Oregon Token Flasks

 

Four Oregon Token Flasks

By Garth Ziegenhagen

Thomas called these Newman flasks, but the real Newman flask is embossed on the

bottom with C.Newman, Pat. Oct.10th 1876. Oregon has four of these emerald green

Token flasks and two of the unlisted ones are pictured below.

The other two are the

OLD O.I.C./ RYE



from Oregon Importing Co. and 



C.J. STUBLING/THE DALLES/ OREGON.

 Both of these flasks have appeared at Oregon Bottle Showʼs in the past.

The SARATOGA LIQUOR CO/ 245 ALDER ST./ PORTLAND,ORE

was owned by Harry R. Eaton and it was difficult to find him in the directories because he

was only in business for one year in 1911.

 It seems like most of these owners that moved around

would use these token flasks because a new token would much easier and cheaper

than embossing a flask. Also the token flask is one of the prettier flasks made. The

token could be placed upside down so it could be read while drinking it. To my

knowledge only one of these Saratoga Liquor Co. flasks is known in 2012.

OAK RUN/( logo)/ BOURBON

is attributed to W.J.VAN SCHUYVER & CO

as each of his initials W.J.V.S are incised inside the same logo used on his embossed

cylinders and his Cyrus Noble shot glass on page 120 in Barbara Edmonson's book.

William Van Schuyer was a partner in a saloon in Portland in 1866 and became the sole

owner in 1877. The company stayed in business until prohibition. The date of this token

flask is probably in the early 1900s.

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Shot glasses were also produced to advertise these brands.
Here's a few examples:

Many thanks to Margie Ornduff for bringing the Van Schuyver token flask to the Feb. 2012 Aurora Show

Shots courtesy of the Ken Schwartz collection.