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American Bottle Auctions Don Dwyer Collection Part I
SACRAMENTO, CA – American Bottle Auctions will present when he was checking out some old Chinese camps near his home in
Part 1 of the Don Dwyer collection of bitters and soda bottles in
online auction #70, starting on February 26th and ending on March
7th. Part 2 will be announced in the coming weeks. Part 1 will
contain about 250 bottles, nearly all from the Dwyer collec- peeled for bottles and other artifacts.
tion but to include an assortment of related go-withs.
Bidders can register and bid at the American Bottle
Auctions website AmericanBottleAuctions.com.
“Don Dwyer has spent decades putting together
a collection of bitters that had just about every
example made for and sold in the West,” said Jeff
Wichmann of American Bottle Auctions. “In addition,
his interest in Western soda and mineral water bottles
added greatly to his huge entire inventory. We will be
presenting this collection by dividing it up so auctions 1
and 2 will both have bitters and sodas.”
Just a few of the better bottles in Part 1 of the Don
Lot 031: Dwyer collection will include the following:
Dr. Wonser’s USA V. Squarza bitters bottle with an applied
Indian Root Bitters mouth, in a beautiful cobalt blue (S170). The
bottle in a chocolate product was trademarked in 1865 and was possibly
amber; These are called either a Hygienic or Selene Bitters. It’s only
hugely popular with the second one ABA has ever sold and its condition
collectors. This one (9) is near perfect.
is graded a near- Dr. Wonser’s USA Indian Root Bitters bot-
perfect 9. tle in a chocolate amber (W146). Dr. Wonser
Western bitters bottles are hugely popular with
collectors, due to their amazing embossed design and the letters
U.S.A. with the doctor’s name. This one also grades 9.
Orizaba Bitters, J. Maristany, 1870s. Not much is known
about J. Maristany or even where they were located, but this
bottle is definitely Western, as noted by the curved “R’s.” There
are only a few known, and this one grades well at 8.5+.
Bryant’s Stomach Bitters (Cone) with applied top, sticky
pontil mark. The Bryant’s Cone might be the most iconic
Western bottle out there (one sold in 2000 for $67,500). There
are maybe only ten known in any condition. This one had a
crack that was resin repaired.
Cassin’s Grape Brandy Bitters, circa 1866-1873
(C78). This is a second variant example in a beautiful yellow-
green color. It appears unblemished, but there is an in-making
area on the lip that created an imperfectly formed top. Still, it
grades well at 8.5.
About The Collector
Don Dwyer began collecting antique bottles in the 1960s
The Don DDwyer Collecction of Anttiique Bottlees
Coming Febrruary 26th – MM ch 8thhcMar h
W e are proud to present tthis extensive collection
of the Don Dwyer bitters a and soda bottles. Don
d
d
h has spent decades puttingg together a collection of
ll
h
i
i
bitters that contains just aabout every bitters sold in
the west. In addition, his interest in western soda
and mineral water bottless adds great interest to
his entire inventory . W e wwill present the Dwyer
Collection in two parts, starting with part 1 on
February 26 – March 8. Paart 2 will be announced
in the coming weeks. Beccause Don liked to
collect color runs and made sure he had the
most variants, each half o of the auction will have
both bitters and sodas It wwill be presented in our
both bitters and sodas. It wwill be presented in our
usual format, with everyone on our list receiving
a catalog for each auctionn at no cost. W e are
excited about presenting this fine collection and
thank everyone for their innterest. W e know this
auction will have something for everyone.
Oroville, CA. As the owner and founder of a lumber business, Don found
some old bottles and other items and became hooked. Working in the forest
gave him the chance to visit old lumber camps while he kept his eyes
Back then, he collected various types of bottles, but he said when Jeff
Wichmann’s bitters book came out in 1999, titled Antique Western Bitters
Bottles, he decided to concentrate his collection solely on bitters.
The bottles Don accumulated often came in different variants, applied
top or tooled top of the same bottle, color runs and at the top of his list
were squares. Included in the auction is his run of Renz's Bitters and
Rosenbaum's. From the very rare and valuable to the grouping of Lash's
Bitters in every shape and size, Don knew what a collector had to do to
collect every specimen.
His desire to collect sodas and mineral waters was a valiant one.
Where most Western collectors go after examples made in San
Francisco, Don had a varying number of pontiled bottles that were
made in the East and sent out West for a Western company. Once
again, color runs were an exciting part of his soda collection, as he has
different colored examples of the same bottle.
Don will still maintain his vast collection of Marysville bottles. His
home is located in the forest, and with the fires that have occurred in
recent years, he won’t miss what seemed a yearly evacuation to save his
bottle collection.
About the Auction
View all lots in a full-color catalog (available for free upon
request) or at www.americanbottle.com, starting on February
26th. People can bid by computer, phone, mail, or fax.
Previews are by appointment only, in the American Bottle
Auctions showroom, located at 915 28th Street in
Sacramento. Standard auction rules will apply. American
Bottle Auctions does not do callbacks but, rather, has a 10-
minute rule that applies to bids at the end of the auction.
American Bottle Auctions is always accepting quality consign-
ments for future sales. You may call them toll-free, at 800-
806-7722 or you can email them at: info@americanbot-
tleauctions.com To learn more about American Bottle
Auctions and Part 1 of the Don Dwyer collection (online
February 2 - March 7), visit AmericanBottleAuction.com
Right, Lot 060: Lacour’s Bitters with “Sarsapariphere”
on the reverse, with an applied mouth, in a yellow-green (L3),
graded 8.5+.
At left, Lot 058: Bryant’s Stomach Bitters (Cone) with applied
top and sticky pontil mark. There are only ten known to exist.
pecializing iin W estern Bottles
1-800-806-7722
915 28th Street,, Sacramento, CA 95816
f it our website at americanbottle.com or
email us at info@americanbottle.com
e
Ov er 28 yyear s in bus ines s!
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