decanter

[Sheri]

Being totally inexperienced, here goes. The top has an etched grounded look to it. The inside of the bottle does not. there is no plastic sleeve on either

 

[cowseatmaize]

I can only speak to what I've seen. That would be that a ground stopper is ground to fit a ground neck. The two should match up to create a seal. I've had ground stoppers that didn't seal and I'm sure they were from the same type bottle but not the same bottle. It was very precise.
If caldigr is familiar than I may be wrong, it wouldn't be the first time.
My personal opinion is your stopper was not meant for that bottle. It may be yours didn't have a glass stopper to begin with but I have doubts about that as well.
It's a great bottle and please don't take this critically. With or without it, it's nice!

 

[surfaceone]

I have an old decanter I am trying to find info on it. Etched it has Belle of Mason, Whiskey, Bach Meese & Co., Agents What I did find was

quote:

John Bach, Hermann Meese and Rudolf Luedke, in August of 1874, formed a partnership called the United Anaheim Wine Growers. Bach and Meese were located in San Francisco and Luedke, residing in Anaheim, could possibly have been the partner that supplied the wine products for the emerging liquor firm.
By February of 1877 the United Anaheim Wine Growers filed a notice of dissolution in the Daily Alta California and partners John Bach and Hermann Meese assumed all assets and
liabilities

So I believe it is before 1900, as I did have an artsy relative in the area at that time. If anyone knows where or how to find out info, I have done alot of internet searches and found nothing similar to this. Thanks Sheri

Hello Sheri,

That's a wonderful decanter indeed. I think Rick Simi has his dates wrong. Mr. Meese was in Anaheim much earlier. Your decanter would date from 1870 to 1888 when Mr. Meese sold his interest and retired.

" HERMANN MEESE was born in the kingdom of Hanover, Germany, November 10, 1826. His father, a contractor and builder, died in 1836, when Hermann was about ten years of age, and from his foreman, who continued the business, Hermann learned his father’s trade, and in order to perfect his knowledge of the same traveled some, reaching New Orleans in 1848, from which place he went to St. Louis, working at his trade there for about two years. In March, 1850, he started with about 130 men overland for California, and after a hazardous trip of seven months reached San Francisco, where he resumed his trade as contractor and house builder and continued the same until 1865; a few years previous he associated with several friends establishing a company for the purpose of refining sugar, and as he was still engaged in the building trade he commenced work on the refinery which was completed and commenced operation in 1864; in 1865 the company was incorporated under the name of the Bay Sugar Refinery, elected Hermann Meese as its president and also requested him to assume the duty of manager, which office he accepted and discontinued the business of contractor and builder; he retained the office of president of the Bay Sugar Refinery until 1879, when the company sold the refinery and discontinued business.
In 1858, while still at his trade, Hermann Meese became the owner of a vineyard in Los Angeles county, and about three years later joined four other owners of vineyards at Anaheim, Los Angeles county, in establishing a wholesale wine business, with headquarters in San Francisco, under the name of United Anaheim Wine Growers’ Association, carrying on the business of selling and exporting California wines in furtherance of which a branch was established in Chicago, and a large trade gained through this branch until 1870 it joined the other business houses of Chicago in the memorable fire; this branch was discontinued and the shares of the other members of the business in San Francisco were bought by Hermann Meese and John Bach, and the business continued under the firm name of Bach, Meese & Co., until 1888, when Mr. Meese sold out his interest, and, the refinery having also discontinued, Mr. Meese retired from business..." From.

There's another good biographical scetch of Hermann Meese Right Here.

Rick does have a great picture of the Botanic Stomach Bitters,

and

From.

From.

Is your decanter picking up blue highlights from your flash? I'd like to see some photos in natural light with details of the etching and the stopper.

Welcome to A-BN and thank you for bringinging this beautiful decanter to our attention.

Gas lights on Montgomery Street, c.1895.