place of business for some stoddard bottles

[coldwater diver]

Im trying to get information as to where some companies were located (town and state) that were supplied by stoddard glass. To name a few Howards Vegetable Cancer And Canker Cure, Gibbs Bone Liniment, Seavers Joint And Nerve Liniment, Opodeldoc Liquid, and Dr. Hartshorns Medicine.
I have spoke to many on this subject and still no luck. My hope is to eventually be able to find some of these bottles by getting to these neighbohoods. My theory is the closer to the source the more your chances increase towards finding one of these beauties. I would also be interested in any unlisted stoddard bottles . Is there any other reference material besides on the trail of Stoddard Glass and A Rare Collection of Keene & Stoddard Glass????Ive worn out the pages on these two books .Yes I am obsessed
Any input ,info ideas and suggestions would be appreciated. Kevin

 

[downeastdigger]

HI Kevin,
Welcome to the Forum ( its bram). I hope you find the information you're looking for here. And I hope I'm swimming behind you scooping up any bottles you've missed when you dive at these spots I've done a little research on that rare NH shard that Scott dug, and I now have. I think it could be a bottle that is a similar mold to a Dr. Townsends bottle, but this is Fowlers Stomach Bitters from Bristol NH. The only one I've seen in an old catalog isn't embossed "bristol NH" but I"m guessing it could be a rare varient? Regardless, Bristol is a little town, and the bottle looks like a Stoddard bottle to me.
Hope I can dive with you this winter
Bram

 

[cowseatmaize]

I found that Edward Hartshorn ran his business out of Berlin MA. I got that from Fike but he had no info on the others. You might try it if you know the name on the bottle. You can get it here;
http://blackburnpress.com/bottlebook.html

 

[earlyglass]

Hey Kevin,

Welcome to the forum again (it's Mike). I have had this same obsession for quite some time, as I know Bram has as well. I was spending my lunch hour at the library trying to find out where the merchant's lived, and hope it is on a body of water that is accessible, or you find a steep banking behind the house. It is worth the pursuit, but is usually a long shot from the way it unravels in your mind! []

Most of the ones that you listed were based in Boston. There are a few that are in NH, VT and ME. I won't go through the list, but most are embossed accordingly. I believe the Gibb's to be a NY bottle, so I would scratch that one. I will select a couple of speculative merchants that seem promising, and we can do some searching. Most are from MA. I know of atleast a handful that are not listed or listed as unique. We'll talk.

Mike

 

[coldwater diver]

Thanks Bram and Mike for the response. Iwish I had the business records to these stoddard glasshouses that would make things so much easier. I do believe most of these companies such as Kimbals in Troy would have almost certainly had a local walk in trade for the public to buy their goods. Iwill keep searching let me know if any info comes along.
Kevin

 

[earlyglass]

I know then records for Joseph Foster's business exist, and that would be quite helpful. I can try to get some information. There are a few that I am curious about as well, and (thanks alot) you got me thinking about this stuff again. I might as well go home because now I am useless at work! []

 

[earlyglass]

Kevin,

Baldwin's Medicine Bottle Book has alot of aobscure information as well. He references local newspaper advertisements which can help point you in the vicinity of a merchant's operations. I have all of the maps of 1858 and 1877... quite often the map will list the merchant. Keep in mind that these merchants may have originated in small town New England, but thier storefronts were in usually Boston or New York. Even Barrett who operated one of the later Stoddard glasshouses had a storefront in Boston selling his liquor in the Weeks & Gilson bottles and Patent flasks.

Mike

 

[cowseatmaize]

Opodeldoc Liquid, ie Liquid Opodeldoc was listed as John Tweedy in Newport RI in the 1760 range and up, later in New York being sold by someone else. If the Stoddard glassworks made that then you got your work cut out for you. The bottles went all over the place so drive far and dive deep.

 

[coldwater diver]

mike
what towns do you have maps for from 1858? sorry I messed you up for work but you should be thinking about this stuff, the ice will be closing those bodies of water soon!
kevin