Appreciate Info On These Bottles

[DanK]

Hi, I’m new to the forum and to be honest a bit confused navigating it. (It’s me not you). Can anyone give me any info on these bottles? What I do know about a two of them are; the whiskey bottle labeled from the Arrow Bar was purchased and consumed in 1915. I found it behind the lath and plaster in a house we were renovating. There were a number of whiskey bottles found. One other with a label others no label but corks in place (no whiskey) It appears the carpenter was a drinker and disposed his bottles in his work. The address on the label is still standing and at the time we found it me and my family went to the location with the hope of selling it based on the historical value. The shop keeper a optometrist did not own the building and wasn’t interested in buying it. He did say that the building was at one time a speakeasy and gave us a tour. There were hidden storage ares and a hidden staircase to a 2nd floor dance hall. Interesting history to us.
The beer bottle from the Westside Brewing Co. I was able to research a bit and included a pic of that info of the time it was in business 1890-1919.
The torpedo bottle I don’t know anything about.
Any additional bits of info would be appreciated including is there any value to these.
Thanks Dan

 

[CanadianBottles]

That Arrow Bar whiskey is a great find! I don't see many bottles with labels from specific bars. There's a decent chance with a paper label from a smaller company of that era that it's the only one left, so I suspect that you've already got all the information that anyone would be able to give. I'm sure a Kentucky whiskey collector would be very happy to have it.

As for the semi-round based bottle, it's probably a mineral water, likely European. Perrier came in bottles like that so that's one possibility. I'd guess it dates to around the 1920s or so.

 

[DanK]

That Arrow Bar whiskey is a great find! I don't see many bottles with labels from specific bars. There's a decent chance with a paper label from a smaller company of that era that it's the only one left, so I suspect that you've already got all the information that anyone would be able to give. I'm sure a Kentucky whiskey collector would be very happy to have it.

As for the semi-round based bottle, it's probably a mineral water, likely European. Perrier came in bottles like that so that's one possibility. I'd guess it dates to around the 1920s or so.

Thanks, but another question about the whiskey bottle. Would the bottle have been labeled for the bar or by the bar from a distiller. I am also wondering if I may have compromised the value of the whiskey bottle, I relocated the area where my bottles and steins were shelved and the label had fallen off the bottle. Being at least 105 years old you can imagine how fragile it is. I used a solution of white glue and water very thin and glued the label back on the bottle. I had no other way to securely store the label to keep it from disintegrating.

 

[CanadianBottles]

Thanks, but another question about the whiskey bottle. Would the bottle have been labeled for the bar or by the bar from a distiller. I am also wondering if I may have compromised the value of the whiskey bottle, I relocated the area where my bottles and steins were shelved and the label had fallen off the bottle. Being at least 105 years old you can imagine how fragile it is. I used a solution of white glue and water very thin and glued the label back on the bottle. I had no other way to securely store the label to keep it from disintegrating.

I honestly have no clue about who labeled the bottle, looks like it must have been quite a large and successful bar to have a custom-designed label like that. I don't remember ever seeing one before. Although another possibility that just occurred to me - are we certain that The Arrow Bar was actually a bar and not a bar-themed brand of whiskey? It would be a pretty unusual name for a whiskey brand in the 1910s but a custom printing job for a bar would also be pretty unusual. Not many companies could afford to get labels like that printed, usually for a small business it would be a generic label template with the company's name in plain lettering.

As for gluing the label back on it'll really depend on whether white glue will damage the label over time. I'm not sure if it will or not. For future reference, the best thing to do when a label comes unstuck is to get some archival quality plastic sheeting and cut out a rectangle a bit larger than the label. Rest the label in the place where it's supposed to go and then firmly press the plastic over top, taping it to the bottle so that the tape is only touching the glass and the plastic. That should hold it in place without doing anything to alter the label.

 

[hemihampton]

I got a Chicago West Side Beer but it's different then yours. I had another one with a label on it. I'm sure the Arrow Whiskey has value to someone who collects those type. Let me know if you ever find any old Beer Cans in Walls. I'll pay a few hundred each for some of those depending on condition & rarity. LEON.

 

[DanK]

I honestly have no clue about who labeled the bottle, looks like it must have been quite a large and successful bar to have a custom-designed label like that. I don't remember ever seeing one before. Although another possibility that just occurred to me - are we certain that The Arrow Bar was actually a bar and not a bar-themed brand of whiskey? It would be a pretty unusual name for a whiskey brand in the 1910s but a custom printing job for a bar would also be pretty unusual. Not many companies could afford to get labels like that printed, usually for a small business it would be a generic label template with the company's name in plain lettering.

As for gluing the label back on it'll really depend on whether white glue will damage the label over time. I'm not sure if it will or not. For future reference, the best thing to do when a label comes unstuck is to get some archival quality plastic sheeting and cut out a rectangle a bit larger than the label. Rest the label in the place where it's supposed to go and then firmly press the plastic over top, taping it to the bottle so that the tape is only touching the glass and the plastic. That should hold it in place without doing anything to alter the label.

Thanks again. Yes I am sure it was a bar at one time as I mentioned in my original post the tenant of the building walked us through plus the design of the building showed signs of a bar or lounge. I think I’ll check with the City archives. Also the tenant that walked us through said he knew it was also a speak easy at one time that though would have been after 1920. So possibly when a bar in 1915 there still could have been Mob ties hence the private label. Maybe I’ll be able to find out.

 

[DanK]

I contacted the Aurora Il library history administrator regarding my finds. I will be meeting her to get as much info on the bottles I posted earlier. I pulled out the rest of the bottles and artifacts found within the walls and ceilings of our house we renovated. Here are some pics. Anyone interested in any of these let me know. Dated artifacts found take to between 1915 and 1917 for the ACCallahan whiskey bottle with a serial number.
Thanks

 

[Csa]

Quite a collection of local whiskeys. My guess is the gentleman (or lady) of the house stashed them in a wall discreetly when finished with them. Our house had about 200 airplane 50ml vodkas deposited through a knot hole in the wall! Pretty good scheme actually. You should get more info, seems like some value there to a local collector for sure.

 

[DanK]

How and where I found these I am sure it was the carpenter who built the house who stashed them. The house was surprisingly built pretty solid and straight. I would like to find a buyer for most of them but I don’t know the value of them. I know I won’t get rich but also don’t want to get taken advantage of either. There is one with a semi generic label with a 1917 label that appears to to be when the feds stopped selling grain distilled whiskey after entering WW1. I don’t know how knowing the history of some of these might relate to their value but it is interesting learning some of this.