# Gifted a pre-Civil War bottle



## ScottBSA (Oct 18, 2015)

I was visiting my mom in upstate New York last week, where I picked up an Ohio stoneware bottle for my Ohio collection, when I got an email from a friend of mine here in KC telling me he had some bottles he got from his grandparents as they are in the process of downsizing.  Six bottles, two of which, from the small pictures on my phone, looked good.  When I got home I could get them on the 'puter and saw that one was a Kansas City soda that I didn't have, but couldn't make out what was on the other except the word city.  Yesterday I picked up the bottles and was able to pretty much hold the poker face when I saw what the bottle actually was.  "L. Block & Co" FRL Leavenworth City K. T.  with enough of the attached closure to identify it as an Allender closure.  Let's put this together.  FRL, Frederick R Lorenz Glass company, Pittsburgh, PA late 1850's  K T Kansas was a US territory from 1854 to 1861.  Iron pontil mark.  Allender closure patented 1855.  Leavenworth was established as a city as soon as possible after being declared a territory in 1854.  David Block was partners in a grocery business in 1855 and operated a soda works with John Brandon starting in 1858.  The "L" is more than likely an error on the bottle as David is mentioned as a business man in Leavenworth in 1855 and the only L I can find is his son Leon who was born in 1860.  Nice gift.  Thanks Jason and GP's. Scott


----------



## ScottBSA (Oct 18, 2015)

Here's a close up of the Allender remains, the early Dougherty bottle and the Akron Ginger Beer that I got near Camden, NY.I have a couple of other M&G Dougherty's but this one is a decidedly earlier form the the other two.  There is part of a Hutchinson stopper caught in the bottle. Scott


----------



## botlguy (Oct 18, 2015)

OUTSTANDING ! ! ! ! !


----------



## Blackglass (Oct 18, 2015)

Wow, super nice. Scarce closure, too.


----------



## Blackglass (Oct 18, 2015)

Wow, super nice. Scarce closure, too.


----------



## sunrunner (Oct 18, 2015)

good stuff. the stony is a nice one.


----------



## nhpharm (Oct 18, 2015)

I am sure you already know this, but that Kansas Territory bottle is worth $2000-$3000!  I had a Block & Brandon that I sold for about $2500.  Wow!  What a friend!


----------



## ScottBSA (Oct 18, 2015)

I had a clue it was valuable but didn't know how valuable until I did some research.  One in unknown condition sold in 2013 for over $2100.  It's now on the shelf next to the citron Conrad Budweiser bottle.


----------



## CreekWalker (Oct 18, 2015)

Wow, the definition of awesome just got redefined! I saw a friends kid , gifted a $250 SS Coke a few weeks ago. Lucky kid!, and to you, that's golden,.. lucky man.


----------



## cowseatmaize (Oct 19, 2015)

Maybe David had a bunch made up for Leon at his birth, not that it isn't dated so close now. []


----------



## nhpharm (Oct 19, 2015)

Yeah...there are a few of them around but the Block and the Block & Brandon are the only Kansas Territory bottles as far as I am aware, and there is a group of collectors that collects only territory bottles, so that embossed K.T. makes a world of difference!  Congratulations on an awesome bottle!


----------



## Johnnysoda (Oct 19, 2015)

Amazing bottle! You have a great friend!!


----------

