I Will See Your Renzs And Raise You A Plantation

Old pics

I found a few old photos of diggin' back in the day. Many are lost 'cause my saving pictures reeks. They are piled everywhere and some were simply thrown away. There is one of me holding a fresh dug Buffalo Bourbon, me holding some old soda and a funky square, and one of the last exclusive permission dig in Old Sac, mid-1970s. Tons of good bottles came from that site. Left behind were hundreds of junker blacks, common sodas, and anything slick. One of my buds and I got into a space between two buildings that had over 4' of 1860s and '70s sodas piled in the ash. We busted 60-70 Billings 'cause they were aqua and we only wanted color. Owens by the hundred! At the time they were going for $15-20 a pop and they all went. What happened to all those Caseys? Now, you see people trying to get 200 bucks for the things. Crazy, I tell 'ya.

A. A. Enqvist California Washing Extract

This bottle was mentioned in the comments of another post a few months ago. As far as I was able to research Mr. Enqvist was only listed with the "v" in his name in the 1865 SFCD. Apparently more extensive research was done on Mr. Enqvist than I was able to accomplish online. I'd love to read more information about this bottle. This was found by Val Valdivia in the Embarcadero Projects...I later bought it out from under someone's nose who'd priced it for Mr. Valdivia at all of $5.00. Oops! :')

DOWNIEVILLE 2011

This years Downieville Bottle Show is slated for the weekend of September 10th.

The festivities kick off on Friday afternoon with a wine tasting event followed by a western style barbecue at the "Old Downieville Brewery" and home of Rick & Cherry Simi on Main Street. All show dealers and their guests are welcome at the tasting and BBQ.

The wine tasting event is hosted by Will Clark of 49er Wines and features wines from the California gold country. The tasting lasts from 5:00 pm until we start serving the BBQ dinner around 7:00 pm. if you are planning to attend the Downieville show don't miss this popular Friday night "kick off" to Saturday's Bottle Show and Sale. For those of you who are staying in Sierra City-we have arranged for a shuttle to bring you to the BBQ and then take you back to your motels. No worries about driving on Hwy 49 for you! Please email me to let me know if you are staying in Sierra City and we'll make sure you are on the shuttle list.

We will be setting up the show venue and display cabinets on Friday afternoon and dealers are welcome to drop off their sale merchandise during Friday afternoon. Warren Friedrich is once again coordinating the bottle display and Warren has quite a few rare and important western bottles from prominent western collections featured in this year's display. There is also a lot of interest in early digging pictures and we are planning a display to feature your photos! Bring a couple of digging photos and we'll post them on the board for comments and discussion. Fun memories to share about some great digging adventures!

Dealer setup on Saturday September 10th. is from 7:00 to 8:00 am. Early lookers can enter the show from 8:00 am to 10:00am for a $10 early looker fee. After 10am admission is free.

The Downieville Fire Auxiliary will be serving a full breakfast and lunch menu during the show and sale on Saturday for those of you that wish to eat at the show.

If it's your first time attending the Downieville Show-expect to slow down and step back into time in this quaint little gold rush community It's the perfect setting for an old-fashioned, down-home Bottle Show and Sale.

We'll see you here in Downieville!

Check it out~

http://www.globtopwhiskies.com/2011/07/what-to-do-what-to-do.html

14 Bottles of Sage's on the Wall

More Retro Pictures

Here are some photos of a once in a lifetime dig.
The pressure around Grass Valley Digging was too intense in 1991 so we moved on to greener pastures. Little did we know what a great decision that would be. We dug several holes and a large dump. The 1st hole under the rock cap yielded a Daly’s and a pontilled Lediards stomach bitters.

Things got better as we opened up a large dump in the commercial zone. The 1st picture shows the outline of a metal 5 gallon bucket with the ends of 3 sages pacific congress waters showing. All total 14 rolled out in about 10 minutes and I was too excited to get more photos. When I came to I was able to photograph a Green Cunderango in the layer and then a small letter Renz’s.

That was not everything and I have more photos of old digs but I don't want to bore everyone with my stories
Cal 49er MAX BELL

MORE DIGGING PIX

Here's a couple more blasts from the past

The bottles to the left all came out of one dig.

Here's a layer picture of a Dr. Renz's Herb Bitters.

Thanks to Cal49er for the pictures.

SOME RENO SHOW PICTURES

Mike & Jeff





Randy

Richard, John & Dwayne

Ken. Cory & Mike

Blake & the soleagent

Another Classic Picture

Dan, Max and a gold rush square.

Long ago, in a western ghost town.

Alright Dale, you shamed me into it...

Back when I had lots of hair, and it was all brown, we had more brawn than brains. We'd located a town-site in a certain western locale, tracked down the owners, (who resided in yet another certain western locale), and received written permission to dig. Armed with a few faded photos of the camp in it's heyday, we located several promising spots from high up on a mine tailing that overlooked the town and marked them with irrigation flags.

The first spot we chose to dig was up on a flat knoll. The ca. 1907 picture clearly showed a number of wood floor & frame - canvas stretcher tent structures surrounding what looked like (what?)... a duck pond. No evidence of any duck pond remained but the probes and metal detectors went nuts. The photo shows us around noon the first day. We dug test holes that ultimately revealed an area about 20 feet across and over six feet deep at the center. If it was considered garbage in 1910, this is where it ended up.

We dug this site for two summers and pulled out literally hundreds and hundreds of bottles; most of which were slick AB beers and the like...

Dig on. The next one of these might, just might, date from the eighties~

Can You Imagine?

I thought I would try to change it up a bit and actually attempt to bring some positive energy and excitement to the blog.

This is what it is all about for me...check out this stack of Glass! The photo is from the 70s was a monster privy absolutely loaded with early glass. This was in the days before digital cameras and cell phones when it was quite an effort to grab the Kodak and snap a few photos, then take the film to the Fotomat, and hope for the best. Some of the younger diggers probably have no idea what I am talking about...sorry. I would have had a heart attack looking at these squares, and cylinders! Every digger has experienced the excitement of "hitting the layer" many times, but digs like this come only a few times in most bottle digger's lives.

Wow!

They just gotta still be out there...

A RECENT LYNCHING

I guess I don’t spend enough time following (or should I say monitoring) the Western Bitters News site. Yesterday afternoon I sat down and really read the comments posted under the blog “LETS GET READY FOR RENO” and was shocked at the accusations and innuendos thrown at two prominent western collectors and dealers.

I had not heard of the “token issue” that supposedly took place at the Auburn show back in December of 2010 so it took me a while to figure out who the two Redding bottle dealers were. I still haven’t figured out who the diggers (owners?) of the token are, and from the tone of the comments, don’t care to ever find out.

It’s one thing to have a disagreement over a purchase, or in this case an accusation of theft, at a show or in a private transaction, but it’s going way over the top to bring an issue like this on to a worldwide internet site dedicated to the advancement of the bottle collecting hobby. These disagreements should be settled between the parties involved and not in a public forum.

Like I said earlier I do not know the circumstances of the accusations or innuendos but I sure know the two dealers/collectors from Redding. Both of the Redding guys have been in the bottle collecting hobby for over forty years (that I know of) and I have bought and sold with them, have been on digging trips with them and they have stayed here at my house during the Downieville Bottle Show.
If I had any questions about their integrity I never would have bought collectables from them, let alone let them stay at my home. I can’t say the same for the diggers/owners because I don’t know who they are.

If you know these Redding guys then you know they don’t generally use computers and are not in the position to defend themselves here on the bitters site. I want to make it clear that I am not defending them (because I am not privy to the circumstances) but I will never allow a public lynching of a person’s reputation here on this site. I believe both parties are at fault. The accusers should never have brought this to a public forum and the accused should have settled the disagreement before it reached public knowledge.

I have always believed that the Western Bitters News was a place that folks interested in collecting western bottles could share their knowledge, passion and recent finds with other collectors interested in collecting antique bottles. I do not believe this site is a place to air your dirty laundry.

I have pretty much given the bottle community a free hand on this site to post information and make comments on what other collectors have posted. Early along we had a problem with foul language on the site but that seemed to clean itself up.
Lately the tone of the site is angry, vindictive and dangerous, all things that get my hackles up.
If this tone continues on the site then I will consider making some changes to who can submit comments to the posts. Maybe even something more drastic if need be…..

And to you anonymous pricks that helped with the rope – shame on you.
rs

HEADED FOR DETOX

PEACHRIDGE GLASS







It sure seems like more times than not, when I post something here on our bitters site, it ends up toxic.
Toxic is a word I learned back in the 50's (that's 1950's) when our family started planning to build a fallout shelter.

Our families shelter was going to be a place to sit out a nuclear attack if the Cold War arms buildup went south. While both the Soviet Union and the United States built more nuclear weapons, and accused each other of lying, spying and stealing, our family considered the fallout shelter construction and the benefits of having a place to take refuge from the carnage that was sure to happen at any time.

Lately, with all the battling going on in the pits of the bitters site my fallout shelter is Peachridge Glass. Over at the Peachridge Glass they have excellent pictures of beautiful glass, informative research articles, photos of prominent collectors and absolutely no mud slinging or name calling.
Even the comments to the posts are polite and up beat.

If your getting tired of battling it out on the bitters (or should we call it BITTER) site...
take a look at www.peachridgeglass.com. This old collectors fallout shelter.

Go ahead, take a look at Peachridge and just maybe you'll head for Reno with a positive attitude. I know I will
rs

HENLEY'S DISPLAY AT STATE AG. FAIR 1868

dr. henley's ixl bitters - Google Search: 'Appendix to the Journals of the Senate and Assembly: Volume 3 - Page 116   http://books.google.com/books?id=b9pEAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA105&dq=dr.%20henley&pg=PA105#v=onepage&q=dr.%20henley&f=false

This is the Report on the California Agricultural Fair 1868-1869,  lists of awards given and some interesting reading.  

"Dr. Henley, of San Francisco, exhibited some fifty cases or more of the preparation invented by him, known as 'Dr. Henley's Wild Grape Boot IXL Bitters, ' compounded from the root of the Oregon wild grape and other ingredients. ..."


There has been a crazy thread on the "Antique Bottle Forum" ...  something about going back in time to a particular place to find your favorite bottles.    I know where I would land...  'soleagents excellent adventure'..   50 cases of no circle IXL's to look through...    wowzer  ...... "party on dudes"!

OLDEST IXL'S 'LOUIS GROSS JR.'

 Henley must have been a cranky ol' SOB.   He kept changing distributors and agents.   He formed new partnerships at every turn it seems.  Good for the collectors of Henley's bottles.   Just in the IXL bottle alone, there are numerous different moulds.  Wilson did a creditable job of trying to sort out some of the different bottles in his 1969 book Western Bitters.     Some beautiful colors are found in nearly all of the varieties,  but the first group "no circle around IXL" can be truly spectacular.  

Quality control or at least 'color control' was not in practice at all.        

IXL anyone??

Here is a steroview of a display of Dr. Henley's IXL Bitters for the Mechanic's Institute Industrial Exhibiton of 1879.    (Photographed by the noted San Francisco artist Carlton Watkins and part of the collection of the Society of California Pioneers)

Of course by this time the ownership/management of Henley's famous brand had taken so many twists and turns that it is hard to keep up.   Isador Landsberger apparently put together this display in 1879.   Got to love that giant IXL go-with!

Sales of this product were tremendous in the late 70's.  At least in Nevada!   We dug a mining camp privy last fall that had at least 10 broken ones in it.  When they went to the effort to dig or blast a big and deep  privy in the rocks, it is unusual to see it full of bottles, albeit 'broken bottles'.  Easier to just throw them down the hill...
We got about 25 bottles out of this one, last bottle out was one of Isador's IXL variants.. up high on the side wall.   Lots and lots of broken bottles,  these big ixls must just pop like light bulbs when hit by those damn thick champagnes.

LETS GET READY FOR RENO

Reno Antique Bottle & Collectibles Club
47th Annual Show & Sale
Early Buyers Friday July 22 10am-6pm
Saturday Show and Sale 9am - 3pm
Reno/Sparks Convention Center
4590 South Virginia St., North Entrance, Reno, NV.
Info: WILLY YOUNG, PH: (775) 746-0922.

TV Show Coming Soon - The Death Of A Hobby

There has been chatter lately of the Discovery Channel contacting a few West Coast diggers and collectors regarding a bottle digging reality show.  I was shocked to hear that some are considering the idea and are in talks with the producers.  Personally I feel that nothing but harm will come from this and not only us but future generations (if our hobby is even still legal by then) will pay the price.  I could go on about all the negative consequences of a show like this, but I think most of you are well aware.  To others: Please proceed with caution, your passion is at risk.

The Great Hair Producer The Crown of Science Prof. J.R. Tilton S.F. Cal

Here is another western hair/medicinal bottle in medium blue with darker blue swirls throughout. Someone recently asked about the bottle with a "professor's" name on it....I believe they were referring to this one? I picked this example up at the Morrow Bay Bottle Show this spring in a trade for a nice pontiled soda. It seems like I've been gravitating towards a few of the western meds lately.

Pictured next to a "Sole Agents Circle Cutter" (earliest variant) and a Dr. Renz's Herb Bitters (latest variant with the curved-legged R's).

A Couple of Early Ones

Here are two nice and early Goldrush era gin's which were recently found. The Club House is smooth based, and the Charles' is open pontiled.It is amazing that a few of these early bottles make it through 150 years in the ground unscathed...at least these two made it!

Western Ink

Guess this is what western ink looks like ! Any colored burst tops been dug this year ?

Early SF Telephones

Look who could afford a phone in 1878. First SF telephone directory.

AMERICAN SPEAKING TELEPHONE COMPANY

Offices
222 Sansome Street 211 Kearny Street 833 Sutter Street
965 Mission Street Twentieth and Mission Hayes and Laguna
California and Fillmore Powell and Union Butchertown
Telephones Rented and Lines Constructed

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS JUNE 1, 1878

Names not preceded by stars are connected with the CENTRAL OFFICE SYSTEM and can be switched into private connection with each other.

Abrams & Carroll, Druggists. 3-5 Front
Anderson & Stratton, Tanners, Butchertown
Anthony G W & Co, Brokers, 102 Kearny
Anthony G W & Co, Brokers, 240 Kearny
"Arion Hall," Henry Grimm, Sutter & Kearny
Baker & Hamilton, Hdwe, 2d & Townsend
Baker & Hamilton, Hdwe, 7-19 Front
Baldwin Pharmacy, H B Slaven, Market & Powell
Ball & Julian, Occidental Wool Depot, bet 5th & 6th
Bank Wells Fargo & Co, Bankers, California & Sansome
Bank French Savings, Bankers, 411 Bush
Barnes W H L, Atty, 426 California
Bernard Chas, Coffee & Spice, 707 Sansome
Blake Geo M, Oils, 123 Cal
Blake Geo M, Oils, 1601 Van Ness
Board of Education, Col J A Laven, 30 Sacramento
Board of Education, Gen Ofc, Old City Hall
Board of Education, J W Taylor, 501 Market
Boyson Dr Thomas, Physician, 112 Kearny
Bradbury W B, Centennial Planing Mills, 556-572 Brannan
Brandenstein & Co, Butchers, 339 Kearny
Brandenstein & Co, Butchers, Butchertown
*Buckingham & Hecht, Boots & Shoes, 530 Market
*Buckingham & Hecht, Boots & Shoes, Haight & Gough
*Bulger Martin, Supt, P M S S Co, 31 Russ
*Bulger Martin, Supt, P M S S Co, Mail Dock
Cal Cracker Co, Bakers, 203 Sacramento
Cal Cracker Co, Bakers, Battery & Broadway
Cal Electrical Wks, Electricians, 134 Sutter
Cal Furniture Co, Furn, 222 Bush
Cal Furniture Co, Furn, 649 Market
Cal Paint Co, Paints, 27 Stevenson
Cal Paint Co, Paints, 329 Market
Cal Wool Depot, Jno F Knox, Townsend bet 5th & 6th
Cassimer J, "The Fountain", Sutter & Kearny
Centennial Planing Mills, W B Bradbury, 556-572 Brannan
Chief of Police, City Hall, Kearny St
Christy & Wise, Wool, 607 Front
*Chy Lung & Co, Chinese Mchts, 521 Kearny
*Chy Lung & Co, Chinese Mchts, 640 Sacramento
City Hall, Secy's Ofc, Market St
Club Stables, Livery, Taylor St
Code Elfelt & Co, Pkg & Canning, 125 Davis
Code Elfelt & Co, Pkg & Canning, 314 Washington
Coffin Sanderson & Cook, Brokers, 312 Pine
Crane & Brigham, Druggists, 520 Market
*Crittenden C S, Club Stables, Taylor St
*Crittenden C S, Dexter Stables, 221 Bush
Crocker H S & Co, Statnry, Sansome & Sac
Cutting & Co, Pkg & Canning, 17 Main
Day Thos, Gasfitter, 122 Sutter
Deming Plamer & Co, Flour Mills, 202 Davis
Dewey & Co, Publishers, 202 Sansome
Dewey & Co, Publishers, 414 Clay
*Dexter Stables, Liveyr, 221 Bush
Dry Dock Co, Dry Docks, Hunters Point
Dunphy & Hildreth, Butchers, 533 Kearny
Dunphy & Hildreth, Butchers, Butchertown
Eldridge, Oliver, Pres Dry Dock Co, 318 California
Engine House, Fire Dept, Post & Webster
Eureka Warehouse, A J Gove, Montgomery & Chestnut
Fashion Stables, Livery, Sutter St
Field, Stephen D, Electrician, 2319 California
"Fountain, The", Saloon, Sutter & Kearny
Gallagher, Thos J, Atty, 602 Commercial
Gamble, James, W U Tel Co, 300 Pine
Ghiradelli & Danzel, Coffee & Spice, 415 Jackson
Gilbert & Moore, Furn, 219 Bush
Gladding McBean & Co, Drain and Sewer Pipe, 1312 Market
Gladding McBean & Co, Drain and Sewer Pipe, 213 Market
Gove, A J, Eureka Whse, Chestnut & Montgomery
Grand Opera House, Theatre, Mission St
Grangers' Business Assn, Produce, 106 Davis
*Grun & Vogelsang, Saloon, 142 - 4th
*Grun & Vogelsang, Saloon, 215 - 3d
Guittard E & Co, Coffee & Spice, 205 Front
Guittard E & Co, Coffee & Spice, 405 Sansome
Hochkofler, R, Mdse Broker, 205 Front
Howes, E K & Co, Woodenware, 122 Front
Howes, E K & Co, Woodenware, 37 Main
Hunt, D D, Druggist, 5th & Folsom
Journal of Commerce, Publishers, Clay & Sansome
Kiel, F C, Druggist, 4th & Market
Knox, Jno F, Cal Wool Depot, Townsend bet 5th & 6th
Ladd Geo S, Pres G & S Tel Co, 222 Sansome
Ladd Geo S, Pres G & S Tel Co, 515 Van Ness
Lane Dr L C, Physician, 652 Mission
Lane Dr L C, Physician, Clay & Buchanan
Langley, Chas & Co, Druggists, Front & Pine
Liebenbaum & Co, Grocers, 1303 Polk
Liebenbaum & Co, Grocers, 529 Kearny
Lipnitz & Co, Druggists, 236 Sutter
Macondray & Co, Shipping & Comm, 204 Sansome
Mahe Gustave, Banker, 411 Bush
Maxwell Dr R T, Physician, 135 Kearny
Mayhew Earnest & Co, Grain, 302 Davis
McCall J G, Ry Agt, 15 New Montgomery
McCall J G, Ry Agt, 614 Washington
McCord & Malone, Fashion Stables, 16 Sutter
McDonald M J, Broker, 1096 Post
McDonald M J, Broker, 215 Sansome
McKinlay Jas, Pac Commercial Co, 28 Sacramento
McMenomy J H, Butcher, California & Market
Michelsen Brown & Co, Butchers, 308 Front
Michelsen Brown & Co, Butchers, Butchertown
Miller & Lux, Butchers, 533 Kearny
Miller & Lux, Butchers, Butchertown
Mills D O, Capitalist over London & S F Bank
Mining & Scientific Press, Dewey & Co, 202 Sansome
Murphy Horn & Byrne, Butchers, 533 Kearny
Murphy Horn & Byrne, Butchers, Butchertown
Newman Carlton, Prop Glass Wks, 1585 Folsom
Newton Bros & Co, Grocers, 204 California
Odd Fellows Assn, Odd Fellows Bldg, 325 Montgomery
Odd Fellows Cemetery, Cemetery
Oriental Bonded Warehouse, Pool & Harris, Bryant & 1st
Pacific Commercial Co, Coal, 28 Sacramento
Pacific Commercial Co, Coal, Sutter & Larkin
Pacific Commercial Co, Coal, Geary & Mason
*Pacific M S S Co, Transportation Mail Dock
Painter Emlen, Druggist, 11th & Mission
Painter Emlen, Druggist, Clay & Kearny
Palace Stables, Hacks & Coupes, 615 Howard
*Poheim J, Tailor, 103 - 3d
*Poheim J, Tailor, 202 Montgomery
Police Office, Chief of Police, City Hall
Poly Heilbron & Co, Butchers, 339 Kearny
Poly Heilbron & Co, Butchers, Butchertown
Pool & Harris, Oriental Whse, Bryant & 1st
Postoffice, Station C, Mission & 20th
Postoffice, Washington & Battery
*Quong Lee, Chinese Mcht, 408 Merchant
*Quong Lee, Chinese Mcht, 410 Kearny
*Quong Lee, Chinese Mcht, 828 Dupont
Redington & Co, Druggists, 529 Market
Richards C F & Co, Druggists, Clay & Sansome
S F & Pac Glass Wks, C Newman, King St
Sabin Jno I, Supt G & S Tel Co, 1812 Pierce
Sage L P, Warehouse, Battery & Union
Selig M, Butcher, 331 Kearny
Selig M, Butcher, Butchertown
Slaven H B, Druggist, Market & Powell
Stallard Dr J H, Physician, 37 Post
Sturm Victor H, S Cassimer & Co, 25th & S Jose Av
Tay Geo H & Co, Stoves & Tinware, 614 Battery
*Taylor Jno W, Gutta Percha, 501 Market
Taylor John & Co, Druggists Glassware, 512 Washington
Tevis Lloyd, Capitalist Bank of W F & Co
*Trumpour J P, Dentist, 2021 Mission
*Trumpour J P, Dentist, 401 1/2 Hayes
Underwriters' Fire Patrol, Ecker & Stevenson
United Carriage Co, Hacks & Coupes, Palace Hotel
United Carriage Co, Hacks & Coupes, Sutter & Levenworth
*United Workingmen, Boot & Shoe Co, 25th & Bartlett
*United Workingmen, Boot & Shoe Co, 416 Market
Verdenal D F, Mining Secy, 1525 Sutter
Verdenal D F, Mining Secy, 327 Pine
*Vermeil & Wellington, Hay & Grain, 4th & Berry
*Vermeil & Wellington, Hay & Grain, 608 - 4th
Waldstein A, Lithographer, King nr 3d
Waldstein A, Lithographer, Sacramento & Sansome
Wangenhim Sol, Pkg & Canning, 120 Davis
Wellman Peck & Co, Grocers 416 Front
Wells Fargo & Co's Bank, Bankers, California & Sansome
*West Coast Furniture Co, Furniture, 4th & Bryant
Western Union Tel Co, Pine & Montgomery
*White Capt Russell, 627 1/2 Howard
*White Capt Russell, Fire Patrol, Stevenson St
Whitney & Webster, Wool Whse, King St
Wiffgate J C, Oakland Express, 6 Sacramento
Willard G H, Broker, Safe Deposit Bldg
Williams Blanchard & Co, Agts P M S S Co, 218 California
*Wilson J Y, Prov Packers, 508 Market

Madame Delisdinere

Since I'm collecting both Western and swirled bottles, I couldn't resist purchasing this one recently from Dr Barnes. Having an inquisitive mind, I just had to find out more about it. A little online research produced the following:

Langley's 1884 San Francisco directory listed Mme Delisdinere as a manufacturer of toilet articles at 26 Bay street.

The Annual State Agricultural Society Exhibition at the September 1880 California State Fair, held at the Capitol Park Pavilion in Sacramento, listed a special mention for the tooth powder and hair dressing exhibit by Madame Delisdinere of San Francisco.

Based on this limited info, what was within? Is it a hair bottle, complexion cream...??? It appears 1870's? The name is certainly a unique one, with only a handful of hits on Goggle Search. Anyone have any additional info?

Finally; back on track~

Heh;

Were back up and running!

Check out our latest article on the toolie website~

http://www.westernwhiskeytooltopgazette.com/

Best of luck to all with your collecting and digging endeavors!