encountered with a true applied lip.  I'm pretty sure there must be more around, but this is the only one to my memory.  The physical condition of this bottle is about mint with no chips, cracks, digs, etc.  It does have a few very light scuff marks and some relatively faint water staining inside on one side in a pattern showing that it laid on its side - tipping slightly down - for a century or more (i.e., a dug bottle like virtually all these I've seen).  A must for the Oregon collector and a rare variation with the true applied finish.   $100

 

FREDERICKSBURG / (emblem with F B Co inside of a shield) / BOTTLING CO. S. F. / THIS BOTTLE NOT / TO BE SOLD.   This large (24-26 oz. & 11.5" tall), crudely made, heavily whittled, applied blob finish, thick olive green glass, champagne style beer bottle is very reminiscent of the "apollinaris" style mineral water bottles.   According to Tom Quinn (in an excellent article in Thomas's 2002 book which was based on a lead in May Jones's books from the 1960s) - these bottles, as well as scores of other different beer (export and champagne) and cylinder liquor bottles, were made in Germany (like most apollinaris bottles) for various far West Coast brewing and liquor companies (primarily California with some in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia); often for companies with German surnames or themes (like Fredericksburg).  These German-made bottles - or at least the ones with U. S. specific embossing - seem to be a phenomena of just West Coast brewing and liquor companies which is believed related to a connection with several importers in the Bay Area of German ancestry (Abramson & Heunisch in the early 1880s; possibly others later).   Anyway, this example is in about mint condition with just some very minor wear/scuffing and a small nick at the base edge (visible at the linked image at about 11 o'clock).  This bottle was used for illustrating my Historic Bottle Website.  And interesting piece of Western American history.  $75

 

GAMBRINUS BREWING CO. / GBCo monogram / PORTLAND, OR. - All of this is embossed inside of a circular "slug plate."  The base is also embossed with S B & G Co / 2 indicating production by the Streator Bottle & Glass Company of Streator, IL. (the "2" is a mold mark of unknown meaning) and the reverse heel is embossed with a very small 99 which might be a date code for 1899.  Click base view to see an image of the base.  This bottle is mouth-blown (aka hand-blown, like about everything I sell) with a tooled crown cap accepting finish, aqua in color, 11 1/4" tall "quart" size (about 22-24 oz. actually), and dates from 1899 to maybe 1905 when Streator merged into the American Bottle Co.  (As a side note, Gambrinus was known as the "patron saint of beer" and a name used by many American breweries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries - and even today in one instance.)  Condition of the bottle is about mint with very shiny clean glass and a few light scuff marks here and there.  The only issues are a small (3 mm wide by 1.5 mm high) shallow flake on the side of the top portion ("bead") of the lip/finish and one small (2-3 mm in diameter) impact mark on the lower back.  This bottle was also used for illustrating my Historic Bottle Website.  All things considered, this is a pretty good example of an Oregon beer bottle that one doesn't see that often.  $30

 

BAY CITY SODA WATER / CO /S. F. - (large star on reverse) - To see an image of the large bold star embossed on the reverse, click reverse view.  These are very familiar and popular soda bottles with Western collectors and for a good reason - they are beautiful.  The Bay City bottles like this date from about 1871 to 1880 according to Markota's book on the subject.  This example has the typical applied blob finish or lip, is just over 7" tall, smooth base (these are never pontil marked; click base view), has very bold embossing, and is in a very nice clear medium sapphire blue.  The bottle is also quite crude - whittled with bubbles in the glass and stretch marks in the upper shoulder to neck area.   This example is near mint though has been professionally cleaned retaining some light case wear in the usual spots.  It also has two very small nicks on the heel/base related to the case wear (one within the edge of the base is visible on the left side of the base in the base view image linked above...it is the largest and still very small).   Nice example.  No longer available.

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS WESTERN BOTTLES

 

SAN FRANCISCO / GLASS WORKS - Quart fruit jar.   Here is a rare and desirable Western made wax sealer fruit jar dating from the 1870s.  The glass is a classic "SFGW" bluish aqua, 7 1/2" tall, with applied (pressed on ring) wax seal type finish.  It has the classic SFGW "curved R's" which were apparently a stylistic trade mark of a particular mold cutter working for the SFGW and later for the  SF&PGW.  Click HERE for a close-up of the embossing.  There is also the usual blanked out plate curving above the San Francisco where the "Cutting & Co" (I think that is right) embossing was removed from the original configuration of the mold.  After this mold was used for the SFGW jars, all this embossing was blanked or "slugged" out in order to make the "M. Seller & Co. / Portland, O."  fruit jar in the early 1880s most likely (talk about recycling!).  The glass is crude, whittled, and bubbly and the wax seal lip is crudely applied...the way we like them.  The jar is largely mint though has/had a very small chip on the outer edge of the lip which has been repaired quite well, though the epoxy/resin does have a slight yellowish cast to it upon very close inspection.  This repair was reportedly (from the seller I acquired it from) done by Marty Hall who is well known in the West for quality work.  The repair appears to be only about 1/2" + or - long and very shallow (<1/4" deep) and something I wouldn't have bothered to have done.  Click HERE to see a close-up of the repair on the lip which is pointed out with an arrow.  There is also some neat crudeness to the inner ring just inside the repair which is not a chip, but totally in-making.  Bottle used for and pictured on the Historic Bottle Website.  A very nice jar which makes it easy to see why someone did take the trouble to repair the small chip - "damage" that is very minimal but enough to lower the price by several hundreds.  No longer available.

 

SOLD ITEMS

DURHAM / (motif of bull) / WHISKEY - (Thomas #93) Here is a pseudo Western whiskey which was produced (and sold?) back east but is very similar to one of the rarest of the Western whiskey bottles except missing the all important E. Chielovich & Co. embossing.  Thus, it's interest by Western collectors and listing in Thomas's books.  This one does indeed have the famous "foot" on the back - click reverse view to see such.  Click view of bottle resting on the foot to see it resting on its foot.  Bottle has an applied "brandy" finish or lip, was blown in a four-piece mold, smooth base, is a medium orange amber, and is about 11 1/2" tall.  This example has been professionally cleaned as the glass used to make the bottles seems to react to about all soils.  Although the outside surface has been cleaned to a nice glossy surface, the inside still retains some moderate to heavy staining as it appears the inside was not cleaned due to concerns about the possibility of mechanical damage to the relatively thin glass of the foot.  Even with the inside staining, the bottle displays quite well.  The bottle itself is otherwise undamaged except for a 3 /4" vertical crack in the top portion of the lip; click close-up of the lip to see such (the crack is the dark line visible).  The bottle is an ex-Heckler Auctions item from ~20 years ago and the crack is entirely stable and not too detracting.  Hard to find bottle which, though not perfect, is in pretty decent condition including a perfect, undamaged foot.  SOLD!

PERUVIAN / BITTERS -  Not necessarily the rarest of Western bitters, but a popular one with a great name and an interesting shape.  I've always wondered about the Peruvian connection?  Usually, the "connection" to tropical (though Peru isn't very tropical at the high elevations!) countries was an inference to some mystical herbs from exotic locations that were known only to the locals until the formulator's of the product found them...this being a product of Wilmerding & Kellogg (see reverse image for their monogram) a San Francisco, CA. liquor dealer.  The original labels noted that it contained Cinchona rubra which a quick check of the internet notes it was - and is - called "Peruvian Bark" and was first introduced into Europe in 1640.  Guess that explains the name quite well, eh?  In any event, this example is a nice golden yellow color - not pure yellow but not your typical amber as evidenced by the comparison photo with a typical one (that one is not for sale).  The bottle is the earliest of the molds according to the Wilson's "Western Bitters" book with the off-kilter "S" in BITTERS, though this example has a crudely tooled finish along with lots of bubbles and waviness to the glass surface.  This bottle is near mint with no staining, chips, or cracks with the only flaw being a hard-to-see tiny (1-2 mm) "check" in the upper right corner of the reverse.  It appears to have been lightly cleaned, though I can't tell for sure.  A way above average example that would make a beautiful window bottle.  SOLD!

SAN FRANCISCO / GLASS WORKS - Half Gallon fruit jar - If that wasn't enough, I also have a very fine half-gallon example of the same jar (pictured to left) with the same "Western" blue aqua color and embossing details as the quart size (i.e., ex-Cutting & Co. mold that later morphed into the M. Seller & Co. jar).  This jar is essentially perfectly mint with no chips, dings, flea bites, cracks, staining...or repairs.  It also appears to have never been professionally cleaned.  (The jar includes an original metal disk cap which is not shown in the image.)  Both sizes of the jar are are quite rare though the half-gallon is the rarer of the two in my experience.  Click close-up of the embossing to see such; this image also shows the seed bubbles scattered throughout the glass fairly well.  Be aware that the embossing is much stronger than that or the image to the left imply; I just couldn't get a good picture straight on.  Click side view of the embossing which shows the embossing is quite distinct.  Both jars are great examples of the few full "glass works" name embossed Western bottles/jars and really undervalued (and underappreciated) in my opinion.  One of these with a small lip chip sold for $1000 [with commission] at a Glass Works Auction in February 2008; this is at least as good an example in my opinion.   SOLD!

PACIFIC / SAN FRANCISCO / GLASS WORK - PATD FEBY 9TH 1864 / VICTORY / 1 / REISD JUNE 22D 1867- This is a very esthetic example of these scarce Western made canning jars.  This example is the quart size (Red Book/Creswell #2895) with a good condition Mason's Improved type screw band and original domed glass insert (with some very minor roughness along its edge).  These Western made jars were blown at the Pacific Glass Works in San Francisco and I acquired this example for use on my Historic Bottle Website; the following is an excerpt from that site:

This (Pacific Glass Works) was the first truly successful glass maker west of the Rockies and in business from 1862 to 1876 when it was combined with the San Francisco Glass Works to form the San Francisco and Pacific Glass Works.  This information gives a likely manufacturing date range for this jar of 1867 to 1876, although it is possible that the molds (there were several sizes and variations made) continued in use by the combined company for some period after 1876.    

UNION BREWING / AND / MALTING CO. / S. F. CAL. - This is embossed on the front of this "select" or "champagne" style quart (24-25 oz.) beer bottle.  It is also embossed on the base with P. C. G. W. which indicates manufacture by the Pacific Coast Glass Works (San Francisco, CA.) which used this mark from 1902 to about 1924 according to Dr. Julian Toulouse's classic book on makers marks.  The Union Brewing & Malting Company operated under this name from 1902 to 1916 with this bottle most likely dating to the first half of that range.  This example has a tooled blob finish, 11" tall, smooth base (besides the noted makers marking), and in a nice bright deep amber that does pass light well in the window (the image shows the color well).  Click on the following links to see more images of this bottle:  base view showing the PCGW mark faintly; close-up of the shoulder, neck, and finish.  The condition is virtually pristine with just a few light scuff spots on the lower back and no cracks, chips, flashes, staining, high point wear on the embossing (common on re-useable beer bottles), or other issues.  This bottle was also acquired for and used/pictured on the Historic Bottle Website. SOLD!

DELANEY & YOUNG / monogram / EUREKA, CAL. - An exceptionally nice example of what I believe is a fairly scarce "champagne" style beer bottle from a small-ish coastal town in Northern California.  (Delaney & Young also were liquor dealers and there is at least one amber fifth whiskey bottle with about the same embossing from the same era.)  This bottle is a "quart" size (really about 24 oz.), has a tooled blob lip or finish, is embossed with 162 / H on the base (indicating possible manufacture by Holt Glass Company in the Bay Area), and in a nice light, clear amber color...ca. 1900 to 1910 (or 1906 if actually blown at Holt with was allegedly destroyed by the SF earthquake).   This bottle was produced in an interesting 4-piece mold where the interchangeable embossing "plate" was the lower half of the mold on one side.  This is something that I've only seen on Western (and Hawaiian...which is really far West) soda and beer bottles, though I suspect this configuration had to have been used in the East also?  In any event, the bottle is essentially mint with no problems I can see - no staining, no chips, no fleabites, no cracks, no significant wear, no nothing except for being in about the condition it came out of the glass works in.  The glass also has a smattering of nice tear drop bubbles which add to the effect.  This bottle was also acquired to illustrate the Historic Bottle Website. Nice addition to any Western beer or general collection...or if you collect Northern California beer bottles.   SOLD!

CHAMPAGNE / MEAD - This is embossed vertically and very boldly on one of the few blob sodas from the West with fully paneled body sides - eight to be precise.  These bottles were certainly blown in San Francisco at either the PGW or SFGW, exhibiting the distinctive blue aqua color of bottles blown at one (both?) of these glass houses.  This bottle has a "globby" applied blob finish, smooth base, just over 7" in height, some bubbles in the glass and other crudity and dates from the very early 1870s.  The product was actually a non-alcoholic, carbonated beverage based largely on (apple?) cider not honey like traditional mead is.  Click 1870 patent for the champagne mead formula to see the not-so-secret formula.  An article that I recently wrote for Bottles and Extras (FOHBC) magazine discusses these mead bottles briefly along with some other important earlier San Francisco soda bottles.  The article notes that the Champagne Mead bottles date from about the mid-1870s to possibly as late as early 1872.  Click on the following link to see that article:  http://www.sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/crystalsodaarticle.pdf   Condition of this example is very good with only the slightest of wear, a couple very small scuff marks on the shoulder,  and a few very small (pinhead size or less) peck marks on several of the panel edges; no staining (doesn't look professionally cleaned but not impossible), crack or chips.  Nice example of a cool Western soda bottle which is not rare, but not that abundant and with a unique history.   SOLD!

STAR / BOTTLING WORKS / (embossed star) / SALEM, ORE. - Soda bottles from any location in Oregon other than Portland tend to be scarce to very rare.  This scarce soda is from Salem and is an earlier mouth-blown example with a tooled crown finish and an 8-sided "mug" base.  The company dates from 1905 to 1913 according to Ron Fowler's great book on Oregon sodas.  They started out using a Hutchinson style soda (very rare0, with the crown bottles being later, i.e., 1912 to 1913 more or less.  The bottle is greenish aqua in color, 8" tall, has the embossing in a slightly oval plate, and was produced - according to the heel code - by the Streator (IL.) factory of the American Bottle Co.  Actually, this one has an "S 12" code indicating that plant and production in 1912.  Neat!  Condition is very good with just some light wear on some of the edges and embossing, a few small non-distracting scratches, and a few small (pinhead size or smaller) peck marks at the corners of the base and on the outside edge of the lip - all typical of these bottles which were banged around when being cleaned for re-use as well as in transportation to consumers.  No notable staining, chips or cracks and an overall very pleasing example.  These small town, mouth-blown crown sodas are an field of bottle collecting that hasn't been discovered like the Hutchinson styles, probably making these a bargain to acquire...for now.  SOLD!

J. H. CUTTER / OLD / BOURBON / (crown) / A. P. HOTALING & Co. / SOLE AGENTS  - All that is embossed within a circle on this popular (to late 19th century Western drinkers and modern Western bottle collectors) fifth sized liquor bottle from San Francisco.  This version (Thomas #43) dates from 1873 to 1877 according to the late Mr. Thomas, has a crudely applied lip (close-up image of lip), smooth slightly domed base, 4-piece mold, and is not embossed with A No 1 on the reverse.  Glass color is a dark chocolate amber with a smattering of bubbles in the glass.  Click close-up image of the embossing to see such showing the typical flattened embossing of the pre-mold air venting era, though the embossing  is quite distinct as shown in the image.  (This bottle also has the "curved R" indicating that the mold engraving was done by the famous - though un-named - mold engraver residing in the Bay Area from the early 1870s to mid-1880s.)   This example is in near mint condition with no chips, cracks or notable staining; the only "issues" are a few small scuff or abrasion marks, a tiny smaller-than-a-pinhead nick on the reverse heel, and a small (4-5 mm) mark at the reverse heel that may be a small impact mark or a flattened bubble...had to say.  In any event, this is a pleasing looking specimen that has minimal issues.  SOLD!

BOTTLED BY / THE AP. P. HOTALING CO. / WHOLESALE / LIQUORS / PORTLAND, OR. - All this is embossed horizontally (click embossing close-up to see such) on the front of this relatively "ball neck brandy" bottle that came in both clear/colorless and amber, like this example which is the more desirable of the two colors.  To be more specific, this wonderful example is a light and fairly brilliant orange amber with the glass fairly littered with bubbles of varying sizes.  Bottle is just under 11.5" tall, has a tooled "patent" lip or finish, smooth base, and dates from about 1900-1910, I would estimate.  This example is just about mint with just a tiny fleabite nick on the lip edge and some light scuffing on the back...otherwise the bottle has no chips, cracks, staining, or other issues, and nice look to the glass surface.  SOLD!

DR. HENLEY'S / WILD GRAPE ROOT / IXL (in an oval) / BITTERS - These large (at least a quart in capacity) Western bitters bottles are quite popular with collectors since they are...large...and have some great embossing.  A very popular product, these bottles are found all over the West (in all kinds of colors) from the mining camps of Utah, Nevada, and Montana to the big cities of the day - San Francisco, Portland, Sacramento.  This example is over 12" tall, a typical pale blue-aqua color, the usual moderately domed base, and a crudely applied "champagne" style banded finish.  This example probably dates from the mid-1880s I would estimate since it fairly crude (stretch marks, bubbles) and is not air vented but does not have the distinctive curved "R" of the earlier molds.  The condition of this example is about mint with no chips, cracks, staining, or repairs...only a few scratches/scuffs here and there.  The embossing is somewhat light but distinct; click on embossing close-up to see such.  As the image shows, the lightest of the embossing is the IXL and oval, though even that part of the embossing is certainly easily read as is the rest of the embossing.  Call it moderately bold for this particular mold which had thinner engraved lettering than the previous ones.  All around a good condition, average example.  SOLD!

WAIT'S WILD CHERRY TONIC - THE GREAT TONIC - This is embossed on opposite sides of this somewhat scarce tonic from the West - Sacramento, CA. to be precise.  However, this example has about 95% of the original label as shown in the image.  The bottle is almost 9" tall, smooth base (embossed with 147 / G), has a tooled long tapered collar (aka "oil finish"), medium amber glass with some scattered bubbles, and dates from the early 1900s - and probably a product of some Western glass company (like the PCGC) but is not marked as such.  The label notes that it is "Wait's Wild Cherry Tonic Compound" produced by "The Geo. Z. Wait (Co.), Sacramento, Cal."  Mr. Wait also produced a bitters that is identical in look - except the embossing is different - as well as other medicines I presume.  The label also notes that it is "Guaranteed under the Food and Drugs Act, June 30, 1906..." which is a typical statement on medicine bottle labels (never seen it embossed) for products produced between 1906 and about 1911 or 1912.  This example also has the original cork and about half of the contents - evaporation having taken the other half leaving behind a thicker, blacker "product."  (For a buyer not wanting the contents I would be glad to empty it, but I think it adds to the interest of the bottle personally though would also add a bit possible to the shipping cost.)  Condition of the bottle is mint as it has never been buried; the label is how you see it in the image (click to enlarge) which has a few edge/corner pieces missing and some staining near the top.  It also has a strip of paper glued on just below the "Compound" covering up something about what the bottle cures and/or ingredients...interesting.  Great item for the Western or tonic bottle collector...or those who like the label and contents.  SOLD!
 
N. E. - PLUS - ULTRA - FLUID - The preceding wording is embossed on the four roof sides of this beautiful little schoolhouse ink which also comes complete with embossed doors and windows on all the body sides.  This bottle is about 2.5" tall, just over 2" to each side of the square body, smooth domed base with an embossed dot in the center, a relatively deep blue aqua in color, the typical "cracked" off straight finish, ca. 1870-1880.  These versions of the every popular schoolhouse inks are thought to have been made in the West - SF&PGW to be precise - which commonly produced bottles with a deeper blue tone to the aqua glass like this bottle.  This example came from the West (California) and most others I'm familiar were also Western found - including one we broke digging when I was growing up in Oregon.  The condition is mint with the usual "roughness" to the rim of the lip which was a function of the blowpipe being cracked-off - instead of sheared - and not being refired to smooth it out; an attribute common to ALL of these type of schoolhouse ink bottles.  For more images click reverse view to see such; click base view to see the indented base.  Bottle used for and pictured on the Historic Bottle Website. Very nice example of a very scarce ink bottle.  No longer available.

BITTERS
EARLY AMERICAN BOTTLES & FLASKS
MEDICINAL "TONIC" BOTTLES
OTHER MEDICINAL BOTTLES
FOODS & CANNING JARS
SODA/MINERAL WATER & BEER
LIQUOR & MISC. BOTTLES and COLLECTIBLES
BOTTLE BOOKS

 

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