The 16 to 1 Mine Alleghany California

Last year we visited the 16 to 1 mine in Alleghany California. Mine operator Mike Miller headed a tour for members of the Sierra County Planning Commision and invited guests.
Thought you might enjoy the pictures from the tour. By the way some really early bottles have been recovered from the 16 to 1 property and surrounding area.

 

Sixteen to One portal

 

 

Looking out from the portal

 

 

Miners, mining cars and mine operator Mike Miller (in straw hat)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "Y" at the 800' level

 

 

Sign with the bell signals

 

 

Looking out of the shaft

 

 

Sierra County Gold!

 

 

 

Some ebay Offerings

While surfing ebay this evening I noticed several nice western bottles up for auction.

 

This beautiful Owl Drug is being offered by the seller  jarguy

 

 

A very nice African Stomach Bitters is available from the seller privywitch and............ here's three western whiskies being offered by privywitch for your consideration

 

 

 

 

 

How about this stunning Old Pioneer Whiskey from Leisalu

 

 

 

 If your looking for a nice western bottle to add to your collection and can't wait til December for the Auburn Bottle Show here's a nice sampling of what's available online - - - Good luck bidding!

 

 

 

 

Dudley; do right?

Here's a quickie follow up to Rick's past couple of posts.

 

I was able to locate Dudley & Co., the apparent sole proprietor of Dr. Harvey's Blood Bitters in San Francisco almanacs starting in 1889, the same year as his now infamous advertisement appeared.

 

 

1889 Langley S.F. Directory.

 

However, no record in 1889 McKenney Directory.

A little more in terms of concrete evidence appeared by way of Dudley's first name (no not "do right") and his place of residence; Oakland. Additional listings appear for Dudley & Co. from 1890 - 1892.
 

1890 Langley S.F. Directory.

 

1890 S. F. Accurate Index Directory.

 

 

1891 Langley S.F. Directory.

 

1892 Langley S.F. Directory.

 

 

 

Looks like Dudley did indeed "do right" for a very short period in time. And then, as quick as he surfaced, he disappeared.

Not listed in the 1893 Langley S.F. Directory. Not listed in the 1893 S.F. Telephone Directory.

No reference to Arey and or A.A. Dudley & Co. is present in either in prior or subsequent directories.

The 1899 Sanborn Fire map clearly shows the 111 Minna Street address, but instead of a patent medicine dealer occupying the location, it shows a Syrup Manufacturer. Oddly enough, 113 Minna boldy lists it's occupancy as a "Patent Medicine Fact...

 

 

With Dudley gone, one wonders who picked up the slack and if Dr. Harvey's Blood Bitters continued to be manufactured at 113 Minna in plain paper label bottles.

 

Regardless, this area was one of the first to turn into a big black spot on the ground the morning of April 18th, 1906...

A quick post script.

I picked up Arey's trail in the Oakland directories. He is listed as a "chemist" in 1889, residing at 1222 Franklin in Oakland. No mention of him for a few years until he resurfaced in 1903 as a Real Estate salesman living at 166 E. 15th St. There is no mention of him in society directories and no record of him ever having a telephone. This indicates that he lived a pretty meager lifestyle and, like the used car saleman of today, was an opportunist always looking for greener pastures. Pastures that seem to elude him.

More Dr. Harvey's

Over the weekend I had a chance to really get a hands on look at the Dr. Harvey's Blood Bitters. The curved R's on the Harvey's are identical to the Choice Old Cabinet and the Dr. Miller's Ratafia. The font on the Harvey's, with the serif's, appears to be the same as on the Alpine Bitters. 

What I can't explain is the time frame of the advertising and the appearance of the bottle. The bottle looks to be manufactured in the late 1870's or early 1880's and the only documentation is the 1889 - 1900 advertisments by  Dudley & Company. Dudley and Company was located at 111 Minna in San Francisco and listed as a syrup manufacturer. From the little amount of information that is available, at the present time, I can't even make an educated guess on the date of manufacture of this bottle. Any information  on the Dr. Harvey's or Dudley and Co. is welcome.

rs

1899 Sanborn

    

 

 

   1890 S.F. Accurate Index Directory

Thanks to Bruce Silva for the Sanborn map and Dudley advertisement

Canyonville Oregon Show

Here are a few of the bottles which showed up at Canyonville...

Dr. Harvey's Blood Bitters

Western or ????????

For quite a while now a few Western collectors have been searching for any kind of documentation that would settle the question of the origin of the Dr. Harvey's Blood Bitters.

During a discussion at the Canyonville Bottle Show a prominent Washington State collector mentioned he had found an advertisement for the Dr. Harvey's Blood Bitters in, of all things, the 1889 Langley San Francisco City Directory. 1889? Wichmann in his book Antique Western Bitters Bottles has the Harvey's as circa 1872 and  believed to be distributed by the Cassin brothers and "most likely made at the San Francisco Glass Works"

 

 

In the Ring Ham "Bitters Bottles" book The Dr. Harvey's is listed as the H65 and is considered very rare. No date was provided in the Ring Ham book but the bottle is believed to be from Salinas or Fresno. A intact example is reported to have been dug in Ukiah California

In the above advertisement Dr. Harvey's Blood Bitters is called "The Great English Remedy for Diseases of the Blood, Stomach, Liver and Kidneys" and is prepared by the Harvey Medicine Co. in London England. The A.A. Dudley & Co. are the General Agents for the Pacific Coast States and Territories.

Not all of the glass factories in England, during the 19th century, were as advanced as most collectors seem to believe and the Dr. Harvey's could quite possibly have been blown in London and shipped to the west coast for distribution.  Heck, the Dr. Harvey's could have even been on one of the ships that hauled all those German red whittled whiskies and beers here to the west coast.

Although this is probably not a very popular idea for those collectors that consider the bottle western until some other documentation surfaces I am leaning towards the advertisement as genuine and the bottle English in nature.

If anyone has documentation to the contrary I sure would like to view it.
rs

Canyonville Show Pictures

Denny Bray's EC and M and soda grouping

Show Hosts Bruce and Deb Silva

Everett at his sales table

Interesting display of "NEAR MINT" insulators

 

Randy Taylor

 

 

 

 

 

Western Bitters anyone?

 

 

Melissa and Dale

 

 

 Oregon Beers

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

Canyonville Countdown

Wow, one week (correction - 1 Day!) and counting. October 6th will be here before we know it!

Looks like the weather is cooperating. Here's the advanced forcast for showtime; perfect~

The response to this years show has been well ahead of the curve compared to past years. We sold out of dealer space early, real early, this year and have a pretty healthy waiting list. We had to add display spaces to accomodate demand this year. And inquiries from the general public regarding our appraisal and onsite auction services continue to stream in. One gentleman in Northern California inquired about auctioning "100 insulators and well over 200 bottles, all of which are in excellent condition". Another person is consigning a Radam's Microbe Killer jug. And yet another has committed to auctioning an amber Fleckenstein and Meyer flask. I received some photos today from a local collector who is downsizing his collection and is bringing the following items to auction.

For the insulator crowd there's a Locke porcelain.

And for the bottle folks, a picture soda from Concord, Ca.,

plus a scarce Lotus / BPOE flask from Portland.

Thought I'd add this photo that arrived today (Sat. the 29th) Of the Fleck. A little fuzzy but Wow, just the same!

Come join us for our 10th anniversary at the Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville!

See you soon~

Western Med. or Not?

Have this Quack Medicine Bottle and I was Told it was Western? But, am Not Sure? Anyone have any Feed Back on this one? Its embossed SMOLANDER'S PREPARATIONS and has a Picture of a Griffin in a Triangle on the Front, 7 1/2" Tall, This one has a Tooled Top, But, I have Another One with an Applied Top. Oh, it has the Curved R's too. Rick