The Sierra Buttes Mine

Located north of the small town of Sierra City - The Sierra Buttes Mine was one of the largest and longest producing mines in Sierra County. Discovered in the late summer or early fall of 1850 this mine employed a major population of the town of Sierra City and was worked for over eighty years.

Early view of the Sierra Buttes Mine

It is said that the mine was discovered by a company of Italian miners, that were prospecting the area, and was first worked with arrastra’s in 1851. It is possible that the original discovery site was near Independence Ravine where a huge quartz outcropping can still be seen today. The mine was worked on nine main levels and the levels were designated as tunnels one through nine; tunnel number one being the highest in elevation and the oldest of the workings, and nine being the lowest and newest.

Arrastra in Buttes Ravine
( note gin pole in upper right of photo)

A small camp started around the mine as early as 1851 and after the heavy snow during the winter of 1852 - 53, that crushed most of the buildings in Sierra City, a settlement started to emerge at the mine site. All manner of business was represented at the site except for the sale of liquor. Company policy stated liquor was prohibited on the mining property. It is interesting to note that, although liquor was prohibited at the Sierra Buttes Mine, scores of liquor bottles ranging in age from the early 1850’s to the late 1880’s have been discovered at this site.

The number one tunnel, and the boarding house for those workings, have yielded gold rush bottles and artifacts but it the authors contention the area around the number six tunnel was the site of the settlement started after the heavy winter of 1852 -53. Weighing in favor of this contention is the fact that the area around the number six tunnel has a natural gently sloping flat that was suitable for the construction of buildings and was not as steep as the area around the number one tunnel. The amount of abandoned structure sites discovered in the number six area far outnumber the couple of sites around the number one tunnel and boarding house. Bottles and artifacts ranging from the early 1850’s to the middle 1880’s have been recovered from the number six area dating the site as a settlement in continual use since the early 1850’s.

Today heavy brush covers the Sierra Buttes Mine site and all that's left of this important gold rush settlement are acres of broken glass and scattered trash.

A group of miners at the Number Six Tunnel Portal
(note the candles instead of carbide lamps)

April in Downieville

The Old Downieville Brewery

Looking Down Main Street

A Snowy Saloon

Don't Forget Antioch!

A card.

Henry Bowman's Claim of Trade...

...Mark for St. Clair's Bay Laurel Hair Lotion.

Crown of Science

... more on the Prof. Tilton's


Here is an ad from the Salt Lake Tribune -  Feb 21, 1875

Utah diggers have found 5 or 6 of these very cool San Francisco hair bottles over the years in and around SLC and in the mining camps.   Another small mining district "Copper Mtn",  right on the Nevada/Utah border has produced 4 additional  intact examples.    One cabin of miners must have had a hair problem...

Shoot-out Update – FOHBC Reno Expo 2012

28 July 2012

A major, Antique Bottle and Glass, judged shoot-out will occur at the FOHBC Reno Expo 2012. The event will be sponsored by a major Auction House (Norman C. Heckler). This will be landmark chance to see many great examples together in one event which rarely happens. A cocktail event will occur simultaneously.

Rules are as follows:

1. All bottles will be displayed at the same time in a secure display showcase.

2. Displayer name will be on a sticker placed on the bottom of displayers bottle(s). Up to two bottles per displayer in each category will be allowed.

3. Bottles must be signed in starting at 5:45 pm. Sign in will finish at 6:30 pm. Judging will be at 7:00 pm.

4. A separate panel of three judges will be used for each of the primary categories.

5. Security will be provided. Only the person who signed the bottle in will be able to remove it from the display area.

6. Winners will receive an award and recognition in Bottles & Extras magazine and on theFOHBC web site.

7. Categories to be displayed and judged.

A. Drakes Plantation Bitters (4 log , 6 log and Arabesque)

B. J H Cutter Whiskey (#43 in Thomas Whiskey Book, Sole Agent, plain reverse)

C. Umbrella Inks (pontiled base, smooth base)

8. The event will be photographed, documented and represented in Bottles and Extrasand the FOHBC web site.

The Shoot will occur on Saturday Evening after the days show. The area will open at 5:45 pm. Tickets will be required. Attendees and Guests automatically include Reno Expo Show Dealers, Displayers, Seminar presenters, FOHBC members from current membership list (join on the spot for admittance) and friends of the Shoot-out Sponsors. Tickets to be provided and will be needed at event room door.

Join the FOHBC

Colored Western Hair Bottles

There are not very many western hair bottles in color. Here are three of the earliest colored examples. The Fish's is well known, and documented as well as quite rare. These date from about 1864. There are no other bottles quite like them in regards to mold type, and they represent western glass history at it's finest.

The Henley's Indian Queen is also quite early and date to the 1869-73 time frame. This product must not have been a big seller as there are less than 10 in collections. They come in both blue and green colorations, and have been found exclusively in Oregon and California. I am not aware of any examples being found in other western states. I have also not seen any advertising for this product.

The Tilton's is a bit later ( mid 1870s) and was put out by Dr. Joseph Tilton of San Francisco. he was "physician" there from 1874 through 1889. The words " Crown of Science" and "The Great Hair Producer" were registered in 1874. These bottles come in both blue, and occasionally aqua. I believe there are about 25-30 in collections, and they have been dug in California and Oregon.

There are a few other western hair bottles in color such as the St.Clair's Hair Lotion, and the Fountain of Youth, which may or may not be western.

Hair bottles are a category of their own, and represent some of the most colorful glass ever blown. There are comparatively few western colored hair's than from other parts of the US. I believe they were blown in brilliant colors to avoid being ingested accidentally.
I want to thank Don Fadely for his exhaustive research and study of these beautiful pieces of history.

BOTTLE SHOW THIS WEEKEND!

Morro Bay, California
Friday & Saturday March 23th & 24th
The San Luis Obispo Bottle Society’s 44th Annual Show and Sale
Friday 1:00 pm to 6: 00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
at the Morro Bay Veterans Hall
209 Surf Street, Morro Bay, California

Just think...

If we could only go back to all of the destinations and dig, dig, dig. Of course, some have been dug, others gone or covered. From the 1853-54 Sacramento City Directory.

ADA INJECTION

Recently acquired this Western med, but know nothing about it. Anyone seen one before or have info on it? One side panel reads: ADA INJECTION The other: N&N CHEM. CO., S.F.  It's a tooled top with 768H on the base.

San Francisco Ink

This is a fantastic picture ink recently dug in the Bay Area. The picture is an eagle's head facing to the left. The embossing looks like a Western font to me. I didn't dig this but am posting a pic with the digger's permission. Embossing "Snow & Roos/eagle/San Francisco"

Joseph Melczer cigarette holder

You'll no doubt recognize the name as a liquor dealer in both SF and LA around the TOC and a few years beyond. This is an unused cigarette holder from the same concern. Pretty uncommon as far as I know. Hate to get off of the snowed in theme of course.

Low Country Digging delayed too.

Welcome to March in J'ville~

This Coming Weekend!

March 9th & 10th,             
Chico, California!
Silver Dollar Fairgrounds
Friday 10 - 7 $5~ admission
Saturday 9 - 4 Free admission
Info; Randy Taylor
530-518-7369
rtjarguy@aol.com

High Country Digging Delayed

The road from Yuba Pass to Little Truckee Summit



 STEP RIGHT UP.…


TO THE 2012 DOWNIEVILLE ANTIQUE BOTTLES & COLLECTIBLES SHOW!

The Downieville Antique Bottles & Collectibles Show is scheduled for Saturday, September 8. Once again it will be held in the Downieville School Gym with lots of room to set up displays and sales tables. The gym is located in the heart of town~park and walk all over the quaint little historic gold rush town of Downieville.

Dealer set up will be Saturday from 7 am to 8 am. DEALERS ONLY will be admitted during this hour. The show opens promptly at 8:00 am for a $10.00 “Early Lookers” fee and admission is free after 10 am to 3 pm. The Downieville Fire Auxiliary will provide breakfast and a delicious lunch for a small charge. Dealer registration includes a pre-show BBQ dinner and wine tasting on Friday evening at “Simiville”. A special wine tasting event, a big hit from the past shows will be featured at the BBQ. Will Clark, owner of “49 Wines & Wine Bar” here in Downieville will be offering some tasty wines from around the gold country. Please join us for a fun and casual evening together with friends, food- and, as always~some great bottle stories!

We urge you to make early motel reservations, and when you do, please mention you are here for the Bottle Show. Downieville is a small town and the motels fill up quickly during the beautiful autumn weekends. We have included a listing of lodgings, and if you need help or suggestions, please call Rick or Cherry Simi at (530) 289-3659, or email: ricksimi@att.net

Warren Friedrich is organizing the display again this year; “The Silver Seventies”. After the discovery of silver, prospectors rushed to the Nevada area and scrambled to stake their claims. The display will feature bottles and related items from the 1870’s-whiskies, sodas, medicines and drug store bottles, etc. We encourage those wanting to share their unique bottles and related items to contact Warren at (530)271-5757 or cell phone (530)265-5204.

Don’t miss out! We look forward to seeing you in Downieville for another awesome show! Please send your registration with payment ASAP, and remember to make your motel reservations early!

~See you in Downieville in September~

The cowpoke on the right, in the above picture, is my grandfather Anuello Simi

Western Bowman go with

I believe this is a wax sealer for sealing letters. From Bowman in Sackamenna, is it?
Don't think that's the Oakland address there in picture one. I know, this is pretty low end for most of the Western advanced collectors. Maybe someone's impressed. I got this for a pretty low bid.

Old Virginia Peach Brandy

Here is a very elusive and mysterious Gold Rush artifact which is very beautiful. I have only seen a couple of these and they seem to be found exclusively in the Sierra gold camps. I trust that there has been some research done on the rare bottle besides what little I have been able to find.
This large gallon size container closely resembles a demijohn, and has been seen with both tapered tops such as this example, and a tapered top with ring similar to a whiskey. They are always iron pontiled, and except for this specimen, typically come in a dark olive amber shade. This example is heavily whittled and came from the Oroville, California area.
Is there any advertising for this product? It appears to be 1850s to me, and any information regarding this brand, and exact location of the distributor would be appreciated.

Fish's Infallible Hair Restorative Ad

Ad from the November 15, 1858 Sacramento Daily Union. Interesting to know who sold it locally.

The Notorious Romargi Clan

Three years after gold was discovered in California, John and Jane Romargi, Italian gypsies from Florida, appeared in Goodyear’s Bar. They moved onto the top of the mountain, and kept what was known as “Floridian House”. Later they moved further on and built a house and barroom that took on the name of Nigger Tent, in a location that was previously settled by a black man who had set up a blacksmith shop under a tent.

John Romargi is described in an early newspaper as of “slim build, wizened face, and a most villainous countenance-a hardened criminal”. Jane Romargi was described as large and fleshy, showing her Italian gypsy blood. She was said to have had a smooth, oily manner, wheedling her customers. The two Romargis were alleged to have been genuinely wicked persons, extending their activities over three decades.

The couple had two children, a son, James, a daughter Jane. James was arrested twice for murder, but was not convicted.

Jane, the daughter, married a man name Hutchins. They had a son who was christened Algie D. Romargi. The daughter died early and Hutchins stayed on for a while, but there was constant quarreling. The story was told that he fired four shots into his mother-in-law and she carried the bullets in her body the rest of her life. She had attacked him with a knife. Later, Hutchins quietly disappeared-no one seemed to know where, or cared.

During these earlier years, everyone passing by was expected to stop and patronize their bar. Indeed they found it safer to do so. If Madam Romargi was not pleased with anyone, she would take a shot at him-a “gentle” reminder to do better by them.

Stage robberies and holdups became more frequent. Algie was old enough now to do his share in the business. The Romargi’ decided a barmaid would help increase business, so they hired a handsome young woman from Nevada City. She went by the name of “Spider Bite”. They did not conceal anything from this girl and she soon went on to Downieville, probably for her own safety.

Wells Fargo Express had charge of shipments of gold from the miners in the vicinity, and of the money sent in for the miners’ payroll. These were times when stage robberies were apt to occur. But time was running out for the Romargis. Wells Fargo and Co., the heaviest losers by holdups and robberies, sent their detective, Captain Charles Aull, to investigate.

After a stage robbery on the La Porte Road, Captain Aull learned an ex-convict, Jack Brown, alias O’Neill, had been stopping at the Romagis. Aull found, too, that “Spider Bite” was living in Downieville. She was reluctant to talk about the doings at the Romagis, but on being reassured of protection, she told what she knew. Now it was alleged to be clear that the crimes originated there, and that Algie Romargi was the main culprit.

Algie was arrested and tried in the Superior Court before Judge Howe in Downieville. “Spider Bite” was the chief witness for the prosecution and told an amazing story. Algie was convicted and sent to Folsom.

Eventually, John Romargi was found dead at 72 years old. Jane suffered acute blood poisoning from a wound on the back of her hand. She died at the age of 78 years. The notorious Romargi clan and Nigger tent came to an end.

Discarded by the Romargi's ?

A Sunny Winter Day

Sitting here on this sunny winter day and letting what's left of my mind wander, it landed on a few bottles I can't remember posting on this blog. Here's five desirable applied top western medicines. Hope you enjoy the picture.

From left to right: Pratt's Abolition Oil / For Abolishing Pain - Dr. J.J. McBride / King of Pain - Dr. Perry's Last Chance / Linemint - Dr. McBride / Worlds Relief - S.D. Baldwin Liniment /  Marysville Cal.

Dr. Wonser's in Aqua

Here is an example of the Dr. Wonser's U.S.A. Indian Root Bitters in aqua. I have always wondered why this bottle exists...is it indeed the first version of this bitters? I have compared the embossing to the "later" amber version and they are identical in every way. The base on the aqua specimens is also identical with the exception of the more pronounced dome or kick up which does not occur on the amber version.

Was the aqua earlier, and why such a short run? Why the switch to the amber version using the same mold, yet changing the color, base and top style? It has been theorized that aqua glass showed the unsightly contents, yet literally hundreds of bitters brands came in aqua bottles. There is even another mold which I believe is later still , as it has a "whiskey" type stepped base. These are extremely rare. I have not compared the embossing on this type.

I believe there are about 20 examples of the aqua Wonser's known both in collections, and likely in Government warehouses...it is interesting that a cache found in the 1990s doubled the number of known specimens. Similar to the Wormser Bros. barrels where a group of the bottles were found in one location. Also, for some reason, the examples located in Nevada over the years seem to be a deeper blue aqua and are more rich in color than the examples dug elsewhere.

The Wonser's Bitters continue to rise in popularity with collectors every year. it is not hard to see why...they are truly beautiful and have a great name, as well as the early age and variety of colors that appeal to Western as well as Eastern collectors of bitters bottles.

Dr. Wonser's

I know that there have been several postings on the Dr. Wonser's Indian Root Bitters, but they are just such gorgeous bottles with everything going for them. There are several of you who are experts at researching and providing detailed history of western brands, and I have learned so much over the years. I guess my role on the blog is to occasionally post a photo and a few lines of inconsequential nothingness. I will leave the additional information to those of you who have done the work...I do believe these date from 1871-1873 or 74.
This particular example is in a deeper red amber and has a ton of crudity and character. It was found over 60 years ago on the surface while a gentleman was out cutting down his Christmas tree. I have not dug as nice a bottle as this in over 40 years of actually trying! It is amazing how some of the greatest finds have occurred over the years. I have not had my wife walk around while I am digging and come back holding a California Clubhouse Bourbon that she found under a bush...an arrowhead once, but that was it. I think it would be interesting to hear of more finds by non collectors under unusual circumstances.