The Baldwin Bros.....

No, not the actors, Alec and his bros... I'm talking, the Superior family of Western "Fleur d Lis" cylinders, A.R Baldwin and his successors Wilmerding & Kellogg !!

I had seen ads over the yrs for "Baldwin's Superior" while researching, but as Bruce mentioned a few days ago, sometimes the obvious is not apparent. My brain must of been full of privy-cone dust, as I did not make the connection back then !

Thanks to Numa's, Sole Agent's, and KY Gem's research here on the blog,we now know a lot more about the SHM fleur d lis' origin.... and the earlier ARB fleur d lis base embossed ARB (Baldwin) sixth, which are all part of the Superior Old Bourbon family. The ARB is the size of an Evans & O'Brien or Jockey Club.

As requested, I took some (unfortunately not so good...taken at night) pics of the sixth, and decided while I was in the "fleur" spirit, to include a family shot as well, of the examples I've dug over the yrs (the C&I was found by a friend).

BOUKOFSKY AD 1875

Here is an ad I found tucked away in some stuff I received from my old mentor.   He had it dated "1875".   But I will need to find which local paper it was in and verify the date.

N. & E. Boukofsky were Utah Territorial agents for J.F. Cutter and Miller's Extra as early as 1871.   We did a post on these boys mid 2010.    Nelson Boukofsky continued with the business,  and became agents for Wilmerding and Kellogg brands.   McKennas and S.H.M. fifths have been found whole and broken in Utah.
In 1875 Boukofsky is advertising the main Wilmerding and Kellogg brands:  United we Stand/Divided we Fall Whiskey;  Mckennas Nelson County Kentucky Extra Old Bourbon Whiskey (the long version);  and of course Baldwin's Superior Old Bourbon Whiskey.  

The United We Stand-Divided We Fall  and the Baldwin's Superior Old Bourbon  being marketed at the same time.  Of course the United We Stand embossed bottle is later than 1875.    Wonder why there wasn't an earlier embossed United We Stand container, indications are that it was a very popular brand.  

Even More Evidence

Here it is, the likely link between A R Baldwin's "SHM" and Wilmerding & Kellog's "SHM".

A R Baldwin & Co. > Fargo & Co (Wilmerding & Kellog) > Wilmerding & Kellog

Could we consider this a 'new' western whiskey ?  Too bad the 1850s and 60s mold makers chose base and shoulder embossing instead of the later full face style !  A.P., could we get a photo of your intact example ?

March 29th, 1867 Sacramento Daily Union

January 7th, 1869 Daily Alta

MORE ON BALDWIN (answers? questions.. plenty)

California Digital Newspaper Collection — Sacramento Daily Union 24 August 1866 — Page 2 Advertisements Column 2

Here is an ad from Aug. 1866.   Baldwin is selling a couple of products that were later made famous by Wilmerding and Kellogg. 

What is with the S.H.M. designation in the description of several of the fine whiskies - United We Stand,  Eureka,  Old Homestead??      "Superior Hand Made"  ???    Something else?

Mr. Obvious....  or the "Fleur de lis"  trade mark for Baldwin's Superior Old Bourbon  may have been originally registered in California.  ?

Mr. Obvious?

At the risk of opening myself up to criticism for my choice in radio, I'll admit to listening to the Bob & Tom Show. It's nationally syndicated and pretty popular around here, even if it has taken on the air morality to new lows at times. I wouldn't call myself a devotee, but there are a few regular sketches, intermingled amongst the rest of the mindless dribble, that I enjoy.

One of them is called the Mr. Obvious Show. And I feel like Mr. Obvious this morning.

Am I the only one that spotted the similarity of the base of the greenish amber cylinder to the face of another whiskey that graces a few of our shelves?

Here, let me give you a hint...

And yet another...

OK, I'll let the cat out of the bag.

"Gee Mr. Obvious, I never would have thought".

Coincidence?

More 60s Glob Tops

Perhaps the A R B initials represent A. R. Baldwin & Co.  Based on the above ad, Sacramento Daily Union April 26th 1866, they had a whisky on market.  Most of the bottles that were dug next to this base were mid 60s, so the timeframe fits perfectly, but it's still just a theory and likely the closest we'll come to knowing the truth.

Here are two more interesting pieces. Both were dug in a mid to late 1860s layer in California and exhibit characteristics of early western glass. I have seen intact examples of both, so there may be a few of these floating around, but as far as the possible companies or people these symbols represent, I'm at a loss.