Lot
Number | Description | Final Bid |
|---|
| | | The first of the Heineman Collection is this COLUMBIAN KENTUCKY BOURBON SAN FRANCISCO in amber. Thomas 17. Fiorenzo Cavagnoro was listed as being in business in San Francisco as early as 1875. He worked in training at the wholesale liquor business and he eventually became a junior partner. Cavagnoro decided to go solo in 1890, handling the Italian Swiss Colony brand if you can believe it. The San Francisco earthquake ended the liquor career of Cavagnaro as he failed to rebuild his business. These interesting bottles come in both this amber and clear. Grades a 9.5 with a medium hue that changes from top to bottom. | |
| $ 1,400 |
| | | COLUMBIAN KENTUCKY BOURBON SAN FRANCISCO. Thomas 17. Tooled top. 1894-1906. There is another variant of this bottle in clear with the applied top with a different embossing pattern. It's believed there is only one known. This example was made in the west and the mold is the same as used for the previous lot. There aren't many of these to go around and they are considered one of the top western-tooled whiskey fifths. It's rare to have a western fifth with an embossed profile of a person on it. They usually opted for animals. Possibly as few as a dozen known. You're bidding on a terrific example, just a bit of interior haze but a bottle that was never cleaned and grades a 9.5. | |
| $ 2,000 |
| | | ROTHENBERG & CO SAN FRANCISCO CAL with large embossed rooster. Thomas 79. 1900’s. Small open bubble on front shoulder. Barnett-695, these come with two different roosters this is the "fat chicken." What a great western fifth, they were made from 1900-1910. This is a super example in fine condition despite bubble. These are fairly rare and have a great embossing pattern (if you like chickens). Grades a 9.0 with the open bubble. | |
| $ 3,000 |
| | | NEWMARK, GRUENBERG OLD JUDGE BOURBON. Thomas 76. 1879-91. Applied top with no embossing on the base. This is one of three different variants of this bottle. Overall the condition is fine, a little haze on the front panel but generally grades a solid 9. | |
| $ 400 |
| | | HARD TO BEAT OLD BOURBON LOEWE BROS. SAN FRANCISCO CAL with embossed rider. Thomas 172. 1890-1895. Applied top. Here’s a bottle that also comes in amber in only the tooled top. There are more clear than amber examples of this bottle, the applied top shown here is a tough one to get. Condition is overall very nice with a few scratches and some light haze but generally grades a 9.2 with some good whittle and character. | |
| $ 2,000 |
| | | KANE, O’LEARY 221 & 223 BUSH STREET SF Applied top. These are a popular slug plate fifth made between 1879-81. This is a nice example in about perfect condition. There are just a few scratches on the left front shoulder and just a hint of haze all eluding to the fact the bottle has never been cleaned. The bottle has some light crudity and is appealing medium amber. One might consider a quick brush up to really make this one sparkle. Grades a 9.2 with room for improvement. We are including some shots of these bottles with backlighting only which gives you a better idea of bubbles and other characteristics you might not see with a 360 degree lighted picture. | |
| $ 550 |
| | | DENAVEAUX & MAISON OLD BOURBON WHISKEY. Thomas 61. 1879-1883. Applied top. Here’s a scarce whiskey and the first we have sold. There are some light scratches, especially near the base, but this bottle has never been cleaned. It is thought there are less than five known. Grades an 8.2 and could be greatly improved. | |
| $ 2,200 |
| | | LIVINGSTON PURE BLACKBERRY BRANDY APPLIED TOP 1877-84. Here’s a one of the few western sixth’s known to exist. If there is any question whether this was made in the west, just check out the curved “r’s”, of which there are six, and the star on the base. A beautiful vivid yellow amber with a touch of orange. Grades a 9.5. | |
| $ 600 |
| | | J.H. CUTTER OLD BOURBON A.P. HOTALING. THOMAS 47. 1869-71. Applied top. Here is one of the earliest of the Cutter bottles. This has the crude writing on the front with the Hotaling name. It’s thought these were blown as early as 1869 which would make them one of the first western whiskeys made for the thirsty western populace. They come in this old amber fairly often and we’ve also seen them in green. Grades a 9+ with a lot of character to the glass. | |
| $ 650 |
| | | J.F. CUTTER EXTRA WITH STAR AND SHIELD. Thomas-46, 1870-85, probably variant 1, 1870-71, as the top is straight sided and it has strong embossing. Here is a wonderful example of the Star & Shield fifth, this would go very nicely with the flask in this sale. In addition the area above the collar has no circular grooved area that you typically see on a western fifth. It's the area directly above the collar. While this is rare it isn't unheard of. We've added pictures to show you what we are talking about. A beautiful yellow with green, this has a neck that leans to the left and has loads of whittle and good strong strike. The bottom middle picture is the bottle sitting on a display shelf. A sparkling and very beautiful piece, this one will truly light up your life. Grades 9.8. | |
| $ 5,500 |
| | | J.H. CUTTER OLD BOURBON E. MARTIN & CO Thomas-48a. 1878-89. Applied top. Here’s the Cutter variant known as the Crown shoulder. There are a couple different E. Martin variants with the crown, this one having the circle and embossing on the reverse shoulder. There is an open bubble on the reverse top. It is otherwise a beautiful example with whittle and a lot to like. Grades 9.4. Est. | |
| $ 650 |
| | | J.H. BIRD CUTTER THOMAS-42, 1883-79. This is a gorgeous example of this well-known fifth. Loads of whittle in a deeper old amber. Terrific strike, about as good as they get. Grades an 8.3 due to a tiny flake off the bottom back base, with some scratches on the side panel. This color bottle displays any scratching or flaw very easily. | |
| $ 300 |
| | | HALL LUHRS & CO’S SNOW FLAKE WHISKEY Applied top, Thomas-83, 1882-85. This bottle was found by John Richardson and Richard “Web” Tartaglia in about 1978 in Belmont, Nevada. It was found in an outhouse at the house owned by Richardson. These are a popular slugpate whiskey as John Thomas points out; The comma between Hall and Luhrs is missing. Also the “Cos.” on the bottle indicates the Hall Luhrs at the time had more than one company. The Snowflake brand also applied to many food brands of the time. The bottle is air vented in a way common to many of the other slugplates of the 1880’s. There are thought to be about a dozen known. Includes a back-lit picture only. Great condition, grades a 9.8. | |
| $ 1,500 |
| | | ROSEDALE O.K. WHISKEY applied top. Thomas 134. 1882-85. Here’s a fairly scarce western whiskey in beautiful light orange amber. These bottles don’t turn up a lot; in fact we haven’t offered one in recent memory. It appears as though this example was cleaned at one time. It came out nicely and has nice whittle, good strike and a lot of character. Grades 9.2 only because of a few minor scratches. | |
| $ 750 |
| | | LAUREL CROWN / OLD BOURBON / W.H. & CO. MOTIF OF CROWN BARREL / WM HOELSCHER & CO. / SOLE AGENT / S.F. OK ON REVERSE SHOULDER. THOMAS 89. 1879-80. These are a very rare bottle and as late as 2002 at the second writing of the Thomas whiskey book there were believed to be seven known. We certainly don’t see these floating around. The brand was trying to capitalize on the Cutter brand by imitating the look of their bottles. Notice the whiskey barrel. There is what appears to be a broken bubble or some defect in the left side of the neck. In addition there is a small chip in the collar, please see video for complete description. The curved "R's" may be the largest on any western bottle. A chance at a great looking western fifth that currently lists at $12,000. Grades a 9.5 without the neck flaw. | |
| $ 1,600 |
