Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Asher Taylor's Sacramento connection
Several years ago, while searching the trademark files, I came across Asher S. Taylor's claim for his bitters. There it was, clear as mud. Were, in fact, the AT& Co bottles filled in Sac'to? If you use his trademark application, and the accompanying documents, it would certainly seem so. If that is the case why have none of these bottles showed up in local digs? Very few have been dug, with the exception of the dozen, or so, nice ones from the "Dig of '98". These examples came from SF, not from Sac City. Do you have the answer, Warren? I was disinterested to pursue it forward, but you may have.
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Old Cutters,
ReplyDeleteThis refers to Taylor's second attempt at marketing a bitters product. The one and only advertisement found for the Calasaya Bitters appeared in the July 30th, 1969 paper, the ad was placed for one month, but actually only ran for two weeks. His office while advertising this product was at Tenth and O streets, just as the documents you posted state. In the 1869 year Taylor was listed in the Sacramento Directory as a bitters manufacturer at the same address.
I believe the embossed bottles were made for his earlier endeavor which began in May 1868, he formed a partnership with the Milliken Bros, who had established a retail concern in Sacramento and also in S.F., this where the & Co. comes into play, but it wouldn't surprise me if Taylor used any containers he may have still had for his marketing of the Calasaya Bitters product. Taylor was a manufacturer for his Champayne Bitters. This was such a short lived enterprising concern. I also believe that these were produced at San Francisco Glass Works prior to their destruction on July 23rd, 1868. A photograph of Pacific Glass Works glassware display at the 1869 San Francisco Mechanics Institute Fair doesn't show any bottles on display with this uniquely styled shape.
Another very unique feature is the script font embossed on the bottles, if you look at Asher Taylors signature, you can see that the mold maker did a remarkable likeness in copying Taylors script. The letter A & T are nearly identical on the embossed bottle.
ReplyDeleteI saw an 1870s newspaper ad for "Taylor's Mead" and wondered if he may be responsible for the Champagne Mead 8-sided soda bottles. Reading Warren's post above, certainly indicates Taylor dabbled in Champagne-like products.
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