FloridaRecycled
Well-Known Member
Cecil Munsey
13541 Willow Run Road
Poway, CA 992064-1733
(619-487-7036)
e-mail: <cmunsey@sdcoe.k12.us>
Rare bitters bottle sells for world's record price
by Cecil Munsey
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A world's record price of $68,750 was
successfully bid for a recently discovered bitters bottle dating from 1858. The
now-the-most-expensive-bottle-in-the-world, a rare "Bryant's Stomach Bitters,"
was the highlight of the over $200,000 antique bottle auction conducted on July
27 by Pacific Glass Auctions, a Sacramento, California firm that specializes in
Western bottles.
Bryant's Bitters bottles are among the rarest and most intriguing of all
bitters bottles. According the Jeff Wichmann, the owner of Pacific Glass
Auctions, "This is the first Bryant's Stomach Bitters bottle found in 25 years," The
bottle was uncovered at a construction site in San Francisco earlier this year.
Bryant's, a San Francisco company, produced the unique, green, eight-
sided, cone-shaped bottle in 1858 and just for one year, before realizing it was
too tall (approx. 14") and cumbersome to be a commercial success. A New York
Daily Times advertisement in the March 26, 1860 edition proclaims, "Bryant's
Stomach Bitters [in a shorter lady's-leg-shaped bottle] is a mild & gentle tonic
which is unequaled." The example sold July 27 is one of only three known and
the first to ever to be offered for sale. A second specimen was also found at the
same dig. The second bottle is cracked in three places and had a hole in it. The
second specimen has since had the hole expertly repaired and will soon be
offered for sale by one of the large antique bottle auction houses in the East.
The bidding started at $30,000 and quickly moved up form there. The new
owner wishes to remain anonymous but can be quoted as saying after the
auction that, "Had it been necessary, I would have gone higher than the
pre-auction estimate of $70,000."
HISTORICAL NOTE
Andrew Jackson Bryant was born in New Hampshire in 1831 and came to
California in 1850 and went to the northern gold mines. He was taken ill
after a year and returned to San Francisco where he recuperated. For a
couple of years he owned a cigar store and learned the express business.
He then went to Sacramento in 1853 and started an express and auction
business. George W. Chesley became a partner in 1856 and they soon
added the wholesaling of liquor to the business. Bryant left Chesley to
manage the business and moved to San Francisco. He later sold his
interest to Chesley and tried his hand in investments. By 1866 he was a
partner with J. C. Morrison, Jr. as liquor wholesalers. Later the same year
he accepted an appointment as a Naval Officer by President Andrew
Johnson. Bryant was one of the organizers of the State Investment
Insurance Company and was elected president of it in 1875. Shortly
afterwards he became manager of two other large insurance companies.
He was elected Mayor of San Francisco for two terms in the late 1870s.
He was also a co-partner in Occidental Sawmill in Eureka, California in
1880. He and his partner owned and harvested 5000 acres of old-growth
redwood forest. He was a Democrat and a strong advocate of the eight-
hour work day.
Historical Note Reference: Western Bitters
Copyright © 1969
By Bill & Betty Wilson
Northwestern Printing Company
Santa Rosa, California
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thought someone might find this interesting....
13541 Willow Run Road
Poway, CA 992064-1733
(619-487-7036)
e-mail: <cmunsey@sdcoe.k12.us>
Rare bitters bottle sells for world's record price
by Cecil Munsey
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A world's record price of $68,750 was
successfully bid for a recently discovered bitters bottle dating from 1858. The
now-the-most-expensive-bottle-in-the-world, a rare "Bryant's Stomach Bitters,"
was the highlight of the over $200,000 antique bottle auction conducted on July
27 by Pacific Glass Auctions, a Sacramento, California firm that specializes in
Western bottles.
Bryant's Bitters bottles are among the rarest and most intriguing of all
bitters bottles. According the Jeff Wichmann, the owner of Pacific Glass
Auctions, "This is the first Bryant's Stomach Bitters bottle found in 25 years," The
bottle was uncovered at a construction site in San Francisco earlier this year.
Bryant's, a San Francisco company, produced the unique, green, eight-
sided, cone-shaped bottle in 1858 and just for one year, before realizing it was
too tall (approx. 14") and cumbersome to be a commercial success. A New York
Daily Times advertisement in the March 26, 1860 edition proclaims, "Bryant's
Stomach Bitters [in a shorter lady's-leg-shaped bottle] is a mild & gentle tonic
which is unequaled." The example sold July 27 is one of only three known and
the first to ever to be offered for sale. A second specimen was also found at the
same dig. The second bottle is cracked in three places and had a hole in it. The
second specimen has since had the hole expertly repaired and will soon be
offered for sale by one of the large antique bottle auction houses in the East.
The bidding started at $30,000 and quickly moved up form there. The new
owner wishes to remain anonymous but can be quoted as saying after the
auction that, "Had it been necessary, I would have gone higher than the
pre-auction estimate of $70,000."
HISTORICAL NOTE
Andrew Jackson Bryant was born in New Hampshire in 1831 and came to
California in 1850 and went to the northern gold mines. He was taken ill
after a year and returned to San Francisco where he recuperated. For a
couple of years he owned a cigar store and learned the express business.
He then went to Sacramento in 1853 and started an express and auction
business. George W. Chesley became a partner in 1856 and they soon
added the wholesaling of liquor to the business. Bryant left Chesley to
manage the business and moved to San Francisco. He later sold his
interest to Chesley and tried his hand in investments. By 1866 he was a
partner with J. C. Morrison, Jr. as liquor wholesalers. Later the same year
he accepted an appointment as a Naval Officer by President Andrew
Johnson. Bryant was one of the organizers of the State Investment
Insurance Company and was elected president of it in 1875. Shortly
afterwards he became manager of two other large insurance companies.
He was elected Mayor of San Francisco for two terms in the late 1870s.
He was also a co-partner in Occidental Sawmill in Eureka, California in
1880. He and his partner owned and harvested 5000 acres of old-growth
redwood forest. He was a Democrat and a strong advocate of the eight-
hour work day.
Historical Note Reference: Western Bitters
Copyright © 1969
By Bill & Betty Wilson
Northwestern Printing Company
Santa Rosa, California
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thought someone might find this interesting....
