Joseph M. Frey

[Xupa]

I am trying to sell a sealed bottle. I was hoping someone might be able to help me out... I will try to post a photo soon.

The front of the bottle is done in caligraphy.
The name is Joseph M. Frey.
The Aurora Hist. Soc. first found him in the directory in 1892.
He was a wholesale and retail liquor dealer who had a house at 55 S. Broadway.
In 1905 he is in Chicago with partner Gus Metzger.
The last directory he appears in, 1919, shows Joseph M. and Wife gertrude, liquor wholesale and retail at 55 S. broadway and residence at 335 S. LaSalle St.
This is in Aurora, Il.

There is more on the front of the bottle I will post shortly... wondered in anyone was familiar with the bottler.

[bourbonv]

This bottle sounds interesting, but I would have to see some photos before even venturing a guess on information. I suspect he was a recitifier who bought his whiskey elsewhere and bottled it under his own label. He may even one that used very little whiskey in doing this.

[Xupa]

The front of the bottle has a red border and says "When you get it at Frey's it's good." Then in large letters it says "Old Special Reserve. Small letters, an excellent blend bottled and guaranteed by Frey and Company, Aurora, Illinois"

Mom has a friend stopping by on Fri. afternoon who will take a pic.

[bourbonv]

As I expected, Frey was a rectifier. It was probably bottled after 1909 since he does describe it as a blend. Befroe that he probably simply called it whiskey.

[Xupa]

Here are the photos.
Any ideas on value?
I read the sticky, but really...

[bourbonv]

That is an interesting bottle. I would say you have a pre-prohibition rectified whiskey. It also looks like the whiskey is still in good condition which probably means it was a good rectifier who used real whiskey and Neutral Spirits to make his product. As I said in the sticky post - a bottle is only worth what someone will pay for it. I would talk to John Lipman since he is the person I know with a lot of pre-prohibition bottles. He might be able to give you a ballpark figure on price.

The fact that this bottle does not mention "bourbon" or "rye" and calls itself a blend makes me think that it is post Taft Decision and pre-prohibition whiskey. The flask style bottle is a nice example of the era bottles. I have seen many empty bottles with no labels from that era in that style. You might want to check a bottle collecting book for the price of the empty bottle. I suspect that may be as much as $50.00.

[Xupa]

Yeah. Well. See what you mean... if you can talk me out of this for twice the price of a fifth of Beam, I deserve no more.

Anyone who can actually help, lemme know.

[cowdery]

If by "help" you mean "tell you what you want to hear," you've come to the wrong place for that.

[Mark]

It's really quite simple and Mike has explained it perfectly fine; a bottle is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. There are no set prices on these things, especially when dealing with an old bottle such as this. Yeah. Really.

[Xupa]

I... understand that, guys. Said so a couple times.
Thought someone out there might could do better.

It's funny, isn't it? having a collectors corner, but not wanting anyone to talk about price? Dismissing anyone who thinks they might have something valuable? Referring them to the sticky when they've read the sticky already?

Thanks for the help, enthusiasts.

[Mark]

Your very welcome.

[NeoTexan]

It's funny, isn't it? having a collectors corner, but not wanting anyone to talk about price?

I beleive you have confussed what collectors corner is used for. This section is more for what we as "collectors" have found. There is no "For Sale/Trade" section. I would say the vast majority of those on this site enjoy the hunt almost as much as the taste.

Sorry you feel you were not treated well, but the sticky was put there just for this situation.