Catalog (144)

Offered is a very visually-appealing grouping of new-old-stock, patent medicines and remedies from the early 1900s to the 1940s.

First is a bottle of MOTHERS FRIEND which was an external treatment for "massaging the skin and tired, aching muscles". The 6 inch box houses an unlabeled bottle plus a 1949 copyright paper insert. The condition is fine for the bottle and good for the box. The box, while featuring interesting graphics, has one top flap that is partially attached with old tape with some oil stains. The box notes that both men and women could use this emollient, while the insert specifically mentions use for females only.

Second is a 2.25 inch tin of Dr. Pierce's ANTISEPTIC and HEALING SUPPOSITORIES. The tin has an appealing graphic and is in unused condition. Mild scuff marks and scratches as well as a small portion of paint loss by Dr. Pierce's name, plus a mild stain on the lower backside apparent. Overall, this circa 1940s tin displays very well.

Thirdly, is the early C1900s, PISO'S TABLET "HEALING ASTRINGENT TONIC" which was used as a local treatment for inflammation, leucorrhea, ulceration, skin affections and more. Measuring 2.75 inches tall and sporting a visually-graphic label housing a wood container make this medicine quite appealing!

Finally, is the diminutive medicine marked "LYDIA PINKHAM'S TABLETS" from the 1940s. This female-specific treatment sports a 3 inch box with both bottle and insert that are in very nice condition.

A quality quartet!

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.

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.

Offered is a hard to find painted cast iron meat and juice press from the late 19th century.

This dual purpose pharmacy tool of the trade measures about 9 inches high and retains much of its original black japanned surface.

Hard to find pharmacy or chemists bottle comes complete with colorful contents and original label. Measures about 5 inches tall and ready for your collection. Dates to the early 1900s.

Offered is a very nice grouping of 5 "ANCHOR CANTRUST" RUSTLESS HYPODERMIC NEEDLES.

Each circa 1940s era box originally contained a dozen high quality needles. The boxes and needles are all identical in size and labeling. Each needle clips into a metal tray and sports a wire cleaner which resides inside the needle.

There are a total of 33 needles within the 5 boxes, all measuring about 3 inches long, and all in fine condition. Three of the boxes are in very good condition; two boxes are in fair condition showing mild loss of the box label on the edges as well as some carton separation.

An exact example of these high end needles exists at the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY.....Pretty neat!

Offered is a wonderful group of nine, circa 1920-1930's, John Wyeth apothecary bottles sporting fancy, shield-shaped, foil labels.

They are being sold separately for $55.00 each. The POISON bottle BELLADONNA is $65.00.

Decorative stock bottles such as these beauties were meant to be refilled and reused and were the pride of the pharmacy staff. Eye-catching, reflective medicine bottles such as these also served as an advertising mechanism as they often were placed prominently on the front row of pharmacy cabinets.

Each amber colored bottle measures 8.5 inches tall, has a narrow or wide mouth and sports a stopper with ground glass construction. The bottles date to the 1920-1930's era.

The condition of these empty bottles are excellent. Some of the stoppers are stuck in place.

The bottles sport either gold or silver toned foil labels which show slight wear and staining, commensurate with age and use.

A lovely group indeed!

Offered is a very scarce, C1920's, Sharpe and Dohme Hypodermic Portable Medicine Case that slides open to reveal 6 corked, empty vials. This delightful diminutive medical or pharmacy item measures 3 inches long, is made of leather, and sports 6 circa 1900, Sharpe & Dohme labeled medicines.

The interior of this piece has a cleverly designed metal sliding mechanism which served to both open and prop-up the case. The condition of the case is very good, with the mechanism sliding easily, and the gold Sharpe & Dohme, BALTIMORE, label displaying quite clearly. There is one, unobtrusive, 1/2 inch, ancient flaw or fleck on the case just to the left of word "Baltimore".

Five of the six vials have the word "POISON" in red ink. The drug names are as follows: NORMAL SALT - NITROGLYCERIN - ATROPINE SULPHATE - STRYCHNINE SULPHATE - DIGITALIN - MORPHINE SULPHATE.

A fabulous find for you Pharmacy Folks!

Offered is a very hard-to-find, unused, Asthma Lung Cough Cure Plasters Drugstore Tin from North Chelmsford, Mass. A deep, purple-toned paper label covers the 3 inch tall, cleverly-named "PHI-TEM tin.

The condition of this early 1930s nostrum is very good with minimal tarnish to the metal and very light fading to the label.

This medicine tin is unopened and ready for your collection!

Offered is a wonderful, C1950s, Art Deco-styled, advertising store sign that features in bold capital letters the word, "COLD REMEDIES". This sign, which originally hung in a Grand Rapids, Michigan, establishment, might well have been displayed in a drug store.

The black-painted, metal frame houses a plastic, cream-colored insert that features an embossed lettering and design technique that advertises the name of the product for sale. The background of this insert sports a streamlined, horizontal, raised "striping" reminiscent of the Art Deco era. When light is allowed to pass through the plastic, translucent insert, the insert appears to be magically illuminated so that the green-colored backside of the sign shines through with brilliance. This effect can be enjoyed by either hanging the sign in front of a window or by fastening tiny LED lights (not included) on the backside of the frame.

The dimensions are approximately 36"L x 5.5"W x 3/4"D, and the overall condition of the sign is very good. The plain metal frame has been repainted in a durable, semi-gloss, black finish. The painted finish is in very good condition with areas of minor surface imperfection and slight areas of roughness here and there.

The vintage plastic insert is laminated in two tones, with the front noting a rich, aged, cream color, and the back noting a rich green tone. The front of the insert has faint surface imperfections and some areas of uneven discoloring. Overall, the insert retains a rich, glossed surface patina commensurate with its age.

A note: the first photo best represents what the sign will look like when illuminated from the back with LED or natural window lighting.

The final photo is a shot of this sign along with three others of the same vintage and manufacture.

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!

Offered is an absolutely wonderful, lathe-turned, late 19th century, apothecary's SEIDLITZ POWDER MEASURE CUP.

This beautifully-formed, two-sized measure sports a lovely, deep, honey-colored patina. The cup measures just under 5 inches high and is in very nice condition. The wood used to craft this lovely piece contains a natural, narrow, 1 inch long, vertical blemish at the base of the smaller cup (see 7th & 9th photos). The craftsman who created this piece was clearly highly skilled as he was able to work around this natural wood blemish to create a fully-functional apothecary tool.

Some history:
During the 19th century and into the early 20th century, Seidlitz powders, which were used to treat indigestion and constipation, came to the drugstore in bulk, and dosages were measured out using the measure cup.
The pharmacist then dispensed the powders for the customer in small envelopes containing two, colored paper wraps, one white and one blue. The white packets contained tartaric acid, and the blue packets contained a mixture of 75% Rochelle salt (potassium sodium tartrate) and 25% baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).
The customer then was instructed to dissolve the powdery contents of each packet separately in water. and then combine them together. When mixed together, the remedy gave off carbon dioxide with a characteristic fizzing sound. The medicinal drink was described as "a cooling, agreeable draught".

This is an interesting pharmacy medicine from the 1930's that is for the treatment of female related conditions only. "GYNAGEN" powder is manufactured in Toronto, Canada by the Charles C. Cummings & Co.

All printed information is in English and French. The 4.5 inch tin cylindrical container is full with what appears to be the original pink powder contents and is in very good condition with the exception of some rust on the bottom of the tin. The paper label is complete and shows minor wear spots from storage.

A great disease specific medication!

Offered is a wonderful example of a late 19thC Pharmacy "tool of the trade" known as a pill machine but often referred to as a pill roller.

Pill machines were designed to enhance the productivity of the early pharmacist, and this design was, indeed, popular for many, many years. This pill machine is designed with 24 tubes for medicine-making.

The condition is very good, sporting a nice patina commensurate with its age and use. It is constructed of walnut and embellished with brass edge guards as well as brass grooved molds. The base measures approximately 11.5" L x 7" W x 1.5" H including the footed base. The paddle is 15.25"L x 2.25"W.

An apothecary classic, ready for your collection!

Offered is an elusive early pharmacy "tool-of-the-trade" called a pill rounder. The early apothecary required multiple devices during the compounding of medicines into pills. This essential tool was designed to form the dough like medicine into uniform circular pills prior to using a pill silverer. The pill silverer coated the nostrum and thus finished off the process of pill making.

This handsome, lathe-turned, two-sided, wooden, pill rounder sports different depths to create two size pills. It measures about 2.75 inches in diameter.

The rounder sports a wonderful honey-colored patina on the original surface. The condition is very good with honorable wear and staining commensurate with an antique pharmacy tool. The rounder is not quite perfectly round, and it has a faint hairline split on the edge. It is, however, a wonderful example of the early pharmacy trade that is seldom found.

A must for your collection!

This is a complete, hard to find pharmacy “KONSEAL FILLING and CLOSING APPARATUS” that was used by early 20th century druggists.

The machine was made by The J. M. Grosvenor Co., Boston, and was the most widely used cachet preparation device in American pharmacies.

The condition of this wonderful apothecary tool of the trade is very good, complete with the warm, rich patina one would expect of an antique of this age including the usual scratches, marks and unobtrusive dings and tarnish. The metal parts appear to be nickel plated, and the case is of a hard wood construction. The metal KONSEAL apparatus, when open, measures approximately 18”L x 10”W x 2” H. Note that there is interior and exterior age damage in the center of the wooden case that includes a hairline split in the center. The photos should help better identify this description.

The accessories appear to be complete when compared to the images seen in the directions that is glued to the inside case and my reference text. There are 3 packets with paper directions for patient use.

The interior divider has some minor separation of joints that does not distract from this set.

A must addition for any pharmacy/apothecary collection.

Offered is a wonderful, vintage 1920s, mini-drugstore, Hypodermic Medicine Traveling Case. Gone are the days when doctors would make home visits to their patients, but back when they did, portable, pocket-size cases such as this would be part of their treatment arsenal.

Measuring about 3.5 inches long, this case most likely contained medicines to help with treating chest pain. The pills were easy to dissolve in water, then filled into the syringe and quickly injected.

The case appears to be made of aluminum and opens perfectly (like a vintage cigarette lighter). The condition is very good with some scuffs, mostly on the top.

The 2.5cc size glass and chrome plated metal syringe is in very good condition, measures about 3 inches long, and sports a barrel that withdraws smoothly.

The six, EMPTY vials each have complete labels and corks and are in good condition. Three are from Eli Lilly, each labeled NITROGLYCERIN. The three others are from SHARPE AND DOHME and are labeled GLYCERYLIS NITRAS. There are no needles.

A very nice, 1920's piece of pharmacy and medical history.

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.