John Pusstai Saloon with the Hidden Man, Probably New York State
This unsigned bottle displays many signatory devices of Carl Worner who was most active from circa 1900 to 1919 (Earlier bottles are known)
This example features a saloon named for the man who purportedly owned the Mansfield, New Jersey house where the whimsey was discovered in the attic; however, his name was spelled with one “S”… likely a spelling error by the maker.
Within the bottle are two full length standing male patrons, each holding a glass; behind the bar is a bartender, top shelf bottles and a trade sign that reads “UNION CUBA CIGARS 100”, and a winter landscape. Also, a table on which is a liquor bottle, a back stool, and four potted plants… all surmounted with signs that read “HOHN PUSSTAI”, and “SALOON” centered by fanciful decorative moldings and a pair of American flags. The all-important painted hidden man for which the maker is known is found within the plinth-like foundation under the floor.
Worner, one of the best known folk art bottle builders is perhaps one of the most prolific of his time, with more than 100 surviving examples extant.
Although his name is well-known and his oeuvre highly recognizable to collectors, we know that he immigrated to the States from Germany during the late 1880’ s, otherwise very little is known about the man. What we do know has been gleaned from his bottles, hearsay, and from accounts passed down by others. He is the only bottle whimsy artist to be featured on the Antiques Roadshow twice… two of his bottles have been featured.
A Carl Worner bottle was appraised on the Antiques Roadshow – August 21, 2010, by Allan Katz who assigned a value of $3,000.00 to $4,000.00.
Worner is best known for his Saloon Bottles with many of them containing a ‘Find the Missing Man’ sign. These bottles have a hidden man, often under the floor toward the back of the bottle as does the subject example.
Item Date: Circa 1910
Measurement: Height: 11.5"; width: 4"; depth: 2.5"
Material: Colorless glass O.G. Loughlin whiskey bottle, wood, paper, and polychrome.
Item Condition: Very good original condition
Price: $1,500
SKU 1121-83
For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.
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