Dr. J.G.B. Siegert & Sons "Angostura Bitters" Bottle

RPMRog

HI Again Everybody!

I found this bottle on a pick yesterday and thought it odd enough to grab. Now, I already know quite a bit of the background on the bitters and the company. I also know there seems to be quite a few of these green bottles out there BUT...

This one seems to be of the smaller variety for one...5" tall with the cap (Yes! I said with a cap!) and about 1 1/2" wide at the base but the label may make it a tad wider than normal (Yes! I said a label!)

Oh...and it is about 1/3 to 1/2 full of the original uh, liquid? ;)

It was hiding on a shelf of a place that I pick on a regular basis and I'm a little surprised that I hadn't spotted this before. What really caught my eye is the label itself. It is very thick and printed very similar to a newspaper...column style, in both English and Spanish (I think.) The cap is a strange sort...it appears to be metal of some sort (not the rust in the picture) and has three prongs bent over the lip of the bottle.

I am posting a few pictures with this but I am very curious to hear thoughts and opinions on this. I see other bottles selling for $10 to $25 in completed sales and some rather lofty hopefuls asking for $50 to $60.

Not one of those bottles have a cap or label on them...does that make this worth more??? Did I find something rare here?

Any help once again will be greatly appreciated!!

Chris

Yes, this is a common bottle and I do know there are a few variants (do not have access to my Bitters Bottle book right not) and your analysis of value is right on the money...

Labels do add value to bottles. Good (as in colorful, attractive or pictorial) labels in good condition are a big plus. Partial labels do less for value.

It is also a matter of supply and demand - I wonder how many of these exist with labels and contents.

Nice find.

RPMRog

Thanks! Sometimes ya just get lucky! ;)

And, that exactly my question...I couldn't find anything that had a label and a top on it with the exception of a much newer (40's or 50's) with a typical white paper label and a plastic yellow screw on cap...and he was asking $60 for that one!

One of those "ask the expert" guys had a post online with a bottle that looked like mine right down to the oversized, wrap-around label that covers the bottom. He stated it was very rare to have that label still on it and valued it at $65 to $95 dollars. He was on one of those "pay for answers" sites but I've never heard of him. (Even though, I kinda liked his answer! LOL!)

Thanks again Chris!

I also found a couple of local old milk bottles but their value is going to be driven by those local collectors. If I can only find a reference now to "Acushnet Dairy" somewhere, I might be able to put a date on it!