M.G. Landsberg – Chicago

M. G. Landsberg

Chicago

1876

motif of an eagle, sunburst and shield

Moses G. Landsberg, Chicago, Illinois

Decorative Amber Square

Provenance: Michael Henrich Collection

Moses G. Landsberg is associated with some of the finest American bottles ever made. They are extremely detailed and are prized collectibles. Our museum bottle is embossed with ‘1876’ to celebrate Americas’s 100-year Centennial along with having an embossed motif of an eagle, sunburst, and shield. Unfortunately, much about Landsberg remains a mystery.

What we do know is that Landsberg is of Jewish ancestry and was born in New York around 1844. Nothing is known about his parents or when he or they came to America. Of course, New York City was a great arrival point for many immigrants, especially from Germany. Many came seeking religious or political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others for the chance to start fresh in the New World.

Landsberg was apparently a traveling man as we first see him listed as a clerk, probably in a liquor store, at 47 Public Landing in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1870. Cincinnati was a popular midwest destination for many Germans new to America. He was boarding at a place called Spencer House which leads us to believe he was not living with his family.

We see this situation repeating during his life and migration from city to city. In 1871, he is still clerking at a new address, 15 Sycamore in Cincinnati and boarding at 123 Main Street. In 1873, he is found in Cleveland, Ohio listed as an agent for Harris & Zilch (Henry Harris and John Zilch). They were liquor dealers located at 199 Ontario.

This experience clerking and being an agent or salesman for a liquor business, leads Moses next to New York City where in early 1875 he is selling liquor at his own concern at 169 E. Broadway. Shortly thereafter, in 1875, he takes on a partner, and the business is called Landsberg, Kantrowitz & Company consisting of Moses G. Landsberg and Isaac Kantrowitz. They are at the same Broadway address. That same year, a Gerson Landsberg, who is a man of the cloth, is living at 236 E 54th Street in New York City. We believe this is a brother of Moses.

Moses Landsberg, next heads to Chicago, Illinois and we see him listed as Landsberg & Company (Moses G. Landsberg & Gerson Landsberg) selling flour at 118 Blue Island Avenue. Moses is boarding at the Atlantic Hotel in Chicago while Gerson Landsberg is noted in the Chicago directory as living in New York City.

It is in Chicago in 1882, where Moses G. Landsberg files a Patent and Design for a Bottle which is Landsberg Century Bitters. The patent is Design No. 12861 dated April 11, 1882. That same year a newspaper notice puts Moses Landsberg of Chicago as a guest at the Park Hotel.

In 1884, Landsberg is back to being listed as a traveling salesman addressed at 24 Sycamore in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is boarding at Hexter’s Hotel. It looks like he was selling his way east as he was back in New York City in 1886 living at 297 E. 109th.

His next occupation, in 1888, is that of an editor in New York City. He is now living at 261 E. 122nd. In 1891, Landsberg is living in Boston, Massachusetts and he is the editor of the Jewish Chronicle. In 1892, he publishes History of the Persecution of the Jews in Russia. In 1893, he is living at 34 School, Room D in Boston. Next, he moves back to New York City and becomes the editor of the Jewish Herald. Landsberg continues in this position until his death on January 23, 1900, in Manhattan. He was 56 years old. He will be remembered here for his ornate bottles.

A new listing in Bitters Bottles Supplement 3 is represented below:

L 15.1 M. G. LANDSBERG / CHICAGO // sp // sp // sp // u // motif eagle // motif sunburst with 1776 // motif shield // 1876 //
11 x 2 ¾ (6 ½)
Square, Amber, Yellow-amber, LTCR, 4 sp
One side shows where the lettering has been peened out leaving the side plain.
This bottle shows much finer detail than Landsberg Century Bitters (L 13 – L 15). The eagle is larger and a different shape, figures of ‘1876’ are a different shape, and a halberd on shoulder faces right. There are thirteen stars on the bell (larger and perfectly formed).
Thought to be a labeled bitters, though none have been seen.
See p338, L 13 – L 15, p50, p339 in Bitters Bottles and s2A 13.8

Primary Image: M. G. Landsberg bottle imaged on location by the FOHBC Virtual Museum midwest studio led by Alan DeMaison.

Support Images: From the archives of Peachridge Glass including one (1) image of a yellow-amber M.G. Landsberg, one (1) image of a Landsberg Century Bitters, and an image of three different Landsberg bottles including an aqua Landsberg Blackberry Brandy. All from the Ferdinand Meyer V collection.

Support: Reference to Bitters Bottles by Carlyn Ring and W. C. Ham.

Join the FOHBC: The Virtual Museum is a project of the Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors (FOHBC). To become a member.