# DR. JAS. C. KERR'S GREAT SYSTEM RENOVATOR



## LC (Apr 28, 2007)

One last time, and I will then shut up,,,,,,,,,, for now!! Which is it , a whiskey, bitters, or medicine or none of the above ?

 8 1/4" Tall. Embossed ; DR. JAS. C. KERR'S GREAT SYSTEM RENOVATOR CINCINNATI. Is this bottle considered to be a Bitters or a Medicinal Bottle ?


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## bearswede (Apr 28, 2007)

Hi Louis...

  That one is listed in Matt's book for $100... He does not list Bitters in his price guide... Generally speaking, unless the bottle has "Bitters" embossed on it, or on its original label, it's not considered a bitters... Exceptions would be bottles that have been well researched and thus are known to have contained bitters... C.A. Richards bottles, for instance, are known to have contained both whiskey and Sonoma Wine Bitters... It all depended on the attached label...

  Ron


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## GuntherHess (Apr 28, 2007)

Renovators and Restorers are a class of patent medicines.


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## LC (Apr 28, 2007)

Thanks Ron, I thought this might have been a pretty decent bottle from the Queen City. I am sure this one would not be worth much, in the condition it is in. If I can get things in order where I can concentrate on setting up a bottle tumbler, I will most likely attempt to clean it. Ithas the looks of a bitters.
 I have been looking for an Atwell's Bitters over the years.  I had put up a post concerning it on this forum, and received a message and picture from a Young Lady showing me a small clear C. W. Atwell open pontiled bottle. It did not say Bitters on it though, but I was told that it could have possibly had a bitters label. I saw an Atwell's Bitters listed in an old bottle book a good many years back, but it was one of those books that did not illustrate any of its listings./

  http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## BRIAN S. (Apr 28, 2007)

C.W. ATWELL / PORTLAND / ME. ( curved )
 Oval , Aqua , Long tapered collar 
 Label reads : Atwell's Health Restorer or Vegetable , Physical , Juandice Bitters

 // N.WOOD // PORTLAND ME. //  
 Oval , Aqua , flanged mouth
 Label reads : Atwell's Wild Cherry Bitters 

 As far as I know .... all the Atwell's Bitters were not embossed with the word " BITTERS " . Bitters was on the labels .


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## LC (Apr 28, 2007)

Thanks Brian, my last name is Atwell as you probably already guessed, and I always thought it would be cool to have the an Atwell's Bitters, but I always assumed for some reason that it would be embossed, and be a nice amber color or maybe cobalt!!! I can not think of the young lady's username that sent me the picture of the bottle, but it was a clear C.W. ATWELL / PORTLAND / ME. Plain Jane looking oval shaped or curved bottle. Definitely and old one though, it was open pontiled. 

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## LC (Apr 28, 2007)

> ORIGINAL: BRIAN S.
> 
> C.W. ATWELL / PORTLAND / ME. ( curved )
> Oval , Aqua , Long tapered collar
> ...


 
 Brian, do you have any pictures of any of the particular Atwell labels you make mention of, and if so, could you send them to me. There was a  Dr. Charles Atwell in my family from the early 1800s . He is buried here locally , but came from Virginia. Was trying to track my family tree, got to him, and that was far as I could get, being I could find no record of his parents name. Thanks, Lou 

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## BRIAN S. (Apr 28, 2007)

Sorry , I don't have any label pics !
 But , I would say by your description of the bottle ( the one the young lady sent you pics of ) . It most likely is the label only Bitters. 
 It would be a neat bottle to have if you could get into it right , even if it didn't have the label ( because of your last name ).  
 Brian


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## LC (Apr 28, 2007)

I thought about it very seriously Brian, but just could not get myself to pay forty five dollars to have it, although it might be well worth it. I have been out of the main stream concerning bottles for quite a few years, and have no idea what bottles are worth or not worth. I may buy one of Matt's bottle price guide books here shortly to try and catch up a bit.

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## GuntherHess (Apr 28, 2007)

> small clear C. W. Atwell open pontiled bottle. It did not say Bitters on it though, but I was told that it could have possibly had a bitters label. I saw an Atwell's Bitters listed in an old bottle book a good many years back, but it was one of those books that did not illustrate any of its listings


 
 The labeled versions of Atwell's bitters were in larger aqua bottles, 7-8" tall. They were sold from about the mid 1850s to early 1860s.


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## LC (Apr 29, 2007)

Thanks Matt, in other words, a tough one to find.

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## LC (Apr 29, 2007)

After looking at the pic again Matt, I suppose this bottle might not have been as short as I thought it was. I can not remember if I was told the size of the bottle or not now, being it has been a while ago. Here is the picture I was sent of it.

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## zanes_antiques (Apr 29, 2007)

It's a real good feeling to get a bottle with your last name on it. Even better when it was from an ancestor. I saw a listing for a 3rd or 4th Great-Grandfather in a Wheeling city directory. It says he ran a wholesale liquor establishment around 1865 or so. I have never heard of of seen anything marked with his store on it other than in the directory. I think that's a "Dream-Bottle" worth tracking down. You never know where or when one may turn up. 
   If I were you I'd buy it for the asking price unless someone in here tells you differently.


   Here's a photo of a Wheeling Druggist with My name in the address. The Street referred to was named in honor of my 5th Great-Grandfather who settled Wheeling among many other great deeds he's done.


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## LC (Apr 29, 2007)

Hello Zane and thanks for the input. I kept telling myself, BUY IT!, but I just couldn't justify the price. I have no idea what a reasonable price for this bottle would even be. It was indeed an old one, but had little characher. Never cared all that much for the oval medicinal shaped bottles either. Now, if it had been a known relative, I would have jumped on it of course, and would most likely have been willing to pay much more for it in order to get it. 
      Put some more junk on my website the other evening. Don't know if there would be anything you would want to see or not though.

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/whiskeys.htm


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## bearswede (Apr 29, 2007)

> Here is the picture


 
  Actually, Louis, I bought that bottle... As luck would have it, I sold it to a Rhode Island dealer at the Knotty Pine bottle show 2 weeks ago...


  Ron


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## marjorie040 (Apr 29, 2007)

LC
 What year was your grandfather born in VA.?
  I looked in the census' and there are alot of Charles Atwells in there. The year and perhaps his birth town and I may be able to identify his parents.
 Regards.


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## LC (Apr 29, 2007)

Well, that was a coincindence wasn't it! No big deal though. I hope you did well with it. Did you have any price guide or reference that indicated what the bottle was valued at, so I will know if I see one again in the future?


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## bearswede (Apr 29, 2007)

It's listed as $89 in Matt's CD Medicine Price Guide... There was a listing for an apparently smoothed based one in Kovels' (1999)...$15-$35.

  Matt's CD is well worth the $20!!!!


  Ron


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## LC (Apr 29, 2007)

Thanks for the information. I always thought it would be neat to have a bottle with one's last name on it, but it was not a major priority in my life, The only way I could get real excited about it would be if I knew the bottle was actually linked to a family member. And I guess it is possible it could have been, but at present, I could not verify that it was . It is my understanding that my People came from Virginia, but one could have migrated from there to maine. I have never found any records of any of my family being there though.

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## zanes_antiques (Apr 29, 2007)

The website looks great L C.


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## LC (Apr 29, 2007)

Its getting better, but pictures taken with scanner stink. I will get it the way I want it hopefully before too much longer.

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## bottlenutboy (Apr 30, 2007)

here is one with my first name NSGA (narragansett springs ginger ale) from Spencer, Mass.

 if anyone else has any with my name i would be VERY interested in them i have seen a few but most come along when im broke so unfortunately i only have this one...


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## LC (Apr 30, 2007)

Never have seen a Spencer bottle Spencer, now that I know you are wanting them, I will keep an eye out for them. 

http://www.freewebs.com/yesterdaystreasures/index.htm


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## capsoda (Apr 30, 2007)

I have one that says " Spencer, Get Your Ass Outa Bed!!!" on it and another one that says "Spencer, You Shut Up!!!!" on it.[sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif][sm=lol.gif]

 Hey Spencer, When you gonna get that DSL Company off their asses?[]


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