Antique Medicine Bottles Dr Cannon's Medicine Chest

ANOTHER "PATENT MEDICINE ARTICLE" FROM THE PAGES OF

ANTIQUE BOTTLE AND GLASS COLLECTOR MAGAZINE

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ANTIQUE BOTTLE COLLECTING HOBBY

antique bottles THE MEDICINE CHEST --- BY DR. RICHARD CANNON old bottles

The bitters books by Carlyn Ring, Richard Watson, Ed Bartholomew and Art and Jewel Umberger are very helpful, but still fail to answer many questions about these magnificent old bottles. As in all areas of our hobby, much remains to be learned about bitters. In 1991, Eric McGuire, of Petaluma, California, did us a great favor by publishing Bottled Products And The U.S. Patent Office. Information that has not been readily available, a total of 13,777 nineteenth century registrations, is listed and cross referenced in three volumes totaling 1965 pages on 22 microfiche sheets. Not only medicines, but beverages, foods and other household and commercial items are included. I want to supply data from McGuire and the bitters books about three bitters in my collection, Ramsey's Trinidad, Caroni, and Old Hickory Celebrated Stomach.


Ramsey's Trinidad Bitters, dark olive.	Ramsey's Trinidad Aromatic Bitters Trademark	Caroni Bitters, dark olive.

My 8^3/8 inches tall, dark olive, round bottle embossed Ramsey's Trinidad Bitters around the shoulder and the base, was dug in New Orleans. The amber, 8^1/4 inches tall variants are common according to Ring. There is also an 8^1/4 inch amber variant with the "R" missing from Bitters on the base, a 4 inches tall, amber variant, and a clear, 2^3/4 inches tall shot glass, with Ramsey's Trinidad Aromatic Bitters on the base. Green, dark green and dark olive variants are listed as well. Watson pictures a dark olive bottle like mine with the mouth broken off in Bitters Bottles. Only from McGuire do we learn that Durant and Company, a firm in Trinidad, British West Indies, began to put out this brand in May, 1887, and registered the trademark on May 8, 1888. The essential features of the trademark consisted of a box or packing case with two labeled bottles standing upright upon the cover, the words “Ramsey's Trinidad Aromatic Bitters” on the side of the box, and the signature of Peter Arthur Ramsey, who must have been the fellow who concocted the formula originally. From McGuire we also learn the origin of Caroni Bitters. The Von Glahn Brothers of New York, N.Y., began production of this brand in 1891. Their trademark is not pictured, however. My 8^3/8 inches tall, dark olive, round bottle embossed Caroni Bitters around the shoulder and base, was dug on Galveston Island. Several were turned up in this color by the couple who dug this bottle. Green and amber 8^1/4 and 8^1/2 inch tall bottles appear to be plentiful and 5-inch tall examples in greens and ambers are also known. Some larger bottles have only Caroni on the shoulder, but Caroni Bitters on the base.

I've heard of bitters bottles shaped like Ramseys and Caronis referred to as bar bitters, apparently because customers who weren't feeling so good might ask for something to help their irritated inside at the same place where the irritation occurred.

The Old Hickory / Celebrated / Stomach Bitters // // J. Grossman / New Orleans, La. // //, amber, square, 9 inches tall bottle I own was also dug on Galveston Island. There is an 8^3/4 inch variant that has J. Grossman's Sons / New Orleans, La. Embossed, and 4^1/2 inch variant embossed as my bottle. McGuire tells us that Joseph Grossman first put out this product in 1882, and registered the trademark on May 2, 1893. The essential feature of the trademark was the words “Old Hickory”, but on one label (the labels are also given by McGuire) the words “Old Hickory Celebrated Stomach Bitters” were printed above the famous New Orleans statue of Andrew Jackson on a horse, and below the stature the obverse sides of two metals, and at the bottom, “J. Grossman, Sole Proprietor and Manufacturer, New Orleans, La. Directions on the other side.” On the other label there's a portrait of Grossman with “Celebrated, Old Hickory” above and “Stomach Bitters” below. At the bottom is the signature of J. Grossman.

Other bitters trademark registrations in McGuire's work include Colombo, 1896, Electric, 1880, Dr. Harter's, 1887, H. Kantorowicz, 1890, Lash's, 1891, and Flint's Quaker, 1872. Sarsaparillas, cures, and other medicines are also given, and numerous additional medicine registrant and product dates are included as well. A real “gold mine” if you search for the history of your old bottles like I do. Thanks, Eric!

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Old Hickory Bitters.	Old Hickory Bitters Trademark.