Catalog (56)

Offered for sale is a wonderful late 19th century, Victorian drugstore, medical advertising cup. This lovely porcelain mug has “CUDAHY’S REXOMA” printed on the lip. Beautifully hand painted pink roses and other lavender colored flowers adorn the cup on all surfaces.

The Cudahy meat packing industry dates back to the turn of the century. The Cudahy meat industry, with stockyards in Omaha, Chicago, Sioux City and Los Angeles produced the REX brand of fine beef and pork products. They also produced lard, soaps and patent medicine products such as Cudahy's Essence of Pepsin and Cudahy's Rexsoma that used the animal byproducts. The patent medicines were marketed as nutritional supplements for improved health.

This 3.5 inch tall undamaged beauty is in very good condition and very classy indeed!

A terrific image on a lovely cup that can be easily displayed anywhere in your collection.

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.

This rare and unusual, finely constructed, Civil War Era, portable Field Surgeon's Operating or Gleason type Mortuary Table (also known as a Cooling Table) comes from the estate of a 4th generation New England medical doctor, and retains its original finish with wonderful patina.

The decorative and delicate detailing of this piece is at odds with its most gruesome history! Scalloped copper edge guards and the appealing pattern in which the drainage holes in the laminated wood tabletop were laid out contribute to visual appeal. The softwood table frame stands on nicely turned hardwood legs.

When opened and extended to its maximum dimensions, the table measures 72" long X 18.5" wide X 22" high. To facilitate ease of traveling, this portable table slides and folds to 40" long X 18.5" wide X 4" high. A leather carrying handle is attached to the table edge; legs, when folded, are secured in place with hooks.

Very fine original condition: expected overall wear (patina) with one hook missing and minor unobtrusive loss of laminate along lower table top edge measuring approximately 1/3” wide by 7”.

Offered are two, very special, late 19th century, hand-blown medical ear syringes, one that retains its original wooden case.

First is a choice, five inch, wooden-cased hand-blown glass syringe that appears unused and is in excellent condition. The plunger glides smoothly and the syringe fits snugly inside the treen case.

Second is a 6 inch example that appears lightly used. The plunger is in fine, perfect condition; however,it seems to be stuck inside the syringe, and I have chosen not to try to move it.

An additional, third syringe included in this grouping is missing its tube, but is otherwise in good condition.

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.

*****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 an eclectic grouping of Violet Ray therapy electrodes dating back to the 1920s!

This collection consists of 5 glass and 1 metal electrode, an owner's guide with images of the various electrodes, a user's instruction booklet, a wooden box which houses the pieces, and what appear to be two glass nasal tubes, the function and purpose, uncertain. Additionally, a baby bath thermometer is included with this grouping.

The condition of all instruments and accessories is very good with no broken parts. The booklets show mild wear; a tear is present on the bottom front to the back of the 16 page illustrated Rogers Electric Lab booklet.

The 5 electrodes include one COMB ELECTRODE, four Surface Electrodes and one Metal Electrode. The wood box sports a metal lined interior,and has patina consistent of an honorably used antique. The box lock mechanism is complete, sticks slightly and opens easily, measuring 9.75" L x 6.5" W x 4.25" H.

A supplemental addition to one's quack medicine collection! Reasonably priced!

Measuring a diminutive 2 inches in diameter and in mint condition, this interesting and unusual celluloid advertising pocket mirror features a person dosing with a magical "Nature's Remedy" tablet! (**Please note that any white spots in the photos are light reflections ONLY and not damage to the mirror.**)

The mirror front has a age-faded salmon colored border surrounding an image of a person's face with protruding tongue, about to swallow a "NR" (Nature's Remedy)tablet. The fading makes it a challenge to read the following which is imprinted around the circumference of the mirror: "Take One Tonight - You'll feel Better In The Morning."

AND....

"Better Than Pills For Liver Ills - Get a 25 Cent Box"

Original mirrored backing is in very fine condition with just a few very minute, superficial scratches.

Manufacturer name stamped on bottom edge: "Parisian Novelty Company, Chicago".

An interesting little advertising piece!

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!

This wonderful vintage hospital sign from the 1920's once hung in a small central South Carolina hospital, as told by the 91 year old seller from whom it was purchased.

Taken right out of her sewing room where it had hung for decades on the wall, the black and gold sign, which is painted on a heavy particle-type board, has a very lovely, warm, aged patina. It was very difficult to photograph as the black background paint readily picked up the slightest light source. The very first photograph most accurately depicts the color and appearance of this piece. Any white glare in any of the photographs should be completely disregarded, as both the color and tone of the sign are quite uniform.

Measuring 24" wide x 6" long, the sign has three eyelet-type holes in each of three corners (one corner is missing) to facilitate hanging. It comes with a heavy, ancient piece of wire that was used to hang the sign in the seller's home.

As noted in the close-up photos, the sign has its share of surface rubs, scratches, paint edge wear and three of the four corner edges missing-- all appropriate examples of wear for a well-used sign that is nearly 100 years old! Close examination of the sign suggests that the background was painted completely black first and then the gold edge-work and lettering were stenciled on top of the black background.

Just LOVE the look of this sign!

Offered is a fabulous, early 1900s, veterinary doctor sign, advertising the practice of a Dr A. A. Bennet. This 18 inch x 11 inch brass sign is a wonderful advertisement piece. The black painted lettering has been cut into the brass sign to give a two dimensional effect.

Veterinary signs of any type are quite scarce! Wonderful patina!

Offered is a very scarce, 19th century, strength measuring medical device known as a dynamometer that was manufactured by the G. Tiemann Company, New York, the most renown and respected surgical device manufacturers of the 19th century. Sold in the US by a gymnasium apparatus company out of St. Louis, the Fred Medart Company, the device was designed to assess the strength of the chest, back and legs up to a pull capacity of 1400 lbs.

This fabulous early tool of the medical trade sports a visually-interesting, graphic, brass face with a scale delineating increments from 0 to 1400 pounds. There are 2 dials - one that notes the actual pressure achieved, and the second stationary dial that serves as the reference.

This instrument enjoys wonderful, rich patina on both the metal and wooden sections. It measures 13 inches at the widest point and 10 inches at the wooden handles.

A fabulous device which has great visual appeal and displays wonderfully! Sure to spark some interesting conversation at your next gathering!

Once part of the Middle Passage Museum inventory, this very remarkable piece of slavery ephemera documents a doctor's medical treatment of a negro slave woman--a very atypical occurrence in the Civil War era South, dated July 15, 1864.

Ready for framing, this unusual piece of history would be a fabulous addition to one's collection of slavery or medical artifacts. It measures approximately 7 inches wide x 1.34 inches high and would look fabulous double-matted in an exquisite frame.

The Middle Passage Museum was the dream of Jim and Mary Anne Petty of Mississippi as well as that of an anonymous Georgian benefactor who had together compiled a collection of slave artifacts numbering over 15,000 pieces and who had hoped to find a permanent site in Mobile, Alabama, for their museum. While they formed a non-profit organization to raise funds for their hoped-for museum, their dream was never realized.

In a 2003 statement, Jim Petty remarked, "The importance of the exhibit of these artifacts is to understand the harshness of what slavery and segregation was all about. The items in the exhibit remind us of the terrible heinousness of slavery. Viewing the collection can be very emotional, but it is a tool through which we can understand, honor and respect a great culture. We want to realize that out of slavery, a great culture emerged, and carried on, and continued to strive for a better life regardless of the adverse conditions that were placed upon them."

Offered is recent find from a rural Virginia estate. This is great, 19thC, Country Dentist Dental lot sports three Tooth Keys plus 40 bone handled dental tools. Additionally, there are 13 dark wood dental tools and one ABALONE hand instrument. Other items include a NEY'S GOLD SHELL INSTRUMENT, S.S.W. COPPER AMALGAM box with partial contents, a sharpening file, 4 different size tweezers, and one horse tooth! This Country Dentist apparently extracted more than just human teeth!

The dental instruments are housed in a 19thC box with a lift-out compartment and a drop-down tray, as well as a hidden compartment, all of which are found in the top lid. While not a "labeled" dental item, the box and tools were paired together as a single unit upon discovery, and the combination box and tools actually display quite nicely! The photographs note other miscellaneous items which are original to this collection and are in fairly good, as found condition.

The 3 TOOTH KEYS include 2 with bone handles and are complete and in very good condition. The dark wood handled TOOTH KEY is complete, but its KEY needs to be re-pinned. The 3 keys measure approximately 6 inches long.

The bone-handled instruments are all intact and functional except for two, which appear to have their tips missing. There are a few tools with minor handle splits and two with an ancient wire repair to the handle. The tools show honorable wear such as faint surface wear and imperfections including original patina on the handles and some faint pitting and minute surface rust on the metal components.

The hardwood-handled dental tools are in good condition commensurate with early, used, dental tools.

The handsome, cloth-lined, 19thC, wood case sports a worn, leather and tack-embellished surface and includes a removable, interior tray plus an additional compartment in the top. It measures 19.5" L x 10"W x 5.5"H and is worn but is in structurally, quite good condition. There is no key, and the latches are a bit difficult to open.

The NEY'S GOLD SHELL INSTRUMENT is in very good condition. The S.S.W. COPPER AMALGAM box is complete but worn.

Overall, a very comprehensive and interesting collection of dental tools once used by a rural, Virginia dentist, perfect for your dental artifact museum display!

Measuring 12.5 inches wide by 8 inches high, this vintage, hand-painted on board, 1940's No Smoking sign is most emphatic in its message: "NO SMOKING MEANS NO SMOKING"! Most definitely a conversation piece! Fab visual display! Condition is good with paint wear to edges as seen in photos. Light pencil lines to guide the hand-painting are still visible on the front of the sign. (The left side of sign appears darker in photos than the right side. This is a function of less-than-perfect photography! Coloration and brightness are uniform throughout! No dark or shadowy areas!)

An extraordinarily RARE 19th CENTURY piece of Black Americana advertising featuring a fabulous graphic of 2 young African American painters holding a "White-Wash Boy's Hydrated Lime" box.

This product was produced by the lime manufacturers, Hatmaker and Place, of Canaan, Connecticut, in the late 1800s. This small company was located within a large "lime belt" that stretched from Connecticut to Vermont. Back in the day, lime powder mixed with water was quite commonly used to "white wash" or paint numerous surfaces, and it was also used as a medicinal disinfectant! The manufacture of lime from marble was one of the earliest and most successful mineral industries in Connecticut, with historical records dating the establishment of the first CT lime manufactory to 1722.

Given its age and the fragility of paper, condition of this wonderful box is quite good. The lower portion of the back side of the box evidences light surface wear with some of the printing on the lower portion of the box worn away as a result. The front of the box has a 3.25 inch long tear which resulted in the loss of the lime powder from the box.

This early piece of Black Americana advertising is EXCEEDINGLY RARE and may well be a ONE-OF-A-Kind item! The Hatmaker and Place Company was one of a number of very small manufactories located within the "lime belt" that were ALL bought out and immediately closed down by a wealthy group of investors who then created and incorporated the mammoth monopoly, The New England Lime Company, early in 1902.

This fabulous piece of Black Americana is NOT to be missed by the serious collector!

Measuring 10 1/2 inches wide x 13 3/4 inches long, this brightly colored, all original, uncut paper doll entitled “Dottie Darling’s Little Friend Sunny Sammy ” published in the March 1934 edition of Pictorial review is in excellent condition! Designed by Corinne Pauli Waterall, this sweet paper doll set was one of a series, with this one featuring sweet-faced, Sunny Sammy’s Black Mammy Nurse, Diana!

Protected in an antique gold wooden frame, this magazine sheet has retained all of the brilliance of its original patriotic colors- red, white, and blue, making it a rather striking piece of wall art-perhaps for the nursery! Seldom located in such fine condition!

PLEASE NOTE: Any discoloration, white spots, or other unnatural variances in color are due to the unavoidable light reflections caused by the glass in the framing. The presence of the glass made photography quite a challenge!

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.