^Lot 1528 Whiskey Barrel CA - San Francisco, - 1187-1895 - Saloon

This is a rare old oak bourbon whiskey cask from a San Francisco business. Possibly one of the only surviving whiskey barrels from the period. On the head is wood burned, TEA CUP SF. CAL. TRADE MARK SB&CO PROPRIETORS OLD BOURBON, this text surrounds the image of a tea cup. The barrel is warped on the head, has a few chips off the top. The staves and hoops are in nice condition, despite the age. The San Francisco liquor wholesalers, Shea, Bocqueraz & McKee, were formed when Robert McKee joined the business. McKee is reported to have been the owner of the popular "Tea Kettle" brand that appears on many bottles from this period. The registered owner is said to be J Levy & Bro. of Cincinnati, OH who had been using the "Kettle Distillery" logo since 1846 and the "Tea Kettle" brand since 1892. The distillery was located in Trimble County, KY.

Snyder attributes the brand to Richwood Distilling Co. of Cincinnati, OH (listed 1893-1913): the source of this information is not recorded, but was probably taken from an advertising flyer or brochure. The name of Robert McKee was dropped from Shea et al. c1885 following his death.

The "Tea Cup" brand originated on 1 April 1891, with Shea, Bocqueraz & Co. listed as sole proprietors. The origins are unclear, but the name is clearly a nod to Tea Kettle, for which they were agents (so noted on their bottles). The Wilsons surmise that the brand was probably of low quality given the dearth of bottles bearing the name, perhaps an indication that it was a rectifier`s concoction. It was advertised heavily, as witnessed by the number of shot glasses and signs that survive to this day.

Shea, Bocqueraz & Co. were originally located on Front Street which used to be on the waterfront, but after the 1906 fire the marsh was used for all the debris and later was completely filled in for the Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915. It is now considered the "Wharf" in San Francisco.

The company used the brand names:

"Astor", "Carlton (dry gin)", "Golden", "Roanoke Rye - Honey & Horehound", "Springfield", "Tea Cup", "Tea Cup Extra Old Bourbon Whiskey", and "Tea Kettle."

Business name timeline:

Shea, Hussey & Co. (1868-1870), Shea, Bocqueraz & McKee (1871-1887), Shea, Bocqueraz & Co. (1888-1903), Shea, Bocqueraz Co. (1903-1917)

Address timeline:

SW corner Front & Jackson (1868-1896), 527 Front (1896-1898), 525 Market (1899-1906), 509-517 Mission (1907-1917).