Latter's Sacramento Cal.(inside rounded border) Home Brewed Ginger Beer

 Here's something a little different from our normal western whiskey fare.

 

"Latter's / Sacramento Cal.(inside rounded border) / Home / Brewed / Ginger / Beer (inside border)"

 

Antique Stoneware Ginger Beer from Sacramento Cal.

 

Research has revealed that Latter was originally located in Sacramento, before moving north to Seattle Wa. in or about 1906.

 

These are a scarce and sought after west coast stoneware piece.  

7 7/8" tall. It is clean and the crown top lip (typically damaged while being opened) is problem free. Unusual tricolor pattern with upper third being light brown, a band just below the shoulder a darker tan and the lower body being light tan with black transfer lettering.

There is an area of glaze transfer located on the reverse shoulder; a result of being in contact with an adjoining piece after being loaded for the kiln, but prior to being fired. It is in manufacture and not damage. Condition issue is limited to a flake off the heel / base, which is clearly shown in one photo. The margins are smooth and it may be production related (clay sticking to the plate the "bottle" was fired on), as other areas on the base also show signs of poor mixing of the clay.

 

This offering is part of a large "closet collection" that was dug in the 1960's in the Sacramento and Stockton areas of California.

 

It is offered as is. $50~ or best offer. Postage via USPS Ground Advantage is extra and based on USPS rate chart and the buyers mailing address at the 2 lb. rate.

   

 

Consignment

 

Commodores / Royal / OK / Bourbon K.y. / (all in ornate banner beneath picture of crown) / Marx & Jorgenson / Portland, Ogn.

Here's one you don't see every day~ Fresh from the wilds of Oregon; this example is a recent find. It is clear with a touch of light sun colored amethyst. Tooled top with Riley patent inside thread closure. The base mark of 680H inidactes that it was blown at the Abramson Heunisch glass factory in San Francisco, just prior to the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

The good news; no chips cracks or major post production damage. There is stain / haze, both inside and out. A light scrape is present at the base as shown in the photo closeup with the arrows. A pro-cleaning would likely remedy both issues. Bold and crisp strike, overall decent character. Full face embossing. A decent piece with room for improvement.

This is a consignment from the finder. No IT stopper was included with the bottle. I have never seen or heard of an embossed Jorgensen stopper. I will provide the choice of either a plain or star stopper.

I am posting the photos of the bottle as received. It is currently in an ammonia water bath at tepid temps. If the bath improves the appearance notably, I will re-shoot and post updated photos.

 As stated, this is a consignment. If anyone has an interest, please feel free to place an offer via email (address at the top of the website front page) and I will relay it for consideration. 

Lemme know.        jeffstateglass@gmail.com 

 

Sold 

 

 

 

 

Two Western Slug Plate Whiskey 5ths. A post from friend Andrew: owner of Golden Gate Bottle Auctions~

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Henry C Kirk opened a drug store in downtown Sacramento in 1854. He continued his business until 1871 when he took on a partner, Joseph Hahn, and transitioned to H.C. Kirk & Co. Throughout the 1870s Kirk advertised drugs, dental wares, and in occasionally liquor. In 1877 he began to heavily advertise Simmonds Nabob Whisky for which he was the Sole Agent of Sacramento. Although there is no direct evidence what was in his embossed slug plate whiskey 5th was used for, it is possible that he was bottling Nabob Whisky in his own private mold bottles. Henry died in 1881 and in 1882 the firm transitioned to Kirk, Geary, & Co. Due to the characteristics of the bottle, it was likely made and used in the 1877 to 1881 timeframe. There are currently five examples of the Kirk bottles known.

1870 H.C. Kirk Advertisement

1872 Advertisement

1879 Nabob Advertisement

John Franetta was a Croatian immigrant who began his foray into business with a small coffee stand in the 1860s that later became the famous San Francisco restaurant, The Tadich Grill. By the early 1870s he had entered the wholesale tobacco business which he continued into the 1880s. He maintained a summer home in San Rafael, CA and in May of 1883, while battling pneumonia, decided to go into the wholesale liquor business in that town. Based on his newspaper advertisements, John Franetta dabbled in the wine, beer, and whiskey trade throughout the 1880s. In May of 1884 it was noted that Mr. Franetta had imported 200 barrels of Deer Lodge whiskey “for which he is sole agent on this coast.” It is likely the embossed slug plate whiskey 5th he put out was likely used for this product. Based on the manufacturing characteristics and the early attempt at venting the mold (along with its rarity) an 1883-1885 production date for the bottle is likely. John Franetta exited the business in 1891 when his son George Franetta partnered with George Nowell. Their partnership was short lived and in August of 1891 the Lang Brothers bought out Franetta’s interest and the firm became Nowell, Lang Bros. & Co. There are currently about four examples of the J. Franetta whiskey known.

Franetta Opens His Business In May 1883

Franetta Receiving Deer Lodge Whiskey in 1884

It is interesting to note that with both the Kirk and Franetta bottles, nearly all of the examples known were not found in their respective hometowns. The same goes for the Goldtree Brothers 5th from San Luis Obispo. Likely, these merchants sent their embossed bottles out  of town and used generic unembossed bottles locally.

 

https://goldengatebottles.com/

 

"Pairings"

Some things just naturally go together. For instance a fine wine and gourmet aged cheese. Or, to a western whiskey collector, rare shot glasses and a matching embossed cylinder fifth.

 

Pre-pro "Shots". 

I've collected western whiskies since the mid 60's. Never paid much attention to shots and go-withs earlier on though. Then, about 20 years ago, I spotted a western picture shot advertising Davy Crockett whiskey. The hook was set. The die was cast...

I've really enjoyed matching the glasses with their fifth counterparts. Best part of all is their size. They just don't take up much real estate.

Here are a few "pairings".

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oregon picture shot glasses~

 Oregon picture shot glasses~

 

Oregon acid etched pre-pro picture glasses are all but non-existent. There's only a couple that come to mind, this critter picture glass and the western themed glass associated with the Remington Liquor company.

Here's a favorite of mine, produced for the firm of Brunn & Co. of Portland. They were in business from 1905 - 1915, and were located at 1st SE cor. of Alder (1906-1910), 140-142 1 st (1911-1915).

They only marketed two brands; "Beaver Brand", and "O. W. P.." The Beaver Brand critter glass has everything going for it; in addition to the picture, it has internal fluted panels.

 

Group of three pre-pro ACL Oregon Shots.

ROTHCHILD BROS. were located in Portland. They were in business from 1899-1915 and were located at 20-26 1 st N. Their flagship brands included "Lily Bud", "Magnolia", "Maryland Monogram", and "Old Standard"; three of which are pictured here.

The colorful applied colored labels (ACL's) were the exception, rather than the norm and were expensive to produce compared to the more often seen "acid etched" glasses of the era.

These examples rate very scarce to downright rare.

 

 

Z as in Zythum

 

Z as in Zythum

 

 

Somehow, I wasn't terribly surprised when I pawed through a couple of hundred embossed, labeled and embossed, and label only western whiskies on my shelves, when searching for anything that started with a "Z" only to come up empty.

I was, however, rewarded when I thought to take a peek at the western pre-pro glasses in one of my display cabinets.

Sure enough, Z for Zythum.

John Sroufe tossed his hat into the western whiskey wholesale ring, going solo in 1893. His least successful brand was Zythum.

No, this is not a Nazi emblem! In Hinduism, the right-facing symbol (clockwise) (卐) is called swastika, symbolizing surya ('sun'), prosperity and good luck.

Zythum was originally a malt beer made in ancient Egypt. Since whiskey is often made using malt as the base, the name seemed to be a natural.

Unlike his somewhat successful Slaters Premium Bourbon, the Zythum brand flopped, undoubtedly being paper labeled only since no embossed examples have ever surfaced.

There are less than a scant handful of these pre-pro shots documented to exist; best count is four in any condition. This one is dead mint.

Zythum

Tak ----- Al ------ Ong

 Tak ----- Al ------ Ong ----- Whiskey

 

Here's a San Francisco flask with a fun play on words.

It's a label only tooled top flask. It measures 6 1/16" tall, has a tooled long tapered collar over single ring cork closure, and is a "half pint".

Sold by A. A. Bulotti who was located at the corner of 6th Ave. and California St. (in the northwest part of SF). Attached is a photo of the building today. It's a tasteful Victorian now housing a liquor store (how fortuitous...). 

Only problem is... the SF City directories never listed an A. A. Bulotti as being in either the wholesale or retail liquor business. What they do show is an A. A. Bulotti as being a grocer around the TOC, located at the address on the label.

Odds are, he bottled substandard whiskey from hogsheads, that he bought on the cheap from one of the big dogs, and bottled it in the back room.

I can see it now; Bulotti is offering a free flask of it (on the QT) to any husband who persuaded the Misses to shop at his store.