# I W L Jewish Star of David and Fish



## Mudbug (Jun 1, 2016)

Hey all,
Been a while since I've posted, I've been kinda busy working and digging, more work than digging. 
Any way, I've dug up a bottle that I'd like some information on.
I've been all over the internet and am only finding Hartwig Kantorwicz, Der Lachs bottles and similar.
My bottle is mostly square, like an early paddled bottle, mostly aqua with maybe a hint of green, a stringy lip, an open tubular pontil scar and a seal that has what looks to be a Star of David with a fish under it and I W L embossed into the seal.
Some of my reading has produced the info that the I W L are initials for Isaac Witwe (or Wed) Ling who was possibly the proprietor or maker of the concoction in the bottle.
The bottle is really nice and it has numerous air bubbles with some distinct flaws in manufacturing.
No mold lines so I'm sure it was hand blown and squared up using the old methods.
I've enclosed some pictures of it in hopes maybe someone can tell me more about it, provide some links to it's origin or any more information on it.
Someday I may want to trade for it or sell it,but right now I like it too much to do anything but find out more about I W L, who he was,what was in the bottle and when it is dated from...... oh and it was dug in New Orleans,LA which is a pretty old city.


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## andy volkerts (Jun 1, 2016)

Hello. It looks an awful lot like a Der Lachs bottle that I got from France a couple years ago, the seller called it a bitters, but I feel that it was gin, but it was definitely paddle molded, as I think yours may be also.........Andy


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## Mudbug (Jun 1, 2016)

Thanks Andy, 
I think it was possibly for gin or perhaps for the Goldwasser liqueur concoction.
It is very similar to a Der Lachs type bottle, yet it does not say it anywhere.

Here is an excerpt from a current ad for Goldwasser:
_" In 1598, Ambrosien Vermöllen established Germany’s oldest liqueur factory, which later became famous under the name “Der Lachs” (“The Salmon”). The most well-known concoction, Original Danziger Goldwasser, followed in 1606. The “golden water” with real 22-karat gold leaf quickly advanced to become a drink of the noble society. And so it came about that the Original Danziger Goldwasser became the favourite liqueur of legendary czars Peter the Great and Katherine the Great.The fascination of Original Danziger Goldwasser and the history of the establishment “Der Lachs” persist to this day. But how did the name “Der Lachs” come about? We find the solution to the puzzle in 1704, when the Vermöllen family moves into a new house in a respectable townhouse on located on Breitengasse in Danzig. As was usual back then at this time there we no house numbers but merely a symbol which was engraved above the house door. And at this house the symbol was a salmon.__Drinkable gold has lost nothing of its fascination to this day. Today “Original Danziger Goldwasser” is still distilled unchanged according to a traditional recipe that is hundreds of years old and is one of the oldest trademarks in Germany."_
Interesting to note how the "salmon" came into being on the Der Lachs bottles. 

At any rate, the initials I W L have my curiosity perked and would like to know more about him. Was it possibly for Isaac Witwe Ling or Isaac Wed Ling?
Judging from the other items retrieved from the privy, this one dates around 1830.
It was dug from a privy close to the Mississippi River and the port, so it may very well have been brought over from "the old country", wherever that may be.

Was yours an open pontiled bottle?

Thanks again Andy.


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## andy volkerts (Jun 1, 2016)

Yes mine was is open pontiled, Also a great amber to puce color if I was more computer literate I would post pics, but I am too old to learn, I just screw everything up when trying to post on here.lol......Andy


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## ScottBSA (Jun 9, 2016)

Helping with this is out of my league, but it is a great looking very old bottle for sure.  Looks like you are doing great on the thinking and research.

Scott


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