Catalog (87)

Offered is a fabulous, graphically-appealing, 1920s, Swiss Heart Tonic, SCILLAREN, complete with 12 vials. It is distributed by METZ, INC. NY.

Upon opening the top lid, one finds 12 very special, unused, clear glass vials in near perfect condition, retaining their diminutive labels.

The visually-graphic box is in good condition with some separation to the edge of the cardboard box. Two small pieces of cardboard material used to secure vials in box are missing with a small piece of cotton inserted and used as a replacement for the missing sections.

For perspective, this Scillaren box measures 3.5"W x 2.5"H x 1.4"D. and the tiny vials are approximately 1 inch tall.

Difficult to find, and RARELY found in complete condition.

Offered is an outstanding, Art Deco era, circa 1920-1930s, hanging, drug store, apothecary show globe in impeccable condition!

The fancy and highly-stylized, Art Deco, aluminum frame cradles an equally highly-stylized, classically-ribbed, clear glass show globe and finial. If so desired, the show globe will hold water. The frame is embellished with a buffed matte finish with design details outlined in contrasting black to further enhance the fabulous, Art Deco styling. The chain link is also painted black, echoing the black detailing of the frame, and it retains most of its gorgeous, original finish, with absolutely no pitting. This fabulous apothecary showpiece measures 29 inches from the top of its fancy hanger to the base.

The condition is absolutely excellent. The globe glass is clean and clear with a perfectly fitting, ground-glass stopper. The interior globe rim has an extremely shallow, minute, surface chip that is insignificant and is very difficult to see and photograph. The finial base has two practically undetectable, teeny, flea bites that cannot be seen when the finial is inserted into the globe rim, and which also, are too tiny to photograph.

The take away of this offering, this outstanding piece of nearly 100 year old, American pharmacy history, is both its exquisite Art Deco styling with extraordinary visual appeal, and its utterly excellent condition, making it a true rarity among extant Apothecary antiques and collectibles!

Offered is a recent estate find in Myrtle Beach, SC. This Patent Medicine is an unused CRANE'S Quinine and Tar Cold and Cough remedy circa 1910. This diminutive "Free Sample" is from the CRANE MEDICINE CO., Chicago, Ill and is complete with the original box and insert.

The box approximately measures 4.5"H x 1.5"W and is in fair condition missing both the top and bottom flaps and shows wear commensurate with age. The delightful 4 inch bottle sports complete front and back labels and is in undamaged condition. The insert is included and the paper is brittle with signs of loss mostly at the folded areas.

A nifty medicine for quelling coughs caused by colds, croup, bronchitis and other afflictions. The bottle and box display quite nicely as seen in the photos. A neat find!

Offered are two fabulous Arlington Chemical Company Diagnostic Allergen Test Kits which were used to test skin sensitivity or allergy to a wide variety of potential allergans. The two boxed sets date to the 1940s - 1950s era and are in very nice condition. Both boxes are covered in a grained, leather-like material.

The larger boxed set contains 38 vials which are nearly empty and sport complete paper labels. There are 2 missing vials from this kit. It measures 6" long x 5" wide x 1.5" high. The inside cover of this larger boxed set lists the names of the 38 allergens contained in the kit.

The small boxed set contains 28 corked top vials which have the same type paper labels as found in the larger kit. This kit measures 5" long x 2" wide x 1.5" high and is missing (or never had) 8 vials.

These skin sensitivity testing kits contain vials which are specific to the southern California area.

A scarce duo indeed!

*****NOTE...ITEM ON EBAY # 153315867781*****

Offered is a scarce, Civil War era, clear glass, hand-blown apothecary bottle sporting an appealing label under glass label that is marked 'SPIR. AETH. NIT.'. The pontilled base, ground glass stopper, and stunning gold gilt label make this bottle very desirable!

The condition of this 10 inch tall bottle is excellent. The label has a few tiny edge flecks, a small chip on the lower right hand corner, and an unobtrusive, top-to-bottom crack on the right side that runs through the letter 'T'. As seen in the photos, the label appears very nice visually, despite what I would consider minimal damage.

An early bottle that displays beautifully!

If you are looking for a pharmacy sign that is nearly mint and sports great graphics, you can stop searching!

This awesome example dates to 1955, is painted and has a reflective finish on the large lettering. This sign is new-old-stock, was never used and was acquired directly from the family of the former proprietor of the now-defunct, Stanley, North Dakota, Rexall Pharmacy!!!

This beauty measures 36" long x 18" wide and was manufactured by the Continental Sign and Advertising Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It appears to be made of a galvanized metal, is pre-drilled for hanging and is in pristine condition!

Ready for your collection! A fabulous, visually striking, pharmacy advertising piece!

Offered is a delightful 1940s era reverse painted pharmacy sign. This wood framed drug store sign measures 22.5 inches long x 14.5 inches wide.

Quite visually appealing, the sign is in very nice condition with a minor paint spot on the top center above the "L" and one on the top frame. There is light wear on the wood finish as well but it is not obtrusive.

Eli Lilly was a proud manufacturer of proprietary medicines for over a century and often provided signage to drug store owners to both assist in promoting these local pharmacies as well as to advertise their own products.

Offered is a choice, 19th century, physician's, Homeopathic Medicine Case, a nearly complete example containing 147 of the original 150 corked vials!

Each vial measures approximately 1.5 inches in length including the cork. The vials are nestled in the leather case, and each vial sports a small paper label. The fitted case measures 10.5" long x 2" wide x 3.5" high and shows wear commensurate with age and use. Modest wear and loss to the flap closure is noted with general wear and mild loss of material.

A wonderful representation of late 19th century homeopathic medicine!

Offered for sale is a hard to find, turn-of-the-century, apothecary pharmacy bottle that stands 7.5 inches tall. The stopper is embossed with a large "W" signifying WRIGHT's Patent.

This unusual tincture bottle is in excellent condition. The bottle interior is clear and the stopper, which sports ground glass, is in very nice condition except for some unobtrusive interior edge chips and two very minor flecks on the (L) edge of the stopper.

A hard to find circa 1900 patent pharmacy bottle ready for your collection!

Offered are two, vintage, white ceramic, pharmacy pill tiles produced circa 1920. Each tile is priced separately.

Both pill tiles have identical marking on the back side as follows: "GERMANY" and "Trademark 'M' PHILADELPHIA, NEW YORK".

The smaller tile measures 8" x 10" and is in excellent condition, priced at $125.00.

The larger tile measures 10" x 12" and is in nice condition with the exception of a small 1/2" chip on the top front edge. Priced at $115.00.

Very nice tools of the trade!

A very cute vintage drug store/pharmacy display from the 1940s era!

This complete display consists of 24, small 'sample' medicine boxes, each of which contain colorful little red pills!

Each box's label includes ingredients described as 'laxative and cathartic’.

Packed by CHANDLER MEDICINE CO. - Office 2812 Dodier Street, ST. LOUIS, MO., the display measures 6" x 5" x 1" and is in unused, very nice condition. ***NOTE*** The left side edges of the box have separated from each corner and the front top panel which serves as the front display when open is partially detached from it's side. While this sounds a bit like the box is damaged, this kind of separation does occur over time and is noted for full disclosure. It is very nice!

What a great collectible for the pharmacist, nurse or doctor in your life!

This is a scarce collection of 22 Homeopathic Medicine bottles complete with contents, corks and labels dating to the turn of the 19th century. Each vial sports an applied label that indicates the contents plus a cork with hand-written ingredients noted. The vials measure between 2 - 2.5 inches high x 1/2" including the cork. Hard to find in any condition.

*****Group #4*****

Some History:
Although homeopathy has its roots in ancient Greek medicine and in the work of the 16th-century physician Paracelsus, modern homeopathy dates back 200 years to the work of the German doctor and chemist, Samuel Hahnemann. Hahnemann qualified as a physician but ceased to practice as a doctor because of what he saw as the barbaric medical practices of his day - which included bloodletting and the overuse of toxic medicines, leading to horrific side effects.

A brilliant linguist, he earned a living from translating books and was interested by a reference in a medical textbook of the use of China (Peruvian bark) as a cure for malaria. Intrigued to know why China worked, he took doses of the remedy until he himself began to exhibit malarial symptoms. He stopped taking the China and the symptoms went away. From this he deduced that the ancient principle of 'like cures like' actually worked.

His next step was to determine if there were safe levels at which toxic substances could be given - and still cure the type of symptoms that they might otherwise cause. His experiments with dilution led him to discover that the more a substance was diluted, the more potent it appeared to become.

Homeopathic medicine was born, but in practicing it, Hahnemann and his followers were subjected to ridicule and persecution by the medical establishment, despite the fact that they were seeing patients getting better on tiny doses of medicines, prescribed on the basis of 'like cures like'. Many European practitioners immigrated to the United States, where homeopathy flourished in the 19th century – until the medical establishment there systematically acted to remove its influence.

Hahnemann ended his days as a renowned and very busy practitioner in Paris, working into his 80's. He is interred at the Cimetière du Père Lachaise, where a large monument honors him and his discovery of Homeopathy.

Offered separately are 2 complete sets of cased, OHAUS, brass PHARMACY weights dating to the 1950-60s.

The weights are housed in plastic, fitted cases and include tweezers for securing the various milligram weights. Each cased set offers a total of sixteen gram and ounce brass weights - 1 metric, small, coin-size weight and various, metal, gram and grain weights.

The cases measure 4.5 inches long x 4 inches wide x 1.75 inches high.

Condition of the BRISTOL-MEYERS case is very good with wear commensurate with use and age and is priced $45.00.

Case #2 marked OHAUS on the top is in excellent condition and is priced $60.00. This set comes with its original shipping box and appears unused.

Offered is a handsome, wooden case of homeopathic medicine pill bottles dating to the 1880's, containing a variety of remedies commonly found in the 19th century.

All but one bottle are re-purposed and sport "OTIS CLAPP & SON" embossing on one side. One bottle sports the original Otis Clapp & Son paper label (SEPIA). One bottle is round and not original to case.

Each Otis Clapp bottle measures over 2.5 inches high, having hand-written labels with instructions for use and corks with hand-written contents on top. One Otis Clapp bottle is amber colored; otherwise the bottles are clear.

The case measures 7" x 4.5" x 5" and is in very good condition with a functional front clasp. An early note has been affixed to the inner top to reflect contents, dose and antidote.

Very unusual indeed!

Some History from the Derby Connecticut Historical Society:

ALBERT W. PHILLIPS, M. D. was born at Marcellus, N. Y., July 26, 1838, his early education having been secured in the common schools of his native town.

He graduated from the Hannemann Homeopathic College, Chicago, Ill., in 1861.

At the commencement of the Rebellion, he enlisted as a private in the 12th Regiment, New York State Volunteers, but was later appointed hospital steward of the same regiment, and later received the appointment of assistant surgeon of the 149th Regiment New York Volunteers. He served until the close of the war, when he moved to Birmingham. He held the office of registrar of vital statistics, and also was an influential member of the Board of Burgess for several years. He was the only follower of the school "similia similibus curantur" in the town, and had a large and lucrative practice.

Diminutive in size with the lustrous feel and look of antique ivory, this extraordinarily RARE apothecary powder spatula is a must-have for the serious pharmacy memorabilia collector!

Measuring just 3.25 inches long, this hand-carved piece features a spatula that is tapered to a fine, thin edge allowing for the easy handling of the finest-ground drug powders.

Condition is very fine without imperfection! A gorgeous, RARE apothecary implement!

Offered is Dr. C.H. Fitch's Prescription Scale-- a wonderful, early, pharmacist/doctor, portable, pocket-sized, Victorian era scale! The fancy-scrolled and embellished metal case appears to be brass with nickel plating and reads, "Dr. C.H. Fitch's Prescription Scale Pat Sept 29th 1885" on the top.

The diminutive metal case with scale inside measures approximately 1.5" wide x 2.75" long x .75" deep and is in very nice, original condition. The scale's capacity is 1/2 to 20 grains. It was manufactured by the N.V. Randolph Paper Box Company, Richmond, VA.

****NOTE****There is no damage to the scale or case and no missing components! The original spatula, which is sometimes lost over the years, is present and completes this very handsome, visually-appealing piece!

Some history: Joseph Williamson Randolph (1815-1893) established his business as publisher, bookseller, and stationer in Richmond, Virginia, in 1831. By the early 1840s, he had formed a partnership with Joseph J. English, and the firm became one of the leading book dealers in the South by the time of the Civil War. After Randolph's death, his son, Norman Y. Randolph, operated the business until it passed into receivership. Norman Randolph was, at various times, president of the Randolph Paper Box Company, the Virginia State Insurance Company, and the Warwick Park Transportation Company. He also served as secretary-treasurer of the Virginia and North Carolina Wheel Company.

Offered for your consideration is a vintage, all-original, framed paper advertising sign for the cure of Gonorrhea, Gleet and Syphilis in men. Of interest is the matching 10.5" x 7.5" wood frame with the lightly stamped word "OKAY" on the top. This unusual piece of advertising dates to the early 1900's.

Condition: Mild, unobtrusive wear to the paper. The blue round label is affixed to the glass, not the actual paper. The frame retains 2 early holes used for hanging along with various surface dings and an early slice of wood missing from the right side of frame.

Historically, Pabst's Okay Specifics was cited by the 1906 FDA Act for various violations including failure to mention alcohol content, having no known curative ingredient, etc, resulting in frequent seizure and destruction of the product!

This is a hard-to-find, pharmacy or drug store female specific tin labeled “SEDETS” – Pain pills from the 1940 – 1950 era. The tin measures 2 inches and is in very good condition complete with unused contents. There are faint scratches and minor wear areas. Marked "Rexall Drug Company" and "Patented 1938 in Canada".

This is part of many “female specific” old pharmacy stock items for sale.