Here's another mail from a reputed N. Van Bergen. - N. Van Bergen? that name rings a bell
At long last the elusive western made Hostetters Bitters has been found. Dug in Benicia, Cal, by noted local digger N. Van Bergen. It was found 42 feet down in a well at the site of the Benicia Pottery Works. This works was in business 1879- 1910. It is made of some sort of china/ pottery. It is a little smaller than your average size Hoss, as the photos
show. This was no doubt an experimental piece that someone rejected to the well, no other pieces or whole ones were found. Any help on this is welcome. N. Van Bergen, Benicia
One can't help but draw some sort of association between this pottery piece and a couple of Louis Taussig pottery cylinders that are a clone to the tool top #784. A couple have recently floated to the surface on ebay and I've seen another offered for sale by a very reputable and well known western bottle dealer. I'd always looked at the pottery pieces with a jaundiced eye. N. Van Bergens provenance on the Hostetter now seems to lend credibility to the pottery bottles being something other than a modern effort.
ReplyDeleteIs that Ashton Kutcher or N. Van Bergen? Are we being punked??
ReplyDeleteAP
AP,
ReplyDeleteThis post was sent to me by a collector - digger from Benicia. I believe you have dug with him - At present he is collecting Saratoga's & Hostetter's. Would he pull your leg?
g.o.
Well, probably not, but I know none of those guys has ever been down over 30 feet !
ReplyDeleteAP
I have a pottery Cassin's I dug from a 60' well behind the state capitol. In the same hole were three pottery California Club Houses.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, it's starting to get deep and mucky. Time to put on the rubber boots......
ReplyDeleteAP
Most 40 ft wells ARE "deep and mucky", AP. Those that hold ceramics are often the muckiest. Rubber boots won't do for those, you need a full wet suit.
ReplyDeleteAnd breathing gear - the "stuff" is getting pretty deep on this Hoss.
ReplyDelete