auction bottle...who made it?

[GuntherHess]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Medicine-Bottle-Alacasters-Indian-Jaundice-Bit_W0QQitemZ6197133713QQcategoryZ895QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Is the bottle in this auction a Wheaton fantasy bottle? I see them around quite a bit but didnt know how made them. Interesting... people always seem to bid on them for some reason.

 

[whiskeyman]

GUNTHER...those have been made by Wheaton and Taiwan in assorted colors and sizes....as a Fantasy bottle.

Some peeps collect Wheaton and some collect any VA. bottles, so I'm guessing that is why a few do sell.

 

[whiskeyman]

I imagine they used the common Atwoods Jaundice Bitters as the inspiration. Then, added key words like Indian...and to give it a little Civil War flavor: Col.Sam Johnson's/ Richmond,VA.

Most fantasy bottles have elements of one or more original bottles in their design...to make them more appealing perhaps. Not intended to fool the knowing, but the newbies sometimes get hooked.

 

[GuntherHess]

I agree it does have that Atwood's look to it.

 

[KentOhio]

There's also a real one called Barber's Indian Jaundice Bitters, or something like that, which looks just like an Atwood's. I didn't know it until I saw a real one at a flea market. I should have asked how much he wanted for it. It was cracked, though.

 

[BRIAN S.]

Hi Kent !
You should have asked how much ..... it is extremely rare ! Would have been nice to have even if it was cracked....because there aren't many out there !
BARBER'S // INDIAN VEGETABLE // JAUNDICE BITTERS // OLIVER JOHNSON & CO. // PROVIDENCE R.I.
6 1/8" tall , twelve sided , and almost identical to the Atwood's bottle. Copyrighted in 1875 and in business since 1858
Brian