Catalog: Vintage Arts (109)

This is a wonderful example of a vintage, medical, lab test tube holder or rack, constructed of a hard wood, sporting 13 openings for the tubes and doubling as a storage/drying rack with 13 spindles on the back side.

Would personally love to keep this cool-looking piece because it has such interesting visual appeal while being functional! (Ideal for rooting small plant specimens!)

Measurements are 17"L x 8"H x 3"W and condition is very good with no damage. It has an appealing patina commensurate with age. Very hard to find in this size and condition.

Buy it before I decide I just have to keep it!!!

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 is a very scarce boxed set of late 19th century Homeopathic medicine vials, most of which still retain their contents. The box is made of cardboard covered by a thin layer of what appears to be leatherette.

The box is mildly worn commensurate with age and use, with some tape holding the top sides together. It measures 5.5"L x 3.75"W x 3.5"H.

Twenty three of the 24 bottles retain their contents, with the one bottle displaying a dark cork being empty and broken (parts of the glass from this broken vial are stuck to the box interior compartment). The vials measure just over 3 inches tall including corks and sport handwritten labels, most of which are legible (a few are faded and illegible).

Overall a very unusual find when you consider that the contents remain.

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 describing 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 traditional medical establishment 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 is cased, high-quality, vintage microscope slide stage. Precision manufactured by the Spencer Lens Company of Buffalo N.Y., this scientific instrument is in excellent condition. The stage fits perfectly into a velvet lined mahogany case and dates to the early 20th century.

The case measures 5.5" L x 5' W x 3" H. Hard to find microscope / laboratory tool of the trade.

The Spencer Lens Company was founded in 1895, but was actually a continuation of the earlier business originally established by Herbert Spencer in the 1840s.

Offered for your consideration is a very rarely found Bausch & Lomb eye muscles advertising and teaching display!

The display is quite appealing with embossed and raised detailing featuring eye muscle anatomy. quite visually appealing!! (Sorry, couldn't help it!)

The sign dates to the 1950s, is in fine condition, and is complete with a fold-out, rear, display stand, measuring approximately 13 inches high x 8 inches wide.

Offered is a choice, 19th century, physician's, folding Homeopathic Medicine Case. This wonderful example contains 143 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, with most vials sporting a hand written label on the top of the cork. The fitted case measures 7.5" long x 2" wide x 3.5" high and shows honorable wear commensurate with age and use. Modest wear and loss to the case edges is noted with separation of 2 flaps, specifically the top left flap and middle left flap.

The many vials include a very desirable example labeled 30 CANNAB IND (cannabis indica). Other vials include: BELLAD, ACID PHOS, ALOES, MAGN. C., LYCOP, ZINC M., STAPH. to name a few.

A wonderful representation of late 19th century homeopathic medicine!

Offered is a very nice set of brass weights manufactured by Fisher Scientific Co., dating to the turn of the 20th century.

The weights are housed in a fitted, hard wood case that appears to be maple, and it includes a brass tweezers for securing the six individual milligram weights. Also included are eight of the nine brass matching weights, with only the 1mg weight missing.

The wooden case measures 6 inches long x 2.5 inches wide x 1.5 inches high and sports a metal label on top. Condition is very good with the finish and wear commensurate of a used antique collectible.

Measuring 10.5" high x 10.5" deep x 6.5" wide at the widest point, this very unique, circa 1940's, pharmacy, ALKA-SELTZER advertising piece displays just wonderfully!

Cleverly conceived and constructed, this display combines a very, visually-pleasing, accessible medicine display that promoted spur-of-the-moment purchases at the drug store cash register, along with a tape dispenser for use by the pharmacist and his employees! Quite clever--- as it guaranteed that the display would remain in use and visible in the pharmacy as the tape dispenser provided a nice convenience for drug store employees!

In very nice condition with expected scratches, paint rubs, and non-problematic, superficial surface rusting here and there (please see photos) expected of a 75+ year old functional display.

The display retains one of its twelve, original, glass Alka-Seltzer medicine bottles (empty of contents) as well as an older, used roll of tape in the dispenser!

A very unique advertising drug store display sure to start an interesting conversation at your next dinner party!

Absolutely the cutest veterinary tin!! This darling tin measures a diminutive 1.75" in diameter and sports a great image of a horse. The condition is very good with strong paint, a few tiny crimps and faint scratches and slight wear. Unsure of the exact manufacture date, although its design is suggestive of the 1940s.

Offered are two very interesting and very difficult to find, antiquated, female pharmacy medications. Both drugs are in glass ampules, unused and reside in their original box packages.

First is a most unusual carton of 6 vials labeled "PITANTHM" which is a uterine stimulant used to promote labor. Inside the small 3.5" x 2.75" box are six unused ampules nesting within. The circa 1940's ampules measure 2" tall and sport a very cute paper label and are in perfect shape. The box shows mild wear, some stain and fading.

Secondly is an unused, Parke Davis, sex hormone ampule labeled "ANTUITRIN". The box measures 4" x 2" and is complete with a paper insert with directions, dose and indications including a date of 8-48. The medicine is in mint condition. The distilled water vial is about 3" high and the medicine ampule is about 2 inches tall with both sporting perfect labels. The box is in very good condition with some stains, wear and minor label loss.

A pair not to be missed!

Offered for your consideration is a fabulous medical sterilizer fresh from a retired physicians collection. This nickel plated beauty is in fine shape and appears to be from the 1930-1940 era.

Measures 8 inches long x 3 inches wide x 5 inches high (including the knob). The embossed label is marked "MADE IN USA - CASTLE- STERILIZER". The lid is attached to the interior tray and articulates backwards to open or can be lifted off as seen it the photo. Please note that the electric cord was cut by the good doctor to fit inside his display cabinet.

Offered is a very scarce, circa 1940's, glass, hospital sign acquired many years ago out of a New Jersey hospital that was undergoing modernization and renovation.

This glass SPINAL CORRECTION sign once hung near the entryway of the physical therapy department and is ready for display in your collection!

The sign measures 13 inches long x 3 inches high and is of thick, heavy plate glass construction. The sign sports gold-toned, applied lettering and is finished off in black paint, such as in the style seen in reverse-painted glass objects. There is some paint loss and lifting which is commensurate with older painted glass.

Offered for your consideration is a very rarely found Bausch & Lomb advertising and teaching display!

The display is quite appealing with embossed and raised detailing featuring both the interior and exterior eye anatomy.

The sign dates to the 1950s and is in fine condition. It is complete with its original fold-out display stand, and it measures approximately 13 inches high x 8 inches wide.

*****PRESENTLY ON EBAY # 153320326177*****

Offered is a very scarce pair of circa 1940's, glass, HOSPITAL signs acquired many years ago out of a New Jersey hospital that was undergoing modernization and renovation.

The glass X-RAY LAB + SPINAL CORRECTION signs once hung near the entryways of the X-ray and Physical Therapy departments and are now ready for your collection.

The signs measure 13 inches long x 3 inches high and are made of thick, heavy, plate glass construction. The signs sport gold-toned, applied lettering and are finished off in black paint such as in the style seen in reverse-painted glass objects. There is some paint loss and lifting which is commensurate with older painted glass.

Offered is a very difficult-to-find grouping of thirty nine, matching, 19th century, porcelain, apothecary cabinet drawer pulls.

Each pull measures about 2"W x 1 3/4"H x 1 1/2" front to back (not including bolt).

The condition of the pulls is very good with only one pull (SIENNA) showing minor use-damage above the letter "A"(see photo). Otherwise, some pulls have minor manufacturing imperfections that add to the desired patina of an antique of this age and period.

Most of the pulls sport the following, sometimes illegible, maker's mark on the bottom of the knob: "PAT. FEB 12, 89 - M.D.B. CO. - ST. LOUIS, MO".

The pulls are PRICED EACH at $43.00 PER PULL and are ready for your collection or for retro-chic decorating use on an actual cabinet, be it antique or contemporary!

Offered for your consideration is a porcelain medical sterilizer fresh from a retired physician's collection. This office size model is in fairly good condition and appears to be from the 1930-1940s era. It displays well; however, there is modest repair to the right side as seen in the photos.

Measures 5 inches long x 3.5 inches wide x 4 inches high (including the knob). A sweet diminutive size for easy display!

The embossed label on the base is marked "AMERICAN SUNDRIES Co. – BROOKLYN, N.Y. - PATENTED". The lid articulates backwards to open and appears to be missing the interior tray. Priced accordingly.

Offered is a very nice trio of circa 1900 veterinary medicines ready for your collection!

First, is the very visually-appealing, Dr. Daniels "COLIC DROPS" medicine that contains 2 corked bottles housed in an interesting, graphically-detailed box. The box measures 4.5" x 3" x 1" and is in fair condition dating to 1906. The corked bottles are in fine condition and are embossed drops #1 and #2.

The second bottle is aqua colored and embossed H.H.H HORSE MEDICINE D.D.T. 1868 and measures 8.25" tall. There various small closed air bubbles, two tiny lip imperfections and a surface scratch on the back.

The third bottle is embossed "PRATTS VETERINARY LINIMENT PRATT FOOD CO PHILA USA" and measures 5.5" h x 2"W. This aqua colored bottle is embossed 485 on the bottom, has numerous tiny, enclosed, air bubbles, mild faint interior staining and six exterior circular stains on the neck. There is no damage to the bottle, and it displays well.

Offered is a vintage 1943 era Tycos Blood Pressure Cuff complete with its original leather case stamped in gold with the initials "KVB".

The set is in wonderful condition for its age and would make a fabulous display piece within a medical memorabilia collection; the only issue for the set is that the meter's tubing has separated from the cuff.

The bulb is labeled "Baumanometer", the meter is labeled "Tycos" and the air flow control valve is stamped "Air Flow Control".

Straight out of the original physician's doctor's bag!