Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The Surveys top pick

Here are some examples of the top Western bitters as chosen by the survey participants. Shown are both examples of the Cassin's bitters. The example on the left (a yellow green) is the earlier variant (inset panel), marketed in 1867. The center example (an olive color) is the later variant (flat panel) marketed thru 1868. The right example (dark orangish amber) is also a variant 1, however it appears more like a variant 2 due to it being underblown using a much heavier glass material.

7 comments:

  1. Warren,
    What's the latest you think the varient 2 flat panel runs?

    AP

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  2. AP,
    The written evidence indicates that the manufacturing of the bottle ended with SFGW's destruction on July 23, 1868. However the Cassin Bros. inventory most likely allowed the continuation of marketing this product thru November 1868. Advertisement and marketing of the Grape Brandy Bitters seems to end and the beginning of the XXX Grape Root Bitters begins.

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  3. Can't wait for the book ! Does anyone have a count on the number of Cassins that have been dug in San Francisco and Oakland (excluding the BIG DIG) ?

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  4. Andrew.
    I am only aware of 2 others from your area, both dug in Oakland in the early 1970s on separate digs.
    AP

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  5. Andrew,

    I was told the dark amber example in the picture came from the San Jose area, maybe even the Virgina street dump years ago.

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  6. Thanks guys. Do you have similar info on Lacour's or Wonser's ?

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  7. Andrew,
    I can't know for sure but I have an approximate count on the number of known variants of the Lacour's bitters. I haven't kept track for awhile on the Wonser's examples out there.

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