The well-known pontil marked bottles from druggist Henry Fess that are embossed “HENRY FESS FR. / JAUNDICE BITTERS / MILWAUKIE”. Fess came to Milwaukee in 1846 and started a druggist business that lasted into the 1890’s.

This article by Ferdinand Meyer V of Peachridge Glass provides a detailed look at the man, his business, and the bottles he used.

Click on the photo to read the article.

 

This bottle is embossed YOUNG AMERICA / STOMACH BITTERS / P RINDSKOPF & BRO on three panels. Phillip Rindskopf and his brother Louis were wholesale wine and liquor dealers at 277 E Water St Milwaukee from 1862 to 1878, but Phillip died in 1867 so this bottle is probably from the Civil war period. It is listed in Carlyn Ring’s book For Bitters Only but was not attributed to a city. It has flown under the radar of Wisconsin collectors as it was not widely known to be a Wisconsin bitters bottle.

Click the photo to read the full article.

The flagship product for the Zien brothers Co. was their Berliner Magen Bitters brand which was marketed mainly in the Midwest.   They bottled the product in amber square bottles embossed BERLINER MAGAN BITTERS on one panel.  They also promoted the brand with advertising shot glasses with at least 9 varieties known.  There is an advertising meerschaum pipe with a detailed image of the bottle which is a very unusual advertising item.  They are quite rare and another Milwaukee whiskey bottler, Joseph Dudenhoefer also used this type of advertising pipe.

Click the photo to read the full article.