Help needed on shards ID.....

[truedigr]

St.louisbottlebabe might have one in her collection. I believe she might have a website, if not, go to craigslist in antique / bottles. She runs an add in there looking for St. Louis stuff. RC

 

[cowseatmaize]

Dr. Henry B Myers (if that was his real name) seams to be a mystery man but also seams to have done very well.http://www.bottlebooks.com/buffalobottles/early_buffalo_medicine_bottles3.htm

 

[cannibalfromhannibal]

I ran it all by Matt Knapp and he came up with even another possibility--In addition to the Buffalo NY HB Myers, there was a HR Myers in St. Louis the same time era! Matt suspects a relative or possible copy cat. The advertisement Matt found for HR Myers has the wording in same order as this mystery bottle, so it is a strong likelihood this is what it was. Gotta find those shards! Jack

 

[truedigr]

Well, I exhausted my search in all the St. Louis city directories that were available 1840 - 1865. I couldn't find Myers or Harter dealing in medicine. There were 3 Sarsaparilla's, but not this one. They are definitely a wealth of information. The answer may be sitting in the collection mentioned above. If anyone would have that bottle, she would. RC

 

[cannibalfromhannibal]

Well, stopped by site this eve to check on my tarps and bail water out of them. In the process, I thought to look for the "DR." shard I had lost and wadda ya know? I found the elusive name piece! Sitting in the pile was the "MY" shard and fits perfectly! So it seems Matt was right on with the HR Myers connection with the HB Myers of Buffalo. Also showed Matt pics of the pontil and appears to be a rare "combination" type pontil, half glass tipped and half iron pontil. Very strange looking. Seems mystery solved for the time being......now to find a WHOLE one! "Damn-it Jim! Ya caaan't defy the laws 'a grrrravity!"

 

[truedigr]

Glad you found the missing link. The suspense was eating me up. Now I just wonder if there are any complete examples. I was going to look in all my Kovel's, which have a Sarsaparilla section, but gave all of them to a friend. RC

 

[truedigr]

That pontil looks close to the one on the cobalt Frisby & Richardson soda I sold on Ebay a couple of weeks ago. RC

 

[cannibalfromhannibal]

Well, I exhausted my search in all the St. Louis city directories that were available 1840 - 1865. I couldn't find Myers or Harter dealing in medicine. There were 3 Sarsaparilla's, but not this one. They are definitely a wealth of information. The answer may be sitting in the collection mentioned above. If anyone would have that bottle, she would. RC

Thanks for the try RC. Matt emailed me a copy of an 1851 ad for the product by HR Myers that mentioned 2 authorizing agents for central and southern Illinois in Peoria (Rugg & Fisher) and Springfield (Birchall & Owen). Am wondering if it could possibly be from East St Louis? Don't know if there were many manufactories "over the river" back then or not, or if there was even a east St Louis back then?

 

[truedigr]

Maybe in 1852 or even a little later, they added an agent in St. Louis. Now I wish I still had my Bottled In Illinois book, to see if I could find a Peoria or Springfield in there.

 

[cannibalfromhannibal]

RC, it was eating me alive! I was ready to crawl down the pit with a flashlight to hunt for pieces! Glad I found it on the topside! Ha! Tried searching craigslist but couldn't find any names but I left a message with what looks like a heavy hitter of St. Louis "rare ones," so maybe I will know more soon.....just glad I got this far!