Best Of The West Live Auction (November 13, 2026 5:30 PM PT)

Circa 1867–1868. Variant 2. A bottle that hardly needs an introduction. These legendary figural bitters were produced in San Francisco by Francis and Patrick Cassin, early California merchants involved in the liquor and bitters trade. Coveted by collectors for their vivid colors, distinctive viola form, and often crude, character rich glass, Cassin's Bitters ranks among the most iconic bottles of the American West. Like many of San Francisco's rarest bottles, surprisingly few examples have been found in the city itself, with the majority of known examples discovered in California's Gold Country and Nevada. The bottles occur in two mold variants, with this example being a Variant 2. It is believed the deeper body panels found on Variant 1 made the bottle more prone to damage, resulting in the mold being redesigned into what collectors now recognize as Variant 2. This particular example is noteworthy as the most recently discovered Cassin's known to us, having been found beneath a tree in California's Gold Country just a few years ago. The second Jeff saw this bottle, he knew he had to own it.

Description & Condition: A beautiful example in a rich golden amber, loaded with thousands of trapped air bubbles. Several annealing checks are present, along with numerous manufacturing related stress cracks throughout the bottle. Although extensive, these are believed to have occurred during the manufacturing process rather than from post production damage. Regardless, it remains a truly stunning and incredible piece of early California glass.

Min. Bid $5,000 - Est. $10,000–$15,000