# Doyle's Hop Bitters Help



## twoblue4u (May 22, 2005)

Recently I inherited alot of bottles and have been searching the internet for about a year now to find out more info on some of the bottles I have.  To start I have a Doyle's Hop Bitters bottle in mint condition. On the bottom is E3. I have found this on an auction site where it went for $225 then another site where it was only about $40. I know the E3 means something yet can't find a site to help me on identifying what it means. Any help/info would be greatly appreciated. And yes...by inheriting alot of bottles has me hooked. I'm ready to do some digging! Have alot more I'd like to post later.


----------



## BRIAN S. (May 23, 2005)

Hi twoblue4u and welcome to the forum !
  I can't tell you what the E 3 is on your bottle. I have also seen Doyle's with E1 and E2 on the base. The variants with C&Co. on the base is the glasshouse company mark . Maybe the E 3 is a unknown companies mark or just a mold mark ??? 
 I'd say if your bottle is a Medium amber in coloration , than the 40.00 range is a good estimate of value. The Doyle's you saw sell for 225.00 may have been a color or rare mold variant . The E1,E2,and E3 base embossed variants don't seem to bring any extra $$$$ at auction . However the C&Co base embossed Doyle's seem to bring a few extra $$$$. 
   Brian


----------



## bearswede (May 23, 2005)

Welcome aboard, blue...

 I'm in the process of collecting as many semi-cabins as I can... Centering on Doyle's since they are seemingly the most ubiquitous...

 As Brian has mentioned, Doyle's come in several mold variations (base embossing, height, width, etc.)... What I am particularly interested in are the variations in the "hop motif" and how they may relate to basal embossing...

 I currently have 5 Doyle's: E2, E3, 0 and 2 blank bases, all different "hop" depictions... I also have 2 Dr. Soule's, a German and a Hop & Malt...

 Keep us up to date on your bottle collecting!

 Ron


----------



## woody (May 23, 2005)

Here's one I dug a couple of years ago.


----------



## woody (May 23, 2005)

Another view. Nothing on the base of this one.


----------



## bearswede (May 23, 2005)

Nice one, Woody... Did it come out of the ground looking like that?

 I have its twin... Paid $49 for it...

 Ron


----------



## woody (May 23, 2005)

Yes, it was right out of the ground. I just cleaned it with soap and water, as I do with most of my bottles.
 I found a yellowish green one once but it was broken.[]


----------



## whiskeyman (May 23, 2005)

Possibly the "E" is the mark of Ellenville Glassworks that operated in New York from 1836-into 1896. Doyles was  1st patented & manufactured in Rochester NY in 1872 by Doyle,who later turned over/sold the brand to Soule. ...who also initiated his own brand for a while. The Company later expanded into Toronto Ontario, Canada ,and London England.


----------



## BRIAN S. (May 23, 2005)

Doyle's Hop Bitters may increase in value someday ...... They have many diserable traits ..... Date embossed , semi cabin shape , Great sunken panels and archs , Hop motif, array of colors , ect. 
 I feel it's a very underated Bitters that someday may go up in value. The only reason I can see why it isn't in great demand and bringing bigger bucks these days is because it was very popular and there are a lot of them out there. 
 Color variants of the Doyle's can increase value greatly .... Like in shades of Green like the one  Woody said he dug broken.....can demand 700.00 + at auction . Ouch Woody !!!! 
  Here's a pic of some color variants of Doyle's I had several years back.


----------



## diggermeister (May 23, 2005)

Wow!!Those sure are purrrdy [8D][8D]. Thanks for sharing, Brian...


----------



## whiskeyman (May 23, 2005)

Nice grouping BRIAN...did ya say "had?"

 I know that feeling well...I "had" 16 Drakes Plantation Bitters at one time in assorted colorations...[]

 AND, I don't even have a pic of them.


----------



## BRIAN S. (May 24, 2005)

Thanks Digger and Charlie ! Yes , I said had ....... I sold most of the Doyle's to free up cash for my Drake's addiction. Some of these Drake's are getting pretty pricey.Charlie , I wish you had a pic of your Drake's to share....... I currently have 40 mold and color variants of Drake's Plantations.....And always looking for more. I've traded , bought , begged , and borrowed to get the grouping I have now. And the really good colors are quickly getting out of my price range....so my addiction has slowed down considerably. A crawl you might say!
 I only have 2 Doyle's left out of the grouping that are still in my collection. A labeled Green Doyle's and the Reddish amber ( It was a gift ) in the left of this group pic.


----------

