V. Squarza
V. Squarza
Squarza’s Anti-DyspePtic HygIenic Bitters
Vincent Squarza, San Francisco, California
Cobalt Blue
Provenance: Steven Hubbell Collection
Our museum example of a dark cobalt blue V. Squarza is presumed to be a western bitters bottle. Western collectors even placed it in the Top 25 in their 2012 Top Western Bitters survey. Though the bottle does not have the word ‘Bitters’ embossed on it, there is enough supporting evidence to suggest that it may have contained his Squarza’s Anti-Dyspetic Hygienic Bitters. Notice the spelling of Hygienic rather than Hygenic. Possibly the label, if we could find a surviving labeled example, would have demonstrated once and for all that this bottle contained bitters. There is also a November 30, 1865, Trade Mark reference for “Selene for Bitters,” another possibility that could have shared the same bottle.
Vincenzo Squarza was a native of Italy and worked as a candle maker in New York in the 1850s. He had a patent issued by the United States Patent Office for ‘Improvement in a Candle Dipping Machine’ in 1856.
Like many seeking a new fortune and life, Squarza left New York and arrived in San Francisco around 1860 where he initially set up shop at 404 Montgomery Street. For the next six years, Vincent began manufacturing a variety of punches and cordials, as well as establishing a retail trade for wines, liquors, ales, and bitters. His National Laboratory as he called it, was established that same year in 1860.
Noted on an October 1, 1864, Trade Mark application and illustration, there was a reference to Vincent Squarza products such as Morning Comfort Punch, Anti-Dyspeptic Punch, Anti Divorce Punch, New Year Punch, Welcome Punch, Ladie’s Pleasure Punch, Ladies Tears Punch, Farewell Punch, Roman Punch, and Aurora Punch. He also sold flavored punches such as Cocoa, Coffee, Tea, Pineapple, Strawberry, Raspberry, and Nectar Punch.
Vincent Squarza would move to 118 and 120 Leidesdorff Street opposite the What Cheer House which was a unique hotel that opened in 1852 with R. B. Woodward as the proprietor. The What Cheer House catered to men only, permitted no liquor on the premises, and housed San Francisco’s first free library and first museum. It was destroyed by fire in 1906 as a result of the great San Francisco earthquake.
Vincent Squarza advertised that his punch was awarded First Premium at the California State Fairs of 1862 and 1863. Another advertisement said he won thirteen First Premium awards for his original punches. He used a milk base that gave it a rather unique texture and taste. And finally, on September 28, 1864, Vincent Squarza won First Premium in the Bitters category for his Squarza’s Hygienic Bitters at the Industrial Fair Mechanics’ Institute in San Francisco.
Sometime before selling his business in 1866 to A. Bona, and leaving San Francisco in January 1868 for Naples, Italy, Squarza had this beautiful cobalt blue glass bottle embossed with his name on it. It was probably produced at the Pacific Glass Works in 1865 or so. It is 8 7/8” tall and 2 7/8” wide, with five known examples, four of which were dug in downtown San Francisco. All are the same color.
The listing in Bitters Bottles and Bitters Bottles Supplement is as follows:
S 170 L … V. Squarza’s Hygienic Bitters
V. SQUARZA // c //
8 x 8 7/8* x 2 7/8 (5 ½)
Round, Cobalt blue, NSC, Applied mouth, Very rare
*due to variation in neck length
Assumed identity, product bottle, no actual labeled example known.
A. Bona (Successor to V. Squarza), San Francisco, California
The Daily Dramatic Chronicle, December 1867
Several examples were dug in San Francisco in 1998
Support: Top-most advertisement for Squarza’a Punch, First Premium awarded at the State Fairs of 1862-1863. – 1865 San Francisco, California City Directory
Support: Research assistance from Eric McGuire.
Support: Three trade mark label images from Jeff Wichmann, American Bottle Auctions.
Support: Reference to Bitters Bottles and Bitters Bottles Supplem by Carlyn Ring and W. C. Ham. Use of V. Squarza bottle illustration courtesy Bill Ham.
Support Image: Photograph of V. Squarza bottle in cobalt blue glass – Dale Mlasko collection.
Support Image: Auction Lot 34: V. SQUARZA Applied mouth in cobalt blue S 170. Here’s another bottle that a lot of people believe held bitters and for good reason. The product was trademarked in 1865 and was possibly called either a Hygienic or Selene Bitters. Interesting the trademark reads “Selene etc. for Bitters.” It’s known Vincent Squarza was in and around S.F selling his punches out of his Punch Saloon in the 1850s. There’s no rhyme or reason for this beautiful blue example, maybe a limited production for his most special product as not a lot of cobalt blue bottles were being blown in S.F. with just the Fish’s Infallible bottle coming to mind. This example is the one found by the Sierra Brothers at the “Big Dig,” and is easily identified by the crudely applied top. It almost looks like the top on the Lacour’s or Cassin’s. Only the second we’ve sold, here’s one interesting bottle. Condition is about perfect and would easily grade a 9. – Jeff Wichmann, American Bottle Auctions, Auction 70, Part 1 of the Don Dwyer Collection
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