A Survivor....
During the 1992-93 digging season, a couple of prolific digger/collectors had dug many privies from the Nevada City area, and had accumulated around a 1000 bottles to split up at the end of the season. An incredible array of early glob whiskies were found as well as some interesting bitters. Among the bitters were a blue green Lediard's Stomach Bitters, an amethsyst Old Sachem's Bitters and Wigwam Tonic and this beautiful grass green Cundurango [Dr. Place's Cundurango Bitters] example.
To celebrate the incredible finds from this digging season, the two diggers decided to write an article for the AB & GC magazine along with photographs of the bottles. I happen to be present when the photo shoot took place. An outdoor patio table was moved to a grassy lawn area and I began to place all the choice bottles on this table for the photographs to be taken. After the photo session was completed, one of the diggers accidentally tipped the table and all of the bottles began falling and rolling off the table and hitting each other as they fell to the ground. I was closest to the table at the time and was able to grab and stop a few from falling onto other bottles and breaking as they hit the ground. Unfortunately several choice pieces were either broken or damaged from the incident. The example shown here was one of the lucky ones.
I could not imagine the pain of seeing those bottles break ! What 5ths were dug that season ??
ReplyDeleteHey Andrew -
ReplyDeleteWarren wrote this post & will reply with a list of the bottles -there were some heavy's
G.O.
Two Hall,Luhrs Snowflake whiskies, three Kane & O'leary slug plate whiskies, one Gruenberg Old Judge whiskey, two Old Pioneer F&B whiskies, one Old Private Stock A.P. Hotaling whiskey, one Pedro slug plate whiskey, one Choice Old Cabinet whiskey, one G.O. Blakes Kentucky Bourbon whiskey, one California Clubhouse whiskey, one Bear Grass Bourbon whiskey, one F.& P.J. Cassin's Golden Plantation whiskey, four Teakettle whiskies,some Nabobs. There were around 34 embossed glob fifths and I set the examples on the table for the photo shoot.
ReplyDeleteThat's an incredible bounty for ONE season. Down here in SF You couldn't dig that many non-Cutters in 10 years, let alone one season !! I'm dying to see some photos, can you post them ?
ReplyDeleteI have seen the photo many times. It is a very odd feeling to look at that photo, knowing that a few seconds after it was taken, disaster struck. You can look at those bourbons especially, and see what an amazing group of whiskies came out of just two holes...a green Choice Old Cabinet...not "green", but GREEN, the who's who of cylinders were there, and sadly, many were lost. Also interesting, is that one of the diggers, "LP" has since dug some of the finest Western glass in the years following this catastrophe. AMAZING!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThere was not a Club House, Bear Grass nor a Golden Plantation involved in the T.W. table tip event. The Choice Old Cabinet was a yellow with olive tone and certainly NOT green.
ReplyDeleteNor was there a intact Club House, Golden Plantation or Bear Grass dug that season. As time goes on that story keeps growing it seems like.
ReplyDeleteWere the two holes that produced all the 5ths on the same property or were they seperate digs ? Outhouses for commercial structures or dwellings ??
ReplyDeleteNot all but most of the 5ths at the table tip event were dug behind one home from two different pits. The person who consumed all that good liquor was the owner of a large mill in the area. I would almost imagine that some those whiskies may of been gifts from customers to help expedite their much needed orders. I had also dug a mill owners house who operated a huge mill and it was a similar event but not quite the quality. That pit netted 17 early embossed non Cutter 5ths.
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ReplyDeleteThe whiskey information came from Thomas Walker, who was one of the two diggers of these whiskies.
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad fact that those bottles were broken as a result of one person's soaking up too much of the product that they once contained.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious, where is that Cunder currently residing?
ReplyDeleteOC
ReplyDeleteI think that Cunder is over in Sonora after cooling off in the coastal fog of Carmel for a time
AP
Sonora?! NOOOObody from Sonora collects bottles.
ReplyDeleteSure they do. Just check in at lighted display table at the next show !
ReplyDeleteAP
AP,
ReplyDeleteNow that's funny!
Mmmm, not Sonora, TQ, maybe more like Oakie-Dale.
ReplyDeleteSonora sounded more "hysterical"... errr historical... !
ReplyDelete