Found Wilkens bottle Full

aschurger · Mar 21, 2010

I was hiking between in the rockies somewhere between Leadville and Aspen when I walked away from the campsite to relive my self. When I looked down, I noticed something odd embedded in the ground. I picked it up and it was a Wilkens Whiskey bottle still mostly full. I carried it the next 15 miles and it now sits proudly on my liquor cabinet. I've searched the postings and have seen several bottles like this the they are dated between 1935-1964 due to the prohibition inscription. If anyone has any other info I would certainly be interested.

surfaceone · Mar 25, 2010

Hey Andrew,

Welcome to this place. How's it taste?

"1892 - Harry E Wilkens, Sr. enters the distilling industry. Mr. Wilkens went to work for Schenley Distillery at some point in time. In 1936, The Wilken Family brand of blended whiskey is introduced by Schenley, I believe that is what this vintage liquor bottle is - 'Wilken Family Whiskey.'

It does not have a paper label but it does have an embossed picture of Mr. Wilken in an oval, shocks of wheat on either side, buildings in the background, and the names of the boys in script around the bottom. This bottle has the 'Federal Law Prohibits....' text across the front too." From.

aschurger · Mar 27, 2010

Can't say that I know. At first I was going on the idea that it hadn't been opened and whiskey was missing because the change in atmospheric pressure had forced it out over the years (pretty nerdy). But after carefully cleaning off the cap it looks like the seal was broken. Who knows maybe someday curiosity will get the best of me.

My best guess for the date is prior to '64 but I would like to think it was much earlier. This area I was hiking in is a stretch of wilderness where the 10th mountain division would do training exercises during WWII. I'd like to think it belongs to one of them. If was far enough from the beaten path for that to be possible.

aschurger

ironmountain · Jan 11, 2011

sorry to necro an old thread...I have that same bottle, with the labels...

ironmountain · Jan 11, 2011

backside

aschurger · Jun 23, 2011

That is pretty awesome. I had no idea front/back. I was thinking the embossment was on the front and didn't even know there was a label. Thanks.

A

waskey · Jun 23, 2011

Those style Wilken bottles date from the late 1930s to early 1940s.

cheshire0013 · Mar 23, 2013

The guy on the bottle is actually my great great grand father on my mom's side. Distillery was in Schenley, PA. The buildings are still there. They are listed as Schenley Industrial Park on google maps. My mom has a pretty decent collection of bottles and merchandise.

pooh56bear · Mar 24, 2016

cheshire0013 said:
The guy on the bottle is actually my great great grand father on my mom's side. Distillery was in Schenley, PA. The buildings are still there. They are listed as Schenley Industrial Park on google maps. My mom has a pretty decent collection of bottles and merchandise.

The guy on the bottle is Harry Wilken Sr. and he is my great grandfather

pooh56bear · Mar 24, 2016

The guy on the bottle is Harry Wilken Sr. and he is my great grandfather

Found Wilkens bottle Full

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