1st Barrel Whiskey produced in the State of Ohio after prohibition

[Carthage Distilling Corporation]

[photograph] end of prohibition, State of Ohio

Cincinnati, OH: Rombach & Groene Commercial Photographers 1933. A photograph on glossy paper, 7 7/8 x 10 1/8 inches. Top emulsion of photograph is crazed, with overall creasing and wear. Just to the right of the barrels depicted in the image there is surface damage to the image (where it appears the photograph stuck to something and was pulled up, then glued down) with a few spots of loss. Several small punctures to the paper. Lower corner creased. Photographer stamp of "Rombach & Groene | Commercial Photographers | Cincinnati, Ohio" on verso. Also inked on the verso is a description of the scene depicted and some of the participants. Overall toning and fading of the image. Good. [29034]


The Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established the prohibition of alcohol in the United States: "After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all the territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited. " The amendment was proposed by Congress on December 18, 1917, and was ratified by the requisite number of states on January 16, 1919. The Eighteenth Amendment was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment on December 5, 1933.

This photograph documents the first production of new Barrel Whiskey made in the State of Ohio after prohibition ended. Inked on the verso is the following:

"First Barrel Whiskey prodduced in the State of Ohio since the 18th amendment became effective manufactured and produced at the Carthage Distilling Corpn. plant Cincinnati, Ohio. mashed under date Oct 20 1933. drawn and entered under date Oct 33rd 1933..." It goes on to note the people shown in the photograph proudly standing beside three whiskey barrels, one marked prominently '1'. We find it interesting that there is a fluted column in the right foreground with three books on top of it - unfortunately not readable. Perhaps the legal books related to the event? The Carthage Distillery opened in 1893, and was purchased by National Distillers Products Corporation in 1933 (as prohibition was repealed) which in turn was eventually bought by Jim Beam.

A wonderful survival of an important era in the history of spirits in the United States.

Literature:
They built a city; 150 years of industrial Cincinnati, THE CINCINNATI POST: 1938

ITEM SOLD