MYERS' EXTRACT OF SARSAPARILLA, WILD CHERRY & DANDELION Henry B. Myer (according to Digger Odell 2007) is listed in an 1848 directory, manufactured in Delaware. Sold by G. R. Clark as advertised in 1848. Very little is known of Henry B. Myers.
Cacarpetbagger & I had been hitting the “Eureka†delta dump for several years...it always paid off. Granted the finds became fewer & fewer, but the site always eeked out a little more treasure. It was a hard dump to leave....it had been so generous. The items found were first class. The dump spread over a large area giving the possibility of just one more find.
This story is about the “just one more find.†October is a good month in the Delta. The water sparkles in a diamond glory. Willows & alder leaves color up from green to gold and lay in river channels in broad ribbons. Fishermen hit the river in force as the fall salmon & stripper run begins to peek. It is as if the delta is giving one more show before winter comes. The hot California summer is giving way to pleasant cooler mornings. Occasionally one can see a family of otters twist & turn in the current ...Life is good.
Cacarpetbagger called earlier that week wanting to meet for a bottle quest. Saturday didn't look good for me, but I told him I would meet him at the Eureka site Sunday morning around 10:00am. I don't know how Cacarpetbagger does it...He's never late. His drive is much longer then mine, but he always makes the journey on time. At the stroke of 10:00, he pulled in behind me. He always has a smile on his little face, eager to get going. We exchanged handshakes & smiles and got ready. We often split up ....just the nature of the beast. The dump site is situated so that pawing through the debris together is just not workable. He headed South - I went North. Remember now that we have been to this location numerous times. We tweak our technique... increasing our possibility of finding treasure.
I started out working ahead of the defined dump area. I was at my task a mere 15 minutes when I came across two black glass ales & a very old twisted top champagne with a deep kick up. This area had been missed on the previous searches. I searched a little farther & came across a large aqua rectangular bottle. It's exterior was absolutely mint. a bit of minor contents stain..but nothing that a “tumble†wouldn't take care of. The bottle was boldly embossed in recessed panels : DR MYER'S / VEGETABLE EXTRACT OF SARSAPARILLA, WILD CHERRY & DANDELION/ BUFFALO N Y....a mass of whittle....and a graphite pontil.
I searched about for several additional hours with no additional luck. This little pocket of glass somehow had missed previous detection.........and one more time perseverance & luck pay off. This was the only bottle of note this Sunday morn....I actually pictured the rear of this bottle in hopes of showing the massive whittle. The pictures below are for your approval. Just how many times can one yell Eureka?[
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Cacarpetbagger & I had been hitting the “Eureka†delta dump for several years...it always paid off. Granted the finds became fewer & fewer, but the site always eeked out a little more treasure. It was a hard dump to leave....it had been so generous. The items found were first class. The dump spread over a large area giving the possibility of just one more find.
This story is about the “just one more find.†October is a good month in the Delta. The water sparkles in a diamond glory. Willows & alder leaves color up from green to gold and lay in river channels in broad ribbons. Fishermen hit the river in force as the fall salmon & stripper run begins to peek. It is as if the delta is giving one more show before winter comes. The hot California summer is giving way to pleasant cooler mornings. Occasionally one can see a family of otters twist & turn in the current ...Life is good.
Cacarpetbagger called earlier that week wanting to meet for a bottle quest. Saturday didn't look good for me, but I told him I would meet him at the Eureka site Sunday morning around 10:00am. I don't know how Cacarpetbagger does it...He's never late. His drive is much longer then mine, but he always makes the journey on time. At the stroke of 10:00, he pulled in behind me. He always has a smile on his little face, eager to get going. We exchanged handshakes & smiles and got ready. We often split up ....just the nature of the beast. The dump site is situated so that pawing through the debris together is just not workable. He headed South - I went North. Remember now that we have been to this location numerous times. We tweak our technique... increasing our possibility of finding treasure.
I started out working ahead of the defined dump area. I was at my task a mere 15 minutes when I came across two black glass ales & a very old twisted top champagne with a deep kick up. This area had been missed on the previous searches. I searched a little farther & came across a large aqua rectangular bottle. It's exterior was absolutely mint. a bit of minor contents stain..but nothing that a “tumble†wouldn't take care of. The bottle was boldly embossed in recessed panels : DR MYER'S / VEGETABLE EXTRACT OF SARSAPARILLA, WILD CHERRY & DANDELION/ BUFFALO N Y....a mass of whittle....and a graphite pontil.
I searched about for several additional hours with no additional luck. This little pocket of glass somehow had missed previous detection.........and one more time perseverance & luck pay off. This was the only bottle of note this Sunday morn....I actually pictured the rear of this bottle in hopes of showing the massive whittle. The pictures below are for your approval. Just how many times can one yell Eureka?[
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