Thursday, November 22, 2012

Western "Star"

Here is a nice colored example of the large size Pacific Glass Works pickle jar. Has anyone determined exactly why the star is embossed on the shoulder? I have been told it is somehow related to the Civil War victory by the Union Army, but have never seen any advertising to explain the star. The Star in Shield Cutter whiskey line, and the "TM" Bitters square, and the Trout Oil Liniment medicine share an embossed star as either a trade mark, or simply a design used to attract customers. In the past, several of you have been generous enough to provide me actual advertising, or patent information on bottles which have been a bit of a mystery to me. I would appreciate any info on this one and perhaps it could be posted for others to view.


 DM
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3 comments:

  1. Numa.GNovember 22, 2012 at 9:22 PM

    Perhaps this star is related to the PGW star ? These pickles were marketed heavily in SF, with the base embossed variants being extremely rare. Age-wise they seem to be from the 1865-1868 zone.

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  2. Rick SimiNovember 23, 2012 at 6:56 AM

    I remember seeing this bottle when I visited your home after the Canyonville show.
    It was a stunning example and really caught my attention.
    Sorry I can't provide any information on it
    Warren might have something on the star, I know he has been doing some research on the various forms of the western star
    rs

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  3. WesternglassaddictNovember 26, 2012 at 4:46 PM

    It would seem to me that the star so prominently placed on the shoulder would be branding of the product more than the glass house placing it there for their own branding of the bottle. The "star" and it's many variations on a bottle's base make sense for the glass house to place there, but not on the shoulder. The base is occasionally embossed with "Pacific Glass Works" and yet the star on the shoulder is also embossed on these pickles.

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