J. Russak Bottle

[jgas443]

I found this J. Russak First Prizes bottle in Indiana. It says J.Russak First Prizes at the top and then below that several cities and countries. Like Berlin Barcelona Dresden Jamaica etc. Anyone ever heard of it. I will try to get a pic for ya. Thanks. jgas

 

[jgas443]

Anyone know anything at all about this bottle?? Like age, where it is from, how much is it worth etc....Thanks again jgas

 

[cobaltbot]

Should get a prize for embossing! I'm sure there's a great story there.

 

[surfaceone]

Welcome to ABN, James. Thanks for bringing this bottle to our attention.

Gotta be the most place names I've ever seen embossed on a bottle. Fgrom what I've found, it's been classified as a Bitters, at least by the Australians. Could'ya take another picture or two showing the lip & neck, and the base of the bottle. What other markings are there?

How did you come to have this bottle? Whaz-the-story behind that guy?

I'm thinking it's pretty uncommon. Here's a listing from the redoubtable Ozbottles:

"C9 23cm tall, Ring Seal, Long Neck Tapers In Towards Body, Shouldered Square, Chamfered Sides, "J.RUSSAK/FIRST PRIZES/LIVERPOOL/ADELAIDE/ BARCELONA/ BRUSSELS/ MELBOURNE/COLOGNE/BERLIN/JAMAICA/ DRESDEN", Clear, Plain Base With Large Central Circular Recess, stained 380" From ozbottles. I believe the 380 figure to be the selling price in Australian dollars.

This is a much different looking bottle, also from an Australian dealer:

"Lot Number 505 Estimate 400.00 - 600.00
Description Bitters - Milk Glass - "J Russak, Koston, Posen" - Squat Cylinder Shape with Long Neck & Blob Top - Some scuffs & marks - Rare, Predecessor to Hartwig

Condition Index
Price Realised 0.00" From.

Now, I'm thinking perhaps a German Bitters. The history of bottles is still being written, there's often not a lot of information known on a given bottle, or it's producer. There's another person inquiring about this bottle, found on a North Sea shipwreck site, over here.

PS: On an unrelated note, while searching for information on your bottle, I found this brief news item from the Wednesday, April 14, 1887, edition of the NY Times:

"BROOKLYN.

Dundas Dick, the wealthy dealer in pa-
tent medicines, of Brooklyn, has been examined
by physicians and pronounced insane. He was
not taken to court yesterday, but will be kept in
jail until his relatives decide what to do with
him. It was necessary to place Mr. Dick in a
straightjacket yesterday." From.

 

[TROG]

I have seen a few of these here in South Australia and has been mentioned have been told they were for German Bitters.There was a large German migrant population that came to South Australia mainly to farm in the 19th century and many different German bottles have been found here.

David

 

[jgas443]

Heres another pic of lip, then I will send a pic of the bottom. It was found in South Bend Indiana, about 3 feet down in a privy area, or dump. There was a few German imigrants here way back in the 1800's. It looks like the seem only goes just over the shoulder area of the bottle. Not all the way to the top. The bottom is cupped, not pontiled. Just a really strange find for our area and I am sure that it might fetch a premium......I hope.. Thanks again for the replies everyone, keep em coming. jgas

 

[jgas443]

Here is he picture of the bottom. jgas

 

[RED Matthews]

Hello and congrats jgas443. That finish tells me your bottle is unique. I will watch your developing thread to see what others tell us about it. The picture of the square form and the bottom tell me that it had some different handling done when it was blown. It looka like a rare one. RED Mattews

 

[jgas443]

Thanks for the replies on this very mysterious bottle. I have since asked a couple guys from Australia who suggest it may not be from Australia but somewhere in Europe, possibly Russian or German. One gentleman stated he thought that it is a Bitters and by all of the city/country names embossed its as if J. Russak was at exhibitions all over those places and won first prize for whatever contents that were inside. Strange...I have searched and searched but really no concrete evidence to support much of it all. Still, I love the info I have so far, just hope someone chimes in with the "real" story. Thanks again everyone for the replies. This forum has come to good use so far. jgas

 

[jgas443]

Nothing new on this Mystery Bottle. I was hoping to hear from a couple sources by now, but nothing yet. That might bode well for me though. Still, I hate not knowing a bit more about this one. I will surely keep you all posted if I find out anything about it. I am still hoping on some concrete info from you all out there. I am keeping my fingers crossed. jgas