The Ken Fee Collection was a rumor to me when I first got wind of it. I was told he had some good bottles and especially one bitters that was bigger than life itself, a Cassin’s Grape Brandy Bitters in an oddball color. It had been mentioned over the years as being blue or some shade of blue and if you collect bottles that’s a big deal. As it turns out Ken Fee died last November 2018 and although there were more than a couple collectors eyeing the prize the family now in charge of the collection, The Harris Family, Goldie, Casey and Robin their daughter, contacted me and asked if we would like to sell the whole collection.
They had sent some photos and when I first saw the Cassin’s picture I was absolutely dumbfounded. It was blue and was told it was dead mint. They also had pictures of other bottles and I soon realized their desire to have me and American Bottle Auctions involved was a need for them to understand just exactly what they had inherited from Goldie’s brother. It was also a godsend for me as handling lots of great western bitters along with the Holy Grail was right up our alley.
Dennis and I hopped on a jet, landed in Salt Lake City and drive directly to their house. I entered the “bottle room,” and discovered a pile of old towels, each one holding hidden treasure. The Cassin’s came out and I could scarcely believe my eyes, it was true, there really was a blue Cassin’s Bitters. The other bottles were nearly as nice as I unfolded first the towels and then began foraging through the boxes. I realized we had something major here as I continued to pull out one rare bitters after another. The pictures pretty much tell the story. After we were through loading them in the rented Caravan Dennis drove them back and met me in Sacramento at our office that next afternoon. I had back surgery the week before and was told by my doctor not to sit more than a half-hour in one spot at a time. So the drive back was out for me. When we got back we began the process of sorting and cleaning them and as we continue, I am still marveling at the amazing grouping we will be offering at auction in the coming months.
Part one of the two-part auction begins November 29th, 2019, the second part begins January 24th. We will be sending out catalogs to everyone on our mailing list and are advertising throughout the country.
Jeff Wichmann
Good afternoon are there any target balls going to be in the auction? Thanks Richard Skeuse
Sorry, no target balls.
Jeff
In the late 1970′s I was living in Rock Springs, Wyoming and working in the oil and gas fields of Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Idaho and up into Oregon and Washington. I was collecting Hutchinson’s and Ken Fee’s father Earl had a number of Wyoming Huutchs. I was in contact with Earl and went to his home to see what he had. His bottles were in a room that had a light bulb hanging on two wires but there was no switch to turn on the lights.
Earl turned on the light by twisting the wires into the electrical wire hanging from the ceiling. The wire was live and by Earl hooking the wires together we had light in the room. His action took my breath away. I had been shocked a number of times (never on purpose) and tried to keep it from happening again. And here was Earl doing it on purpose. He was one tough old man. We made a deal and I bought all of his Wyoming Hutchinsons. I stayed in contact with Earl until his passing and had a passing acquaintance with Ken at the Salt Lake bottle shows. I moved from Wyoming to New Mexico in 1982 and distance and time prevented me from attending any more of the Utah shows.
Always and still have a high regard for Earl Fee.
Zang Wood, Farmington, New Mexico
Thanks for the great insight Zang. I know Ken wasn’t your typical collector although I’m not sure what that is. Not a lot of people knew him outside of a bottle show or two, he was a private person and his next collecting adventure bore that out as he became enthralled with postage stamps.
Thanks!
Jeff
Cool collection, Jeff! I’ll check it out when you get it running…….
Jeff,
I love to here stories like this. There are still so many great bottles and stories to be told. You do a great job , continue to share with all.
Jim
Any Lockport bottles in the auction? G.W. Merchant, or Oak Orchard bottles?