Apple Brandy Bitters-Goodson,VA

[whiskeyman]

I have this local Bitters bottle. Unfortunately the label is ratty & deteriorated.
The bottle is a barrel shape with one side flat for the label...BIM.Pint
It was purchased by a good friend at the Keene, NH Show last year...
(how'd it end up there?)

Label reads:
Pure Apple Brandy Bitters
Sanford Chamberlain & Albers
Goodson,VA.

Looking for a better example, if there's any more out there.

Examples are usually found as being from Knoxville,TN.

 

[bubbas dad]

whiskeyman
thats an interesting bottle. haven't seen one before. whats the approx date and value. does the partial label increase the value. it'll look good in your collection.

 

[whiskeyman]

JOHN...the flask itself minus any labels is common and sells for under $20.
My friend bought this one for $28., I believe, though it had $40 on it.

It dates from the 1880's.

The Knoxville, TN. labeled variant sells for around $100, if the label is intact,etc.
So, yes...the label adds value.

This one fits well in my local bottle collection, but am looking for a better labeled example.

 

[bubbas dad]

i can understand wanting to upgrade. if i find a bottle in rough shape but i really like it, i'll go ahead and buy it. but then i start looking that much harder for a better one.

 

[whiskeyman]

JOHN...always looking for upgrades> I have broken bottles I'm keeping until I turn up a good example.
Heck, I even have broken embossed side panels....looking for an entire bottle...heh.

 

[whiskeyman]

hmmmm...am wondering why a couple of certain members ain't asking ..."where's Goodson,VA.?"

ain't gonna say their names, but their initials are Meech and Brian S....LOL

 

[BRIAN S.]

LOL OK , OK , I give up ..... where is Goodson , Va. ????
Brian

 

[whiskeyman]

Where's Meech?...heheh.

BRIAN...Goodson is right here where it's always been.

Confused?

Lemme explain:
When Bristol TN-VA was founded back in the early 1850's...there was already a village east of the current RR tracks named Goodsonville.
JR Anderson laid out the town of Bristol, TN. and part of the purchased plat was in VA. West of the RR tracks....This was considered as Bristol,VA.
So, you had 3 towns within mere yards of each other.

Col Samuel Goodson & other businessmen managed to convince the Bristol VA residents to incorporate as one town....ie...Goodson. In 1856 they merged into Goodson. But the town was never officially recognised by the RR or Postal Officials as being Goodson,,,,everyone still referred to it as Bristol,VA. If one was to ship something to Goodson VA at that time, it either didn't arrive or went to Bristol,TN., where the Post office was located.

It was a headache and after 34 years the merged towns voted to once again be Bristol,VA. and Goodson faded into obscurity....

This bottle is currently the only known bottle from Goodson...seems there would be more, after all it survived for 34 years. But perhaps this explains why:

One WW James, a merchant who had his store in Goodson, advertised for many years that he was in Bristol,TN...on the VA side of Main Street !!!

I imagine others followed suit and that's why so few items remain that are marked as Goodson. That and the RR & Postal Authorities not recognising the name...

Not too confusing, huh?

 

[BRIAN S.]

I was going to guess Bristol area ! Very interesting Charlie ..... thanks for sharing. I will keep my eyes peeled for any Goodson , Va. bottles . Sure would be nice to find an unlisted Bitters from Goodson !!!!! HUH !
Brian

 

[whiskeyman]

BRIAN..I figger you're familiar with the Sanford Chamberlain & Albers Druggists' bottles and the Pure Apple Brandy Bitters bottle from Knoxville...

I'm wondering if they had their origins in Goodson and moved to Knoxville, or if the Goodson business was just another outlet for their medicines?