Mist of the morning (Sole Agents) bitters

[cowseatmaize]

Andy, I think that until a labelled example come along we may never know for sure. Carlyn and Bill did a great job with what they could but they may be wrong in not listing it this time..I have to go with the old and only ads I've seen.

 

[botlguy]

Say what you will but as a guy who spent thousands on BITTERS, if it ain't EMBOSSED Bitters it ain't BITTERS. Even label only bitters were of little importance to the hardcore. Some like them but most don't. I'm just sayin',,,,,,,,,,,,my opinion worth what you're paying for it. Jim

 

[Dean]

For what it's worth as an example I'm posting a picture of a label only hutch. The label was on this bottle when I got it over 35 years ago. The local Nevada collectors won't accept it as there is no known hutch from Carson City, but this label has address and correct brand for the time period. It goes to show that if you put a bitters label on a cathedral pickle, all that you have is a bitter pickle. As some of the others have said; it has to be embossed to be certain. Have a great day, Dean

 

[RED Matthews]

Well I would be interested - and Harry Matthews is my brother of OLD ENGINES. I also have three or four hit and miss engines in NY to sell this summer. Maybe your bottle could end up in a trade. RED Matthews

 

[cannibalfromhannibal]

Bitters or whiskey, like the guys at ABA say, "It's a great looking bottle." That said, I found 3 like yours sold for $1,540, $750, and $522 in 2001, 2010, and 1988 respectively. The respective colors were reddish amber, amber and yellow olive and all seem to have no issues or damage. Couldn't pry it loose from my dying bony fingers if I dug it, but a trade or ?, I would take a grand......maybe. There was what appears to be a later variant with only S M Barnett & Company embossed and no sole agent. These sell in the 4-5 hundred dollar range if perfect. HTH Jack

 

[cannibalfromhannibal]

As to the label issue, I once found under an old house an Owl Drug Co. whiskey finish, square olive oil, with a partial label stating olive oil. The label was so deteriorated that I washed it off when cleaning it as it detracted from the otherwise pristine condition. I failed to realize at the time there were those who held on to the belief they were whiskies until I attempted to correct a dealer at a show who had a $300 price tag along with whiskey describing the bottle. When told of my exact one that had the label, he stiffened up and declared "Well, MINE'S a WHISKEY." End of conversation. Some folks just don't want to know the reality of things. Jack

 

[cowseatmaize]

The problem with that Jack is that labels only tell what is in that particular bottle, the same bottle could have also had a label with another product. It's not unlike some of the newer sodas that are ID'd by the cap only as to the flavor. [] It ain't root beer without the cap.[]I guess that leads back to Jim's statement of "if it ain't EMBOSSED Bitters it ain't BITTERS. Even label only bitters were of little importance to the hardcore".I still think is was a Bitters but in the cordial sense.

 

[andy volkerts]

What Jack is referring to on the Owl bottle is one of the legends of old timey bottle nonsense, Owl didn't make whiskey, package it, or sell it. but they did make a lot of olive oil, and sold it in three sizes no less. I have seen four of these bottles with the label on them. I have yet to see an Owl whiskey labeled bottle............Andy

 

[cowseatmaize]

Okay, I get that Andy.Mine was more a general comment than any specific knowledge on Owl. Liken it to an embossed Kilmer, Davis, Pierce etc. with concoction name or a plain Kilmer, Davis, Pierce etc. that could have had something else.I'll even expand on "bitters" and include "cure" vs "remedy" for some.Perhaps I worded it wrong.

 

[cannibalfromhannibal]

I also didn't make clear my point, that "some folks just don't want to know the reality of things" extends to the reality that (most) hard core collectors of bitters, whiskey, cure, (& anything else) collectors look for, DO want to see it embossed. I personally am always looking for the original reality of things, but there is also the undeniable reality of the masses, be it what it may. If they want to believe, so be it, I guess. I have a clear square bottle with a brandy neck finish and a strange tooled top that looks to be reworked slightly for possibly a shaker cap. It is embossed Augauer's Vital Drops. I most certainly hold the belief it is a bitters similar to an early Angostura flavoring type bitters, but until one with a label shows up, who really knows? Other than Augauer is not known for any other product than bitters (that I am aware of,) it is my only "evidence" and thus makes me one of the masses. I have often seen local sodas "pirated" by other local soda companies (from neighboring towns in some cases) who would simply slap a paper label on it and reuse it. Likely what caused much of the embossed Bottle To Be Returned style embossing, but I am just surmising. Jack