Catalog: Vintage Arts: Instruments and Implements: Medical (108)

World War II era, leather bound, Navy doctor's traveling medicine case with contents. Most of the glass vials retain labels that are marked UPJOHN and some of the vials also retain contents.

The condition is excellent with minor edge wear to the leather case. One vial is missing. Also contained within the interior of the case are a few prescription forms marked "MEDICAL DEPARTMENT U.S. NAVY". Measures 10.5L x 2.5W x 4H.

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!

This is a nice grouping of 15 EMPTY Pharmacy Hypodermic Tablet Vials, representing a wide variety of remedies and pharmaceutical manufacturers including MULFORD, ELI LILLY, SHARPE & DOHME, and PARKE DAVIS.

These corked cuties date from the early 1900s to 1920s, and all but one retain their tiny corks.

Some vials, such as that containing STRYCHNINE, are marked "POISON" on their paper labels.

Interestingly, there is one VETERINARY vial labeled ARECOLINE HYDROBROMIDE POISON by Mulford.

The diminutive vials measure from 2 inches long to 3 inches and are all in good condition. Imperfections noted: one vial has a tiny chip to the mouth of the tube and another vial has a minor crack near the cork.

Interesting grouping to add to your collection!

This colorful group of 5 empty drug store tins. One of the circa 1940s - 1950s tins is labeled “Hospital Packet” and the other 4 are noted as “Professional Packet”. The Hospital Packet tin differs in the front and back lithograph as well as the text. The medicine tins are marked DERMA MEDICONE and are topical anesthetic ointments labeled: Benzocaine, Oxyquinolone Sulphate, Ephedrine HCL, and more.

The 5 tins are all in nice condition with unobtrusive minor surface scratches with one having a minor rust stain to the lower edge from storage.

The tins measure just over 1.5 “ in diameter.

Perfect for your shop or collection!

On a cold October day in 1977, an auction of the former estate of Dr. T.D.M. Wilson of Washington, Pennsylvania, took place. The last surviving relative to live in Dr. Wilson's former 1890 mansion had moved to smaller quarters, and many artifacts reflecting the Wilson's family history had to be auctioned off.

Dr. T.D.M. Wilson graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1875, and the following offered items from this estate auction provide an historical glimpse into his long medical career.

The first item is a fabulous 19th century brass DOCTOR T.D.M. Wilson sign measuring 14L x 9W inches, which likely adorned the entrance way to Dr. Wilson's office.

Also offered in this grouping is a rare group photo of Dr. Wilson (4th from the left) and other Phi Kappa Sigma members. The frame measures 16.5"L x 12.5"W. While the photo is a bit faded, the image is remarkable and includes a distinguished group of Phi Kappa Sigma members.

The third and fourth items in this grouping are a small, framed, 1909 AMA membership certificate with Dr. Wilson's name inscribed, and a very unusual IRS narcotic SPECIAL TAX STAMP from 1926. This Narcotic form is unique in that it names Dr. Wilson as the single physician allowed to dispense narcotics within the 23rd District of the State of Pennsylvania.

Finally, 2 handwritten letters postmarked in 1884 from Dr. Wilson to his loving wife are included, offering a small glimpse into his personal life.

Together, this is rich grouping of artifacts provides one a unique opportunity to further enhance one's collection of medical objects.

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 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!

A very visually-appealing collection of antique pharmacy collectibles primarily dating from the 1910 era with a few as late as the 1950s, that include vials, corked labeled bottles, tins, a test tube rack and essential oils!

For perspective, the test tube rack measures 8.25" L x 1.75" H x 2.25" W. The narrow and elegant Oil of Mandarin bottle measures 6" tall. The full, Merck QUININE powder bottle is 5.5" H with cork. The 1940s, mint, Eli Lilly SUCROSE box is 8.5" L is complete with glass ampoule. The 1950's era NASAL DOUCHE is new-old-stock-in-box and is marked "Made in Taiwan".

Overall, all pieces are in undamaged condition. There is some label patina present with stains, and slight wear to most. The only label with moderate wear is the 1920s Merck "BARBITOL" bottle with glass stopper. The diminutive "KONSYL" tin is unused and near mint!

A lovely grouping which displays very well and will add visual interest to any pharmacy collection!

This is an unused, "New Old Stock", Pharmacy or Drug Store display from the 1940-1950's era. It is complete with 6 full boxes of "Mckesson and Robbins" tablets.

This cute size display measures 4.5" x 3.75" closed and is in very nice condition. The top lifts up to facilitate advertisement of the product and would have been placed on the counter top of a pharmacy in this fashion. A neat find!

Offered is a very nice group of 8 Merck as well as Powers & Weightman Pharmacy and Chemist bottles.

First is a robust 8" size early 1900s Powers-Weightman-Rosengarten POTASSIUM SALICYLATE stock bottle.

Bottle #2 is a 7 inch high Merck ANTIMONY CHLORIDE formerly used in veterinary medicine as a dehorning agent.

Bottle #3 CALCIUM CHLORIDE, is 6 inches tall and was used as a source of calcium in foods, paper manufacture and chemistry to mention a few.

Item #4 ACID PICRIC was used in medicine as an antiseptic and for the treatment of burns. It measures 3.5 inches.

Bottle #5 GUAIACOL CARBONATE from Powers & Weightman measures 5 inches high and was used as an expectorant and disinfectant.

Bottle #6 HYDROCYANIC ACID measures 4.5 inches and was used as a pesticide. Empty.

Bottle #7 EMETINE from Sharpe & Dohme measures a mere 2 inches tall and is an emetic.

Finally, a 5 inch bottle #8 LEAD OXIDE was used in the building trade.

All the bottles are in fine shape and sport labels that show wear, stains or fading commensurate with age. Most are circa early 1900 with EMETINE being from the 1920 era. A very interesting group!

This striking, decorated, ceramic apothecary jar dates from the 1930s and is marked "GERMANY" on its base. Measuring 9 inches tall, this jar features lovely, gold-painted swags.

The cover has a crack as seen in the photo, but the jar otherwise is quite fine lending flair and elegance to your apothecary collection.

This wonderful, all-original pair of matching, 19th century, Whital Tatum, hanging, egg-shaped Apothecary show globes each measure approximately 33 inches from top of chain to bottom of fixture. The 3 1/2 gallon size globes have a patent date embossed inside the brass-plated crown on top: "June 16, 1895".

Both blown-glass globes retain their original brass chains and hooks and are in very good condition with the expected, minor, age-related scratches of an antique glass globe. There are no cracks, and the globes hold water just fine! The interior of the glass globes have a mild hazy appearance, notably towards the upper third of glass. The haziness disappears when the globes are filled with colored water.

The iron supporting frames sport brass plating and are most decorative. There is the expected, age-related, modest loss and tarnishing to the brass features with some metal pitting of the interior and top edge of globe hangers noted.

These globes originally hung in the Yalowich Pharmacy in Rochester, New York. They display beautifully and will add the "WOW" factor to any apothecary collection.

This interesting, circa 1940's, pharmacy or drug store, “female remedy” medicine bottle labeled “MYLIN” measures 2.25 inches high and is in very nice unused condition. The bottle contains 12 capsules and the label indicates this nostrum is “safe, sure and quick relief for Dysmenorrhea”.

The cute and colorful box is slightly worn and will fit anywhere in your collection.

Marked on the side of the box: “Mifflin Chemical Corp. Phila. PA”.

Offered is a very scarce, 19th century, portable, doctor's, apothecary medicine case.

The traveling case's exterior is constructed of leather, and the interior sports 5 compartments packed with a total of 62 medicine bottles. Specifically, there are 32 narrow medicine vials with metal screw-on caps, plus 17 medium-size vials. There are six miscellaneous vials, 5 of which are corked, and one that houses a later-date, glass syringe. Finally, there are 7 apothecary bottles with ground glass stoppers residing in their individual compartments.

Imprinted in gold-gilding on the inside cover flap is the manufacturer name, "H.K. MULFORD COMPANY", which is a precursor to today's Merck. The label cites "7 Highest Awards from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition" (which took place in Chicago) and which dates the case to the 1890's.

This interesting case measures 11 inches L x 5.5 inches W x 6.25 inches H. The case is complete and has modest wear and tear commensurate of a used antique. Some separation of leather parts with stains of age and use reside on the interior and exterior surfaces.

An intriguing piece of early pharmacy and physician care.

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.

Offered are three, choice, 1920s - 1930s, Upjohn Pharmaceutical Co, "CHERACOL" codeine chloroform cough remedy medicine bottles all sporting complete labeling and corked top.

The three bottles are in excellent condition with a deep amber color and measuring about 5.25" high. I have offered this bottle in the past but not in a grouping of three and in this very fine condition!

The pictures tell the story...none will likely be found in better condition than this trio!

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!

Offered is a visually-appealing, advertising leech bowl boldly embossed "From The Rexall Store". This two-seam bowl is in excellent condition with various unobtrusive, faint surface scuffs commensurate with an older piece of glass.

The bowl measures 4.25 inches at the mouth, 4 inches tall and is approximately 5 inches at its widest point. It dates to the 1940 era.