Pineapple Bitters

PINEAPPLE BITTERS

W & Co N.Y.

P 100

Topaz-Yellow Figural Pineapple

Provenance: Sandor P. Fuss Collection

In the 1800s, the pineapple was still revered from when they were first imported to the colonies in the 1700s. The exotic pineapples were expensive due to the shipping, perishability, and scarcity of the fruit. Affluent colonists would throw dinner parties and display a pineapple as the centerpiece, projecting a symbol of their wealth, hospitality, and status.

Throughout the 1700s and 1800s, artists depicted pineapples to symbolize hospitality and generosity in their art. Furniture makers and architects used pineapples to adorn their work. People bought porcelain dishes and teapots in the shape of a pineapple, which became hugely popular starting in the 1760s. Eventually, a pineapple became synonymous with welcoming, hospitality, and warmth.

The pineapple is a favorite figural shape in bitters bottle collecting in a field dominated by figural Indian queens, ears of corn, pigs, barrels, fish, and log cabins. These round pineapple bottles are highly detailed, faceted and catch the light and reflections in the way you would expect from a diamond or exotic gem.

For the most part, these bottles are considered “labeled bitters” because the word “Bitters” is not embossed on the bottle. The form reminds the user of a pineapple rather than containing a pineapple based branded product.

The pineapple body was molded in a large diamond diapering broken by a large diamond-shaped label panel. The long neck has a bulge above elongated diamonds and below a plain cylindrical section. The neck most likely had a secondary neck label. The lip has a tool-formed deep round collar above a narrow bevel. The base is plain but has a pontil mark. Most likely these bottles were used as flavoring bitters and back bar decanters and not used for proprietary medicinal bitters.

Pineapple bitters bottles come un-embossed meaning without copy and embossed with copy reading ‘W. & Co N.Y.’ or ‘J. C & Co.’ on the face of the bottle. One mold has ‘A. L. LACRAIX’ embossed on the base of the pineapple. Lacraix should actually be LaCroix for Anaclet Leon Lacroix and was misspelled. He put out his Pine Apple Bitters in St. Louis, Missouri. There is also the C 40, J.F.L. CAPITOL BITTERS which is the only bitters of the group with the word “Bitters” embossed on the bottle. Examples of each are pictured in the museum.

While most of the pineapple bottles are in shades of amber, you will also see them in made shades of yellow and green. Our museum example, in light topaz-yellow, is probably unique.

Unfortunately, not much is known about these bottles with the exception of what is printed in the Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham Bitters Bottles. Online research reveals very few quality images and little to no information on the makers, labels, or variants.

Read More: Pineapple Bitters – The Different Variants

To assist in information-gathering, we have posted the Ring and Ham information along with pineapple variants. There are also two (2) pontiled pineapple images and a photograph below of the spectacular handled pineapples once owned by Jim and Lynn Mitchell outside of Tampa, Florida. Read further: Handled Pineapples Enjoyed in Sunny Florida.

The Carlyn Ring and W.C. Ham listings in Bitters Bottles are as follows:

P 100 PINEAPPLE
L …The Best Tonic, Brown’s Iron Bitters
8 7/8 x 4
Round pineapple, Amber, Topaz, Aqua, Blue-green, Yellow-olive, Olive green and Green, DCM, Applied mouth.
Diamond-shaped label panel interrupts diamond diaper. Two other known molds for pineapple bottles had a smaller label panel bounded by two instead of the three-diamond design. One, with a metallic pontil, was inscribed W&Co NY and the other J. C & Co. has a rough pontil. One specimen is said to have a frosted label area.

Note: Also known is a paneled bottle embossed I. & L. M. Hellman. There is some question as to the age of the label which does not match the shape or size of the label panel.

P 101 FIGURAL PINEAPPLE
// b // PATD OCTOBER 1ST 1870 BY A. L. LACRAIX
8 7/8 x 4
Round pineapple, Aqua, DC, Applied mouth, Very rare.

C 40 // b // J.F.L. CAPITOL BITTERS
¾ diamond under lowest point of panel
9 ¼
Pineapple, Amber, Rough and Metallic pontil mark. Rounded mouth with ring, Applied mouth, Very rare
This brand is the only pineapple figural known with the word bitters in the glass.

Primary Image: W & Co. N.Y. pineapple bitters imaged on location by the FOHBC Virtual Museum midwest studio led by Alan DeMaison.

Support: Reference to Bitters Bottles by Carlyn Ring and W. C. Ham. Use of Pineapple Bitters illustrations courtesy Bill Ham.

Support Image: Auction Lot 3: Blown Three Mold Decanter, probably America, 1820-1840. Pineapple form with three applied neck rings, golden yellow with a distinct yellow-green cast in the sunlight, crudely tooled flared mouth with matching plain period stopper – polished pontil scar, ht. with stopper 9 1/4 inches; (shallow 1/16 inch flake on lower neck ring). GII-43 Here’s a piece that is a real joy to hold. Thick heavy glass and a strong mold impression combined with an unusual color make this one special. Rare mold. Generally fine condition. Ex George S. McKearin collection, ex Francis LeBaron collection. – Norman Heckler, Norman C. Heckler Auction #171.

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