Hollis Spice Bitters: Bring Your Own...Mixer

My friend, Ferdinand Meyer V, is president of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors and one of the premier collectors of bitters bottles in the world.  I have had the great privilege of visiting his home to see his amazing collection, photos of which you can see on his excellent website Peachridge Glass (here).  Indeed, my first two bitters bottles in my own collection - a Hostetter's Bitters and a Clarke's Sherry Wine Bitters - were both kind gifts from Ferdinand.

He always enjoys it when I posts some bitters ephemera and I always enjoy it too because I often get to post a photo of one of the beautiful bottles in his collection! (As an example, see his labeled Burdock's Blood Bitters here).

In today's post, I share an item of bitters ephemera from my collection, but in this case Ferdinand can;t help me with a bottle...because there isn't one!  Thomas Hollis' Spice Bitters (wrapper with instructions below, 1850s-70s; my collection) and Jaundice Bitters (below, Museum of American History) were powders that the customer/patient mixed themselves using "Brandy, Wine, or Spirits"! (as noted in the instructions below).

Hollis Spice Bitters Wrapper - Label (Closeup) - Schmidt Collection

Hollis Spice Bitters Wrapper - Label - Schmidt Collection

 

Hollis Spice Bitters Wrapper - Directions for Use - Schmidt Collection

Hollis Jaundice Bitters - Museum of American History http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_718875