Friday, December 27, 2013

Speaking of Bases - Let's take a look at Star Bases!




 
 
 
 
 
 

How about these colors!
Thanks to Cal49er for these spectacular whiskies
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13 comments:

  1. john oneillDecember 27, 2013 at 5:21 PM

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  2. Numa.GDecember 27, 2013 at 5:25 PM

    I am up to at least 18 different 1860s and 1870 "western" stars that appear on 6ths and 5ths. Something I have always wondered; why didn't the 5th size cylinders become popular until the early 1870s ? I assume it has something to do with the decline of bitters/cordials and the rise of bourbon ? Needless to say, it is extremely difficult to find any 1860s star base 5ths ! Some food for though, apparently Evans & O'Brien were "sole agents" for Millers Extra Old Bourbon. Perhaps thats what was in the embossed 6th they put out ?

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  3. AnonymousDecember 27, 2013 at 5:55 PM

    Andrew I would like to get together with you to go over the timeline of the stars and talk about the raised dot bases. Pisano has my phone number Call or Email please MAX

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  4. john oneillDecember 27, 2013 at 7:00 PM

    I was going to try and post some photos of my star bases and the newest hostetters with the star base, all of which I believe are western, but for some reason unable to post photos form my iphone. Oh well, maybe I can use my camera over the weekend and post a few pics. Every comment I have seen states all the hostetters were made back east, and I think the one i just purchased which was dug in the big marysville outhouse, has the look and feel of a western piece of glass and differs from most of the other hostetters I have seen.

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  5. AnonymousDecember 27, 2013 at 7:10 PM

    John looking forward to you're photos. I saw that star based hostetters at auction and it looks different than most others. MAX

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  6. Warren FriedrichDecember 28, 2013 at 1:12 PM

    That particular star design on that large example Hostetter' s is the third example I've come across and is also the same shade of green. I'm not surprised by that, as I expect that all three examples were most certainly made from the same batch. I've researched pretty hard for any evidence that would indicate the possibility that some of these bottles were manufactured here, especially with the relationship that Hostetter,Smith & Dean had with S.F.G.W. However that evidence is just not forthcoming at the present time.

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  7. Numa.GDecember 28, 2013 at 1:15 PM

    Max, I'll get your number for Pisano

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  8. J.F. Cutter ExtraDecember 28, 2013 at 2:16 PM

    All 4 star base pics look totally western! Is the aqua cylinder a fifth or sixth? I've owned a two aqua star base fifths, but have yet to see an aqua sixth with a star base. There are a ton of different star bases out there...some are identical to the early base embossed PGW sixths, others are a bit larger, and I can think of about 4 or 5 that are highly questionable, so much so that I believe they are Eastern blown. At the end of the day we all have to go with the information that's available at the time and make a gut decision about what we think....and most importantly what we like.As for the star base Hoss that was in recent Glass Works auction...I flipped out when I first saw it. You're right John, the color is a different shade of green and even the lettering and glass appear different from the norm. I'm not convinced the star on the base is proof that it is western, but it is certainly a possibility. Regardless of where it was blown, it looks like a killer Hoss. Congrats on snatching it up!

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  9. WesternglassaddictDecember 28, 2013 at 4:50 PM

    That Hostetters "star" is a sneaky little fellow! The three hash, six point "star" is seen on several variants of the U.S.A Hosp. Dept. quarts which are Pittsburgh blown. There are a couple versions of schnapps ( eastern blown) which have this exact "star" too. I am one of the yahoos who still believe some Hostetters were made in the west...just not the 1860 ish Hoss's with the "star". There are also 1880s versions of the Fleckenstein Mayer bottles ( knife edge flask, and fifth) which have the "X"...almost a "star". Then the last variant of the glop top J.F. fifth...a fat "X" often referred to as the "star base". I am seeing stars now! Dale M.

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    Replies
    1. AnonymousDecember 28, 2013 at 5:08 PM

      Hostetters a little different from the others? Like there are over a hundred different molds more that 20 different black glass molds .If the one with the star design on the base is western made we would have seen many more of them by now.R. Siri

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  10. AnonymousDecember 28, 2013 at 5:14 PM

    Lance The aqua star base whiskey was dug by Lane in Nevada. Some of these fifths, sixths are hard to tell apart. Many of them are2 and 3/4 wide but vary between 11 and 12 inches tall. Others that are 3 inches wide and 12 inches tall appear to be true fifths. the aqua bottle is 2 and 3/4 by 11 and 1/2. also the aqua is a 4 piece mold. MAX

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  11. AnonymousDecember 28, 2013 at 8:07 PM

    3rd photo is very much like the Wideman & Chappas 1864-68

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  12. AnonymousDecember 31, 2013 at 2:34 PM

    Numa- It's always been my belief that Hotaling's seminal success, using the Fifth to market JH Cutter bourbon in the Wes,t created the wave that followed with other western agents using a similar bottle. Some of the fifths that closely followed, even have embossing patterns that resemble Hotaling's (ie: Pond Reynolds; Pride of KY)
    AP

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