Possible Rheinstrom Bros early ball & claw bitters or creme de menthe bottle?

[timeandabottle]

Hello again everyone. I recently purchased this bottle and lots of research has came up with Notta! It looks like a Rheinstrom Bros Ball and Claw Crème De Menthe made in the 1890’s by the Hemingray Glass Co. However, every example I can find is a colored glass while mine is clear. There's also a similar looking Ball and Claw Bitters but they all have embossing. Mine has no embossing on it and no gold gilt. I bought it and a similar Good Luck bottle from a collector that lived within 250 miles from Cincinnati which is where an old Hemingway Dump was and shards of these bottles have apparently been found there. My bottle is a 2-piece BIM with lots of bubbles and good wear on the base. It’s 10 3/4” tall. Any ideas as to what this may be? (Wheaton's reproductions, (as far as I know) are all marked on the base). Thanks in advance as always.

 

[timeandabottle]

Has anyone seen this variant before?

 

[timeandabottle]

Has anybody seen this variant before?

 

[nhpharm]

Not a bottle I have really tracked but I know I have seen many of the amber and green examples of these but I have never seen an aqua one. Cool find!

 

[indianainsulators]

I would say with some certainty that yes, your bottle is Hemingray made. The style matches perfectly to the Creme bottles you have seen. The ice aqua color of your bottle is a common Hemi color.
The website you are looking at ( www.Hemingray.net ) was set up by Hemingray collector Raven Kotlarsky, who is also the editor of Crown Jewels of the Wire magazine.
If you would be interested in selling your claw bottle, I would be extremely interested. I would love for it to go with my Hemingray collection.
Just FYI, I made an account on this website just so I could reply to this post!
Thanks,
Cole King

 

[indianainsulators]

Here is an embossed version, same color, in the collection of Christian Willis (He runs www.Hemingray.info ). There are several variants not listed on the Hemingray.net. That website is a great guide, but not a bible.

 

[indianainsulators]

Collection of Tim Sakcriska

 

[timeandabottle]

Thanks for the great information! When I acquired it I fell in love with it and it immediately replaced an existing bottle in my collection! Regarding selling it…that would be tough to let go but not impossible. You can send me an e-mail with an offer that I would ponder. Thanks again for your info. This is a great site with unbelievable knowledge of many of its members.

 

[indianainsulators]

I sent you a message, don't know how to find your email

 

[indianainsulators]

Interesting update! I spoke with Bob Stahr, who is the Hemingray guru. I learned that none of these claw bottles are embossed. The "Creme de Menthe" is just a very thick paint! So, the name on the bottle just rubbed off over the years. Mystery solved!