Boker's Bitters

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HDuncan

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Hello everyone,

I trust you are all well.

I am currently searching high and low for a Boker's Bitters bottle from the mid to late 1800s (preferably with contents however I'd still be happy if they were empty) and wondered if one of you good folks out there may be able to help me out...

The reason I ask is because I am currently re-producing a modern variant on Boker's Bitters based on recipes from the mid to late 1800s and am trying to get hold of a sample of the original Boker's stomach bitters. I would also like to obtain a bottle as I am looking into the possibility of getting a company to manufacture a bottle based on the original lady-leg bottle shape.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Adam

Email - adam.elmegirab@evo-lution.org
 

HDuncan

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Thanks for that, but I'm pretty sure I already have every recipe for Boker's that's been put into print.

I'm hoping to obtain an original sample of either the bitters and/or an original bottle as seen below...

154.3.jpg


I have my fingers crossed that someone may be able to help.
 

cyberdigger

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Goodness gracious, that is one tremendously interesting looking bottle!!
 

jays emporium

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It looks like that bottle is unembossed. I see ladies leg bottles like that on ebay sometimes but nobody would know what it was without the label. If you just want the bottle without label you can probably find one there or maybe someone on here has one in their collections.
Where was Bokers Bitters originally made?
 

glass man

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The reason I ask is because I am currently re-producing a modern variant on Boker's Bitters based on recipes
Why? are you going to sell it commercially again as a medicine? Wow! Can't you show the company the picture you already have of the bottle and they could copy from that? Jamie
 

CALDIGR2

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Boker's come in unembossed, paper labeled, ladies leg shaped bottles, only. I have not seen, or heard of, an embossed example.
 

HDuncan

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ORIGINAL: jays emporium

I see ladies leg bottles like that on ebay sometimes but nobody would know what it was without the label.

I've not found one as yet... :(

ORIGINAL: jays emporium

If you just want the bottle without label you can probably find one there or maybe someone on here has one in their collections.

I'll keeping looking on ebay, however if someone has one in their collection they may be interested in selling I'd be happy to talk to them!

ORIGINAL: jays emporium

Where was Bokers Bitters originally made?

From the info I've found it was first sold in New York in 1828 after being created by John G. Boker (real name Johann Boker) although I've found an article which alluded to the fact it may have been made in Germany (specifically Dusseldorf) before then.

ORIGINAL: glass man
Why? are you going to sell it commercially again as a medicine? Wow! Can't you show the company the picture you already have of the bottle and they could copy from that? Jamie

I'm not selling it commercially as a medicine, but as a cocktail bitters. I'd like a bottle as I would be interested in getting a company to make a bottle true to its original shape. Although my problem is that I've no idea where to look to get a bottle made to a specific shape?!?

I've recently embarked on a project to recreate the cocktail recipes from the very first printed bartender's guide printed written by Jerry Thomas in 1862 (http://thejerrythomasproject.blogspot.com/)

As part of this project, and also due to demand, I've been attempting to reproduce the long-lost bitters called Boker's. Boker's were originally a stomach bitters (there were many around in the 1700/1800s before the advent of what we now know as modern-day medicine) which claimed to have a variety of medicinal properties. Like most things, they ended up being added to mixed drinks and were the preferred brand of bitters used by Jerry Thomas (the oldest reference to the definition of the word cock-tail in print defines it as a containing spirit, sugar, water and bitters - the cock-tail was originally a family of drinks and was consumed first thing in the morning as a pick-me-up).
 

glass man

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Although my problem is that I've no idea where to look to get a bottle made to a specific shape?!?
WONDER COULD YOU LOOK UP THE PATENT ON THIS BOTTLE? SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD GIVE THE DEMESIONS ETC. ANYWAY THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS A COOL IDEA,BUT JUST WONDER ABOUT THE PRICE FRO SUCH A SPECIALIZED BOTTLE? WELL GOOD LUCK TO YOU! LET US KNOW HOW IT IS GOING AND WHEN YOU DO LET US KNOW HOW TO BUY SOME OF IT![&:] JAMIE
 

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