Dazed and Confused

We've purchase a couple of very nice western whiskey collections this summer.

Inevitably, I end up comparing new acquisitions to examples that I already have on the shelf. It never ceases to amaze me how many similar (but not identical) variations of Jesse Moore / Sole Agent glop tops exist. Lined up, the subtle differences immediately become obvious. It's not surprising though, considering the vast quantity of whiskey that Jesse Moore Hunt & Co. sold out west in the 1870's and 80's. A single mold just wouldn't have accommodated the vast quantity of bottles required to keep up with demand.

I did receive a bit of a surprise though, when I sat a "new" Adolph Harris picture whiskey alongside one that I'd had for many years; (the new example is the one on the left).

 

Although the embossing looks the same, the actual bottles are very different. One is notably "fatter" than the other, and the slug plate is positioned differently. The mystery deepened when I turned the "new" example over and looked at the base. According to my notes, I've had a total of five (including this one) Adolph Harris pictures in the past 48 years. All, up until now, have had the identical base mark; "265 1/2". The "new" one has a blank base. The new one is 3" across the base, while the "265 1/2"  measures 2 13/16". The slug plate positioning on the new one is different as well being positioned 1/8" lower, than the "265 1/2". 

Also odd is the fact that, although the embossing is identical down to the millimeter, the slug plate on the "new" one with the plain base is 1/8" wider, than the example with the "265 1/2"  on the base. How can they be identical when both the radius and the diameter of the bottles differ?

It is also remarkably cruder than any I'd encountered previously, possessing crudity in keeping with what we expect to see on a ca. 1890 bottle, not a post turn of the century example.

I'd be interested in making a tally of all examples of Adolph Harris. Anyone else out there have this bottle with a plain base? How crude? Color?

 

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Replies so far;

Bruce

Looked at the one I got from Deer Lodge it has the smooth base , no numbers .

RTS

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Bruce

I handled and counted 23 Near Mint to Mint examples of the Adolph Harris back in 1996 when I was counting all the glop-tops and picture whiskies. I wasnt aware of the mold difference at that time. Not sure if I counted the one you just acquired either. If not, then that would make at least 24 total.

AP

 

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Hello Bruce,

The one I have has the smooth base,not crude, light amber.

SC