Thursday, December 31, 2009

The First Embossed Hostetter's ??




While doing some online research I ran across this advertisement in the October 1856 Sacramento Daily Union from David Hostetter. David claims to be the attorney for Dr. S Hostetter and has appointed Park & White of San Francisco sole and exclusive agents for the state of California and Oregon for the sale of Dr. J. Hostetter's Stomach Bitters.


David also states in this ad that "it is never sold by the gallon anywhere, but in square bottles containing a full quart, with the cork covered with a metallic cap, and name on the cap and bottle, with the directions for use"


Could this be the 1850 -60s' 31 ounce large size bottle that we dig here in the west? Is this the first embossed Hostetter's that was shipped around the horn and into San Francisco? Even though the ad does not state that the name Hostetter's is blown in the glass, I'm leaning toward this being the advertisement for the first embossed Hostetter's. What say you diggers & collectors?

5 comments:

  1. You are correct, Rick. I have dug those bottles in the same pit and in the mix with OP bottles, yet they are never pontilled. At least not for me, anyway.

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  2. the ad does say name on cap and bottle,i dug mine in a hole that had pontil colored sodas and half didnt have pontils,so late 1850s and early 1860s it sure was grude and just sold it,maybe western glass addict will put a picture up .doesnt say s.f. but i dug it here and is as clean and crude as any s.f. glass works bottle.only ever dug one and know the were sold across the states ,but it came around cape horn just like lot of the s.f. pontiled sodas.collecting is fun and rewarding and enjoying the bottles,but it nothing like the rush of pulling it out of the ground yourself.happy new year to all and be safe if your driving home tonight.

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  3. Rick WE dug 5 of the large size in a gold country privy that dated about 1857 58, also dug 2 in a privy with a broken Baker and Cutting pickle in grass valley, that hole had 4 broken black squares in it that looked exactly like the embossed Hostetters , but unembossed. Is it possible they were paper labeled 1st . Richard probably knows exactly the dates of Hostetters embossed bottles and production.

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  4. Hostetter started the company in 1853, it is believed that the embossed bottles began around 1855.

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  5. Looks like you are absolutely correct Rick. I dug a broken example out of a hole in old Sac, that was with open pontiled stuff, so the date is about correct, plus with the dates in the above ad, and the statement by Wf above, I would say the proof is in.......Andy

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