STEWART D. HOWE'S - ARABIAN / TONIC / BLOOD PURIFIER - NEW YORK - These Arabian Tonic bottles have always been a favorite of mine - have had several through the years - in that they are big in size, nicely embossed, a bit earlier in age (1870s), and have a great name!  This bottle is 9.5" tall, 3.25" wide and about 2" thick.  It also has an applied "patent" finish, blown in a post-mold (smooth base), lacks any mold air venting, and as noted likely dates from the 1870s (possibly late 1860s or very early 1880s) era I would estimate from the manufacturing characteristics. 

This example is boldly embossed and is essentially mint with just a bit of content haze in the upper front shoulder that takes a bright light to see.  It also has some nice bubbles in the glass, a pleasant blue aqua color, stretch marks on in the neck, and a bit of slop over below the lip.  I don't believe it has every been buried and certainly not professionally cleaned.  One of the bigger, better, and fairly scarce "medicinal tonic" bottles!  $45

JOHNSON'S TONICS - Four different molds!  Offered here as a group are a few variations of what was likely one of the most popular medicinal tonics of the late 19th to early 20th century - JOHNSON'S CHILL & FEVER TONIC.  Specifically, these four bottles are all a bit different although the two on the right in the 4 bottle images has the same embossing on both the sides as well as the base.  Actually 3 of 4 bottles have "47" embossed on the base with the second from the left having "24".  Click bases view to see such. 

I couldn't find much history on the product or producer besides Richard Fike's medicine bottle book (1987) noting the product being advertised in 1891 and much later in the early 1940s, though that indicates that the product was sold for at least a half century and at least originated in Savannah, GA.  (Fike notes that in the early 1940s it was being sold by a company in St. Louis, MO.)  Matt Knapp's comprehensive book on American medicine bottles (2012) lists a few variations like the b0ttle to the far left (with A.B. Girardeau embossed and likely the oldest?) but not the three other bottles here.  The bottles will be described as they are shown in the image from left to right; click on the "Example #" hot link to see a close-up image of that entire bottle.

Example #1 (far left):  This colorless/clear glass example is embossed vertically (top to bottom) with JOHNSON'S CHILL & FEVER TONIC / GUARANTEED TO CURE / A. B. GIRARDEAU. SAV'H. GA.  This bottle - same as all the others - has a tooled double ring lip or finish and was blown in an air vented (one vent mark on the back shoulder) cup-base mold with a square indentation on the base; this one having "47" embossed in the center (a likely mold tracking number).  The glass has a very slight pink tint indicating that the glass batch was decolorized with manganese dioxide as were the other three examples (more on that below).  The bottle is essentially mint with just the faintest trace of even haze on the inside; no chips, cracks, dings, open bubbles or other post-production damage.  It has some scattered bubbles in the glass and I believe this is the oldest of the group due t0 having just one air venting mark; probably dating from the 1890s.

Example #2 (second from the left):  This deep amethyst example is embossed JOHNSON'S TONIC / MADE IN / SAVANNAH, GA.  This example was likely exposed to an ultra-violet (UV) light (like used for food sterilization) for some period of time to bring out the purple lurking in the glass batch formula due to the manganese dioxide as noted above.  This example has 6 separate air venting markings spread out around the shoulder area as well as four on the base.  This probably indicates a more recent manufacture (though still mouth-blown) than example #1 above, i.e., likely early 1900s to mid-1910s.  The base is embossed with a "24" mold number unlike the three other examples with "47".  This example has some light haze scattered inside and out which isn't too distracting due to the nice purple color.  Like all 4 bottles, this one has no chips, cracks, dings, open bubbles or other post-production damage.

Example #3 (third from the left):   This (and the next) example is embossed JOHNSON'S CHILL / AND FEVER TONIC.  Also another deep amethyst example that was also likely zapped with a UV light.  This example also has about 6 air venting markings scattered around the shoulder area but none on the base like #2 above.  This would indicate to me that it was made sometime between #1 and #2 - probably 1900 to 1910.  Condition is very good with some scattered light haze (some colorfully iridescent) which is also not too distracting due to the wonderful color.  Like with all 4 bottles this one has no chips, cracks, dings, open bubbles or other post-production damage.

Example #4 (far right):   This last example is embossed identically to #3 - including the "47" on the base - although upon close inspection this was blown in a different mold than #3.  Proof of this is also supported by this bottle just having two slightly larger venting marks on the shoulders opposite the vertical mold seam lines.  The glass is also basically colorless like #2 with a bit of pink also indicating that the glass batch had manganese dioxide as the decolorizer.  Condition is also physically perfect - no chips, cracks, dings, etc. though the glass is more moderately water stained by not horribly so.

All four bottles are available as a group for only $50 

C. C. C. / TONIC - This is the first of two C. C. C. TONIC bottles I'm offering for your consideration. (NOTE October 2025: The other CCC flask has been sold.)  Whether they are related or not, I do not know for sure, but have some ideas...so read on.  This example is what would be called a "Blake" style pharmacy or druggist bottle.  See my other Historic Glass Bottle ID & Information Website at the following link for more information on this popular (at the time) rectangular style of druggist bottle: https://secure-sha.org/bottle/medicinal.htm#Rectangular%20Druggists  This bottle is embossed boldly on the front side with C. C. C. which has horizontal lines embossed within each of the large "C" letters.  Below it is embossed with TONIC in large, but solid or filled in letters.  Click on the full sized image to the left to see view a larger image. 

The only references to  C. C. C. on medicine bottles that I can find are the "Certain Corn Cure" (Indiana), "Certain Chancre Cure" (Texas) and "Curtis' Cough Compound" (unknown) in Knapp's "Antique American Medicine Bottles" book.  The only one with "TONIC" embossed is the scarce but occasionally seen bottle which is embossed C C C / TONIC / BOERICKE & RUNYON / NEW YORK which was also bottled in the "Blake" style druggist bottle.  It has a different look to the embossing in that it does not have the thick letters with lines like this example and there are no periods after each "C" like this example.  And of course, it has the company and city embossed whereas this offering doesn't as well as coming in two sizes (6" and 8").  I'm not positive those are connected with this one but since they are bottled in the same style bottle it is a distinct possibility?  It is also possible that this bottle is a rip off imitation of the B&R product?  In any event, this is the only example I've ever seen of this particular tonic bottle so if used by B&R it was likely the earlist one.

The bottle has a typical - for the bottle style - tooled "prescription" lip or finish.  Click close-up of the shoulder, neck and finish to see such closer up.  It is 8" tall, by 3" wide, by 2" deep - a large bottle for the style probably holding upwards of 16 oz.  It is of colorless glass like most druggist style bottles with an ever-so-slight amethyst tint when looking through a thick part of the glass.  This indicates the glass batch was decolorized with manganese dioxide and would turn purple if exposed enough time to sunlight.  The base is embossed in the center with an "N" inside of a circle; click base view to see such.  That is the makers marking for Obear-Nester Glass Co. (St. Louis, IL.) which used this marking from 1895 to the mid-1920s; this bottle dating from the first 10-15 years of that period (late 1890s to maybe early 1910s).  If interested in the history of the company see this article on my Historic Glass Bottle ID & Information Website at this link:  https://secure-sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/Obear-Nester.pdf

Condition of this bottle is nearly mint with no chips, cracks or dings of any type.  It has very little outside scuffing and very light water staining in a few spots inside...a minority of the insides.  The outside is sparkling clean.  Nice medicinal tonic bottle which is the same size and "Blake" style as the equally rare Columbian Tonic listed above.  Makes a good pair!  $45

GRAY'S GLYCERINE TONIC COMP. - THE PURDUE FREDERICK CO. / NEW YORK - This is an early machine-made tonic bottle made for and bottled by The Purdue Frederick Co. of New York.  The label notes that even though produced after the 1906 Pure Foods & Drugs Act the product was a "Tonic of Broad Application" good for a host of ailments and conditions including "...deranged function and whenever a general tonic is needed or desired."   It also "Stimulates the appetite, aids digestion, increases  assimilation and promotes the nutrition.".  Further down on the label it notes its use for "Coughs, Colds, Bronchitis."  The "formula" - including "Glycerin, Sherry Wine, Gentian, Taraxacum (dandelion) and Phosphoric Acid with carminatives"  was from Dr. John P. Gray...apparently a doctor of note back then in New York?  Click on the image to the far left to read the label yourself. 

According to a quick look on the internet, the company was founded by two Manhattan doctors - the noted Dr. Gray and a Dr. George Frederick Bingham - in 1892.  The company was in business under that name over half a century, selling it in 1952 to three brothers (last name Sackler) who didn't rename it Perdue Pharma until 1991.  That company became a central figure in the opioid crisis through its marketing of OxyContin which was highly addictive.  The company was fined for misleading claims about OxyContin's addictive potential.  The company filed for bankruptcy in 2019 amid widespread lawsuits over its role in the opioid crisis.  It officially ceased operations in September 2021.  Interesting history, eh?!

Anyway...the reverse is embossed in an oval with THE PURDUE FREDERICK CO. / (monogram with PFCo intertwined) / NEW YORK.  Click close-up of the embossing to see such.  The base is embossed with 876 / T (inside of an upside down triangle) / 2.  Click base view to see such.  The 876 & 2 are of no importance - just mold, cavity or catalog numbers of meaning only to the glass company that made it.  The T inside the upside down triangle (center of the base) is the makers marking for Turner Glass Company (Terre Haute, Indiana) who used that marking from 1920 to 1930.  See the article on the company on my Historic Bottle Website at the following link:  https://secure-sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/TurnerGlass.pdf

This bottle being machine made isn't particularly crude and is of a colorless glass that doesn't not turn purple.  Instead it has a faint amber tint indicating de-colorization using selenium.  It is a bit over 7.5" tall and held a pint (16 oz.) of the concoction.  It has a two part lip (aka "finish") that is comprised of a rounded first ring which is a bit wider than the lower, taller second part.  It would be a variation of the "collared ring" which I describe on my other website at the following link:  https://secure-sha.org/bottle/finishstyles2.htm#Collared%20Ring  The bottle body is essentially a strap sided oval type used during that period for various liquid medicinal products.  It is in perfect mint condition due to it obviously never having been buried.  The label is 99+ percent intact and just a bit yellowed from sitting somewhere for about a century.  I collected this as part of my medicinal tonic collection - to add some original label examples - but time to pass it on now.  First and only example I've ever seen of it.  Not real old compared to other items in my collection but sporting a cool label showing that wild claims for "medicines" was still a thing in the 1920s.  $25

PUROLA BITTER HERB TONIC label only medicinal tonic bottle - Here is a very nice label only medicinal tonic bottle from Portland, Oregon. The label is essentially perfect with no chipping or staining but with a slight overall but even slight darkening of the paper that is common with old labels.  So I'm pretty positive that the label is original to the bottle and not some added later thing.  In addition to the previous evidence the person I acquired it from (eBay) noted that they had found a few of them the attic or basement of some Northwest building that I can't remember...probably Portland.  The label does note that the contents were "One Pint, 5 Fluid Ounces" which is about the amount to the base of the neck this bottle would hold.

I had another example of this product where the label was actually different but from the same company.  Click Bitter Herb Tonic label to see the label of that example which I sold years ago.  It was produced by the same company - Blumauer-Frank Co. - but prior its name adding the "PUROLA" before Bitter Herb Tonic.  Possibly an older example?  The bottles' label also notes that the product acted as "AN APPETIZER, ALSO LIVER, STOMACH AND BOWEL STIMULANT WHICH REPRESENTS THE VIRTUES OF ANGUSTURA, MANDRAKE, CASCARA, DANDELION AND HOPS COMBINED WITH AROMATICS.  Sounds great!  Also notes that it contains 25% alcohol...50 proof would also help as a stimulant.

The base has a mold number of 1016 embossed which is "ghosted" as I've heard this phenomena called.  If you click on the image to the right of the base, you'll have a larger, better quality image pop up in a separate window.  You'll see that the number is lightly repeated just to left and slightly below - at a 45 degree angle or so - the centered number.  That is a function of the glassblower slightly lifting the inflating gob of hot glass and then expanding it with his lungs but slightly shifting or rotating his position.  In my experience this seems to be most often observed on bottles mouth-blown from the late 1890s into the mid to late 1910's when automatic machines took over the job.

The bottle stands 8.5" tall, is about 2.75" to a side and has beveled corners.  See image of the reverse panels to see such.  The side mold seams end right at the base of the finish but there is no slop since there was no applied glass added.  The tooling of the finish/lip to shape was very nicely done indicating to me that the bottle is likely from the 1910s and a very late mouth-blown product.  Click image of the upper body, shoulder and neck/lip to see such.  The color is a typical medium amber and typical of the square bottles used for Dr. J. Hostetter's Bitters and a myriad of other bottle "medicinal" products from the Civil War era well into the first few decades of the 20th century.  The condition is absolutely perfect with no issues at all..and included the likely original cork.  Nice addition to an Oregon or  Northwest medicine collection or medicinal tonic collection which is the reason I acquired it.  $50

WESTMORELAND'S - CALISAYA TONIC - Offered here (images to the right) is the likely earliest of the smaller size (maybe 11-12 oz.) bottles used for this product.  The large version has been sold and what history I had on the company was in that listing.  It has been added here for your viewing pleasure:

Back when I acquired my first example of these bottles (20+ years ago and one of the smaller sizes) I was in contact with Bill Baab (well known collector in the South) who gave me some information on its history having written "The Book" on Augusta, GA. bottles. I don't have the book (since it is narrowly regional a long ways from where I live in Oregon) but he noted the following in an email:  It's an Augusta, Georgia bottle. Jesse M. Westmoreland of Greenville, S.C., came up with the formula, but the Westmoreland Calisaya Tonic Co., was chartered on March 4, 1890 in Augusta. 

This particular bottle as well as the earliest appearing small size (listed below, the other two smaller variations to be listed later) both appear to pre-date 1890 given the manufacturing features noted earlier which are indicative of bottles made no later than mid to late 1880s, i.e., before Bill Baab's noted date of chartering in Augusta.  Hummm...  This got me searching a bit more in my much too extensive (sez the wife) bottle book library and did find some clarification.  Specifically, in Mark Knapp's "Antique American Medicine Bottles" book (Knapp 2012) he only notes the smaller (~8") version of the product but has an undated advertisement (likely from the 1880s) which notes that the product was first prepared and sold in 1883 out of Greenville, SC by a Dr. J. M. Westmorland.  Click on Westmorland's Calisaya Tonic advertisement to see such.  Bingo!  This larger example was almost certainly made for the "Westmoreland Calisaya Tonic Company" when it was in Greenville, SC. as well as the earliest of the smaller size noted above (and shown in the linked image in the first paragraph).  The later examples were likely made for the Augusta branch or after the company moved to that city - I don't know which but that is what the noted diagnostic manufacturing bottle features are indicating.

I have three different mold examples of the smaller size of the Westmoreland's Calisaya Tonic with this one exhibiting the features consistent with manufacture in the 1880s, i.e., a true applied "brandy" finish, no evidence of mold air venting and blown in a post-base type mold.  I am pretty certain that this is the first of the smaller versions which was used by the Westmoreland Calisaya Tonic Co. when it was formed in Greenville, SC.  

This bottle is exactly 8" tall, was blown in a post-base mold (click base view to see such) without air venting and has an applied "brandy" finish or lip which has a bit of sloppiness confirming the finish was made from tooling separately applied glass after the formation of the bottle.  (Note: If unfamiliar with the difference between applied and tooled finishes - as I use the terminology - see the following linked article that I wrote for a Society of Historical Archaeology publication in 2010: https://secure-sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/finishingtoucharticle.pdf )  Click view of the shoulder, neck and finish to see such showing a bit of crudeness to the base of the finish ring indicating an applied finish.  The glass color is a very deep chocolate amber - really a black amber as it takes holding it to a strong light to see through the bottle.  It has a moderate amount of crudity with some wavy glass on the label panel. bubbles in the glass and stretch marks in the shoulder-base of the neck area.

Condition of this example is very good with no chips, cracks or other physical damage besides a few very light, but short scratches.  It does have a bit of dullness patchiness in a few places on the side panels and the base.  There are a couple bubbles that are on the surface of the glass but with no depth at all...just part of the bottles hand-blown crudity.  Nice example!  $85

WESTMORELAND'S - CALISAYA TONIC - Here are two additional examples of the smaller size Westmoreland's Calisaya Tonic bottles both of which were made in different proprietary molds, both of which were different molds from the older applied lip example above.  Three different molds spread over a period of probably 20+ years given that the one above is likely from the mid to late 1880s with the examples to the left dating from the early 1890s (the yellow glass example - more on dating below) to early 1900s (the darker example to the right in the images to the left). 

Both of these bottles have tooled "brandy" style lips/finishes and were blown in cup-base molds that had upper shoulder edge air venting.  Click view of the shoulder, neck and lip to see that portion of both bottles.  The darker example has embossing that is straight up and down whereas the yellow example has the back slanting lettering which is also found on the larger size example (which I sold already).  Click on the images to the left to see larger versions.  The other two sides of these square bottles are not embossed but both have one flat side and the other indented.  Click on the following links to see the other sides of both bottles:  flat panel image; indented panel image.  As to the height of the bottles, the darker one is just under 8" tall and the yellow example just a bit above 8".

The darker amber example has a plain base with no embossing whereas the yellow amber one has A. G. CO. embossed in the base center.  See the image of the yellow amber base to the right (click to enlarge).  A check of my other educational website on historic bottles (Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website) which hosts the "Encyclopedia of Manufacturers Marks on Glass Containers" finds an article under the "A" bottle makers section on the A. G. CO. marks which an assortment of glass companies used during the mouth-blown bottle era. 

However, there were two glass companies in Georgia during that period - the Atlanta Glass Company (1887-1892) and the Augusta Glass Works (1890-1894) which more or less fit the embossing. The article notes that both companies made a variety of bottle types but that the Atlanta Glass Works was most likely to be the user of the A. G. CO. makers marking during its stint of bottle making.  (If interested in reading that article it is found at the following link:  https://secure-sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/AGCo.pdf )  Given that the yellow example was likely made in Atlanta no later than 1892, the darker amber example likely dates from the later 1890s to possibly the early 1900s.  I found no information outside of that already noted that even discussed these scarce tonic bottles or how long the product was produced.

The condition of both of these bottles is pretty good in that they don't have any chips, cracks or other significant physical damage outside of a bit of scratching on the non-indented panel and a couple pin head sized open bubbles on the darker bottles shoulder and one panel.  That one also has some faint haze here and there but relativity non-distracting.  The yellow example has no other issues but does have an fairly event coating of haze on the outside which is seeable in the images.  Both bottles would be candidates for a tumble if one so desired.  Mark Knapp's all massive "Antique American Medicine Bottles" notes a price range (page 552) of $100-120 for the small size (he only lists the smaller size not differentiating the different molds like I did above).  All in all they are a decent pair which are priced right but separately.  Dark amber example - $50; Yellow amber example - $60  (ON HOLD)

DR. A. J. LAUBACH & CO - GOLDEN SEAL / TONIC - PHILADELPHIA, PA - Offered here is what I believe to be a quite rare tonic from an Eastern big city - Philadelphia, PA.  Dr. Laubach (initials for unknown first and middle names) also produced a few other patent medicines including Dr. Laubach's Eclectric Liniment, and Dr. Laubach's Worm Cure. and Dr. Laubach Mother Hubbard Cough Syrup.  All that according to Matt Knapp's very useful (and massive) "Antique American Medicine Bottles" book (2012).  He also had an advertisement from a newspaper (I think) noting those medicines as well as a Dr. Laubach's Cough Troches (whatever a "Troche" is).  The ad can be viewed at the following link:  Laubach Advertisement  Unfortunately there is no date indicated as to when the ad was published, but based on the manufacturing features (more below) of the Golden Seal Tonic I would speculate that he was active at least during the 1870s to 1880s.

I have only recorded one example of this tonic...this bottle.  Never seen another so have to guess it was locally distributed and not overly popular.  It is a period (1860s to 1880s) typical, non-pontiled rectangular bottle with sunken panels on all four sides.  There is embossing in three of the panels - the wide front side and both narrow sides - with the back panel not embossed and certainly where a label was pasted touting all the health wonders that would be bestowed by purchasing this product. 

The bottle is 8.5" tall, 2.5" wide and 1.5" deep.  It has a somewhat crudely applied "extract" style lip or finish in glassmaker parlance.  Click view of the shoulder, neck and finish to view such. The embossing is quite bold on all three sides and the glass color a medium blue aqua with some scattered bubbles.  The bottle was blown in post-base mold which features the side mold seams wrapping and continuing onto the base terminating at the circular "post" depression.  Click base view to see the base though the noted mold seams are fairly faint.  There are no air venting markings on the body indicating that it is almost certainly a pre-1885 production.

The condition is good with no cracks or significant chipping - the lip does have a couple tiny pin prick nicks.  The outside has a significant amount of foggy haze which would tumble away if one is into such.  There may be some spotty haze on the inside also. The base has some scratching (see base view image linked above) that looks like it was sitting around somewhere for a long time though it is certainly a dug bottle.  All in all a decent example of this particular patent medicine bottle which I believe to be quite rare...but priced right reflecting the noted issues.  $45  (ON HOLD)

PRIMLEY'S / IRON & / WAHOO / TONIC - JONES & PRIMLEY CO. / ELKHART, IND. - Here is another pair of scarce, square, paneled "bitters" shaped medicinal tonic bottles made in two sizes like the Westmoreland's Calisaya Tonics noted above.  These are interesting for several reasons including that the embossing on the front panel is horizontal, all sans serif and quite small whereas the back embossing is vertical, a mix of the serif and sans serif styles and about twice the size of the front embossing.  Looks almost like two different mold engravers were used each taking one side.  Click front panel to see a close-up of the front embossing and back panel to see the back embossing.

Fike's 1987 "The Bottle Book - A Comprehensive Guide to Historic Embossed Medicine Bottles" has some history about the company in the section on Sarsaparilla bottles.  Click Fike page 219 to see such.  It notes the (Seth) Jones & (Jonathan) Primley Company beginning producing patent medicines in 1883 and operating under that name until the late 1890s when Sherman Primley (Jonathan's brother) bought out Jones.  The two brothers continued the company into the 20th century likely being put out of the patent medicine business in the years after the 1906 Pure Foods & Drugs Act and the subsequent (1912) additions throttling the often wild medicinal claims such companies could ascribe to their products.

There were several variations of these bottles as I note on my Medicinal Tonic Bottles page of this website.  They are as follows, this offering being the second variant:

1. PRIMLEY'S / IRON & / WAHOO / TONIC - JONES & PRIMLEY CO. / ELKHART, IND. - Shades of amber and olive, square, 8.75" tall.

2. PRIMLEY’S / IRON & / WAHOO / TONIC - JONES & PRIMLEY CO. / ELKHART, IND. - Amber, square, 9 3/8” tall.

3. PRIMLEY'S / IRON & / WAHOO / TONIC - JONES & PRIMLEY CO. / MILWAUKEE, WI. - Amber, square, 9" tall.

4, PRIMLEY'S / IRON & / WAHOO / TONIC - SHERMAN PRIMLEY / MILWAUKEE, WI. on reverse.  Amber, not sure of size.

This particular bottle is, as noted, is variant #2 above.  It stands about 9 3/8" tall, is 2.5" per indented panel side width (all four panels are indented), and has a square indentation in the base.  Click base view to see such.  It has a tooled "brandy" style finish, aka the lip; click view of the shoulder, neck and finish to see such closer up.  It is a medium dark amber which does pass light fairly well and has an minor assortment of scattered small bubbles here and there.  It exhibits no evidence of mold air venting which combined with the tooled finish (formed without the addition of applied glass) would likely date it to the mid to late 1880s to possibly early 1890s. 

The condition of the bottle is just about perfect with no chips, dings, potstones, flakes or post production damage.  It has some faint striations to the glass surface which adds to the nice character of the glass.  I don't believe it has been professionally cleaned as the embossing is sharp, but can't say for sure.  It sure wasn't over cleaned if indeed such occurred.  Great example of a rarer medicinal tonic bottle that goes great with the next listing of a likely slightly older but a bit smaller example.  $125 

PRIMLEY'S / IRON & / WAHOO / TONIC - JONES & PRIMLEY CO. / ELKHART, IND. - Here is the smaller brother of the bottle listed above and is the #1 example in the variant list since it is likely the oldest as well as the first one I acquired.  The embossing is as noted for the bigger #2 example above, i.e., distinctly different on the two embossed sides but otherwise identical to the one above.  The history of the bottle would be the same as noted above though this one is a bit earlier example.  Both bottles side by side are shown to the right; click on the images to view larger versions.

The first difference between the larger example and this bottle is that this one has a true applied "brandy" finish.   That is, the lip/finish was formed with the addition of glass at the blowpipe crack-off point which was then tooled to shape to form the finish.  Given that the history noted in the other examples description indicates the company was formed in 1883 and the rarity of this mold (I've only seen a couple examples) this is likely the first of the bottles used for the product.  It also has no mold air venting marks indicating that this bottle likely dates from the earliest years of the company, i.e. 1883 to 1885 or so.

A second difference with this bottle is that it has a makers marking on the base.  Specifically, it is embossed with F.G.MFG.Co.  Click on the following link to view an image of the base and the embossing: base view.  As a member of the Bottle Research Group (a mix of collectors and archaeologists brought together by my educational website linked next) this marking has us stumped as we can't match it to any glass maker with those initials though possibly a regionally close glass company to the makers of the product.  Click on the following link to read the article written about this unique mark and published on my Historic Glass Bottle Identification & Information Website about 10 years ago:  https://secure-sha.org/bottle/pdffiles/FGMfgCo.pdf  As the article points out, the marking is also found on Primley's variant #4 listed above as well as on one export style beer bottle which was found at Fort Bowie, Arizona (an "Indian Wars" fort which was decommissioned in 1894).