large-- (16.5 cm x 12.7 cm) medicinal wine (Wing Lee Wai company),
large-- (15.2 cm x 12.6 cm) Ng Ka Py distilled spirits (Wing Lee Wai company),
large-- (16.5 cm x 12.7 cm) Mui Kwe Lu distilled spirits (Wing Lee Wai Company),
large-- (15.2 cm x 12.6 cm) Glass Ng Ka Pay distilled spirits (Wing Fung Hong Company),
large-- (17.0 cm x 12.3 cm) Ng Ka Py Distilled spirits (Wing Lee Wai Company),
large-- (17.3 cm x 12.3 cm) Wing Mau Kue Medicinal wine (Wing Mau Kou),
large-- (15.3 cm x 12.0 cm) Ng Ka Pi (Yuen Fung Yuck company),
medium-- (11.5 cm x 9.5 cm) liquor (Wing Fung Hong company),
small-- (9.1 cm x 7.0 cm) medicinal wine (Wing Lee Wai company),
small-- (9.5 cm x 7.8 cm) liquor (Kie Fung Yuk company),
small-- (9.0 cm x 7.5 cm) Ng Ka Py distilled spirits 90 proof (Wing Lee Wai company).
The large medicinal wine bottle, first on the left in the top picture above, showing the front label-- pair of crane design Tientsin & Hong Kong, "ALL KINDS OF BEST LIQUORS" , followed by the identification label on the same bottle -- "WAI SANG MEDICINAL WINE" with instructions to be taken with meals daily.
The large Ng Ka Py distilled spirits bottle, front label -- pair of crane design Hong Kong-- the small label under the main label reads "Net Contents 3/4 quart, Alcoholic Contents 96 proof" followed by the Chinese label side of the same bottle.
The identification label on the large Ng Ka Py bottle -- "CHINESE DISTILLED SPIRITS BLENDED BY WING LEE WAI, AT KA WO DISTILLERY HONG KONG. Net Contents 3/4 quart, Alcoholic Contents 96 proof. Imported by MAY CHOW CO. San Francisco, Cal." This illustration shows clearly the famous embossing on many of these bottles from the 20th century -- "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS SALE OR RE-USE OF THIS BOTTLE".
The large MUI KWE LU bottle-- WING LEE WAI, TIENTSIN & HONGKONG. The small label indicates 4/5 quart 90 proof imported by WAH SHANG CO., San Francisco, Cal. There is an interesting article at Chinese Wines that mentions Mui Kua Lu as a "essence of roses" flavoured wine and contains information on Chinese wines--their history, preparation and use.
The smaller bottles have similar lables and partial labels depending on the company.
From the labels 3 different products marketed in these pottery bottles can be identified. One is a medicinal wine and the other two are distilled liquors 90 - 96 proof. There may be others.
On some bottles the "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS" embossing also includes a bottle size.
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Three liquor bottles from the 19th century or early 20th century. The glazes on these bottles are fancy and they do not bear the "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS" embossing.
This bottle does not have the "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS" embossing and has been painted. There are no characters or other identification on the bottom.
This is another plain brown liquor bottle, 17 cm tall, probably from the 19th century, lacking the "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS" embossing. There are characters on the bottom of the bottle.
Showing the characters on the base---
Several liqour bottles without labels, large and small. The small bottle on the front left is the only small one without the FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS embossing in this group.
This is an unusual bottle, or uncommon at least. Whereas the others are pottery this bottle is made of heavy black or purple glass. Otherwise it is similar to the large NG KA PY bottle although that is spelled NG KA PAY on this bottle. It also has the FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS embossing. It is a product of Wing Fung Hong company, Hong Kong and was imported by Popper Morson Corp. of New York-- 4/5 quart 96 proof.
Three large NG KA PY bottles-- The first two are Wing Lee Wai products in ceramic bottles. The first one lacks the "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS" embossing. The third bottle is the heavy black glass bottle shown in the previous photo. The first bottle was imported by Capital Importers, Los Angeles, California and contained a 90 proof version whereas the second bottle (previously described) contained a 96 proof liquor.
This appears to be an old bottle, perhaps from the 19th or early 20th Century. It does not have the embossing found on most bottles with labels intact. The spelling of "NG KA PI" is again different from two other spellings of this liquor noted, "NG KA PY" and NG KA PAY". The company identification on the bottom of the bottle is Yuen Fung Yuck and the label design showing a woman holding a tray is different from previous designs I have seen. Also, the weight is given in ounces, instead of pints and quarts. This bottle is one of two similar bottles found in Walla Walla, Washington in 1960.
Another old bottle from the 19th or early 20th Century without the FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS embossing. This "TSONG YUEN HUNG MEDICINAL WINE" variety was made by Wing Mau Kou of Canton, China. The name of the distillery is Wing Mau Kue-- the front label says Wing Mau Kue and the information label on the back says Wing Mau Kou. The bottle contained 25.6 fluid oz.
Here are 3 unopened miniature Wing Fung Hong liquor bottles. The contents have long since evaporated. The first bottle (4 1/2" tall) contained Mui Kwa Lu. Manufactured by Wing Fung Hong, Tientsin & Hong Kong China.
The second bottle (3 3/4" tall) has labels that are too hard to read to determine what the contents were. Manufactured by Wing Fung Hong China. There is a partial Illinois tax stamp on this bottle.
The third bottle (3 1/4") contained Ng Ka Pay. Manufactured by Wing Fung Hong China.
A "stone" liquor bottle from Vancouver's Chinatown-- Until I get the characters translated, I don't know what it held. It is 9" tall by 4" in diameter---
This Japanese sake bottle or decanter was dug in Macon, Georgia in a Chinese pit dating back to 1890-1900. It was found with the other usual Chinese pottery bottles so it may have had Chinese use. It is Tanba ware made about 1890. The bottle is 17cm x 8 cm.
MUI KWE LU distilled spirits bottle (23 cm x 6.0 cm) product of Wing Lee Wai company, Hong Kong. 5/8 pint 96 proof. This light green bottle bears the "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS" embossing. The red seal at the top is a US Internal Revenue seal identifying the importer as Gum Loon Company, San Francisco California. The second illustration shows the identification label, the FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS embossing and WING LEE WAI HONG KONG embossing at the bottom.
The above MUI KWE LU bottle shown with another glass liquor bottle. This one is taller than the MUI KWE LU and made of a darker green glass but has no labels. There is no indication of what liquor it contained but it does have the "FEDERAL LAW FORBIDS" embossing. This bottle contained 3/4 pint whereas the labelled bottle contained 5/8 pint. Both bottles have characters embossed on the bottoms.
Chinese beers (approx. 23.0 cm x 6.6 cm). The centre pair in the first illustration are brown Wing Lee Wai company product. Many Chinese beers have a ring neck. These bottles bear various embossed Chinese characters and designs on sides and bottoms.
Three Japanese pottery sake bottles dug in Chinatown in Fresno California. A similar bottle is shown in the Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum online illustrations as coming from a Chinese railroad workers' camp. These may have had Chinese usage. The two on the right have "Dai Nippon" on them, meaning "Greater Japan". Thanks to Lee Bibb for the translation. Greater Japan is a name for the Japanese Empire which dates these bottles as pre-1945. Also, as a point of interest you can see similar bottles on the far left of the second set of pictures of the Dai Loy Museum in Locke, California. Take the Dai Loy Museum link for a look. The Dai Loy was a Chinese gambling hall. Read this note for some further comments on Japanese items in this primarily Chinese collection.
This tall bottle (31 cm x 7.8 cm) contained an unknown liquor, reported to be a rice wine by Chinese visitors to the local museum where it was on display for many years. They assured me that it was a Chinese bottle, not Japanese. It was found in an old abandoned collapsed log cabin in a Chinese mining village near Barkerville, BC.
Liquor bottle, liquor warmer/server with liquor cups. The tiny cups are Four Seasons pattern.
Liquor warmer/server, sweet pea pattern.
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