Catalog (140)

Offered is a terrific tool of the Pharmacy trade from the 1940-1950 era. This near-perfect drug label moistener sports the following information that is stamped on the circular portion of the wheel: "IDEAL MOISTENER" - Sengbusch Self-Closing Inkstand Co. Milwaukee, Wis.

The tub-like base measures 4.25"L x 3.25"W x 2.25"H and has 2 notches on the sides that support the heavy wheel. The 2.75" diameter wheel fits and spins smoothly upon the base. A small group of pharmacy labels are included from the BUSY CORNER DRUG STORE of Denver, Colorado! The condition is very fine. A wonderful addition and often overlooked implement for one's pharmacy collection.

Offered is a rare, ONE OF A KIND set of early 1900s Apothecary Bottles w/ Herbs from the ALEMEDA DRUG STORE, DENVER COLORADO.

Each 5.75 inch high clear glass bottle sports a paper label with the name of the contents typed in.

The bottles are in fine shape with ground glass stoppers in place. The labels are in very good condition with crimps, stains and mild edge loss as expected with vintage bottles that have been used. This set should be in a museum!

The first bottle, MYRRH, historically was used as incense and as a powerful medicine. During the early 1900s, it was used as an astringent, antiseptic, anti-tussive, and anti-spasmotic to name a few.

The second bottle, contains SANGINARY ROOT and has a colorful history in Native American folklore, often being used as a medicine for sore throat, cough, or to be applied as body paint.

The 3rd bottle, LYCOPODIUM, is known as a homeopathic remedy and was noted as being very effective in treating hernias. Today there are nearly 20 maladies claiming benefit from lycopodium.

The 4th bottle, Powdered STRAMONIUM, has been a key ingredient in the treatment of breathing ailments such as asthma from the early 1800s to the 1950s! It is still used under the trade name Atrovent.

Offered is a lovely grouping of seven, vintage WITCH HAZEL labels that were acquired at auction in 1997 when the E.E. DICKINSON - WITCH HAZEL COMPANY officially closed its doors in Essex, Connecticut.

These highly-colorful, lithographed paper labels are all UNUSED, NEW OLD STOCK in wonderful condition. Besides manufacturing its own witch hazel under its own name, the E. E. Dickinson Company also packaged the identical witch hazel for a variety of different vendors, such as: S.X.BRAND.N.F., BAILEY'S, and MERRIMACK.

At the time of the auction, all remaining company stock was removed from storage for the factory-closing sale. We believe these labels predate the 1930s. Given the vibrant color and graphic design, these undoubtedly would look fabulous framed!

The 4 large size labels, measuring 10 inches in diameter, were for use on 50 gallon barrels or drums and are offered at $15.00 each. The 3 smaller labels are 8.5 inches in diameter and are offered at $12.00 each.

A framed display of ALL 7 barrel labels together would be quite visually-stunning! With this decorative thought in mind, all 7 labels can also be purchased a single group, offered at $80.00.

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!

This difficult to find tool-of-the trade pharmacy “IDEAL CAPSULE FILLER” was used by early 20th century druggists to enhance their capsule production. The patent date is stamped Oct. 31, 1905, and research indicates that it was produced by the "Baltimore Capsule Co."

The machine produces 2 different size capsules and has a filling plate that sports 4 parallel rows, each having the capacity of making 24 capsules. Also included are 2 capsule filling trays.

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. (Two top wood edges have been lost due to use, time and age as seen in the photos.) The metal parts appear to be nickel plated, and the wood base looks like walnut. The filler measures approximately 13”L x 4.5”W x 4.5” H.

The interior contains sand that was used to add weight and stabilize the box when in use.

A must addition for any pharmacy/apothecary collection!

Offered is a choice, C1900, EMPTY, pharmacy POISON bottle from Sharpe & Dohme, Baltimore, Maryland, that sports a full red colored label on front and ribbed edges on the sides and back.

This 4 inch, amber bottle is in fine shape, it has a labeled cork plus a label on back with directions for an antidote.

The front label has a tiny, missing piece by the letter 'K' in the word PINK. Both labels are mildly faded and lightly stained from age.

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 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 is a fabulous, eye-appealing, one-pan balance scale sporting a marble top and an extraordinarily decorative, chrome-plated, iron base.

The chrome surfaced top front name plate reads: "The MICROMETER Patented Mar. 22 - 1898 / Jul. 21 - 1903. The Dodge Scale Co. 11th Ave. & 20th St. New York."

This fancy balance scale utilizes a novel-designed, weighted beam that turns a moveable weight resulting in great accuracy.

The attractive, liquid, bubble level is fully functional. The plated pan measures 9 inches in diameter. The chrome-plated base measures 12.75 inches L x 5.5 inches W. The height of the scale measures 9.75 inches high with the pan in place.

Overall, the condition notes minimal surface rust and chrome loss mostly to the scale mechanism. The marble is undamaged, with mild rust stain and minor surface scuffs. There are some minimal, unobtrusive areas of loose or peeling chrome. Condition and patina are commensurate with age and use of an antique apothecary scale.

The fusion of ingenuity of design and function combined with quality and accuracy sets this scale apart from its contemporaries and makes it a perfect, present-day apothecary collectible.

Still works perfectly!

*****SHIPPING WEIGHT IS 20 POUNDS*****

Offered is a wonderful group of nine, EMPTY, drugstore, medical Hypodermic Medicine Tablet Boxes w/vials from Parke Davis & Co. Each box sports complete labels dating from the early 1900s to the 1920 era.

The first three tablet boxes, "GLONOIN", measure 2.75 inches long, are in very good condition, and date to the 1920s.

Next are four boxes of "HYOSCINE" that are in excellent condition and date to the 1920s. The boxes measure 2.75 inches and are all marked "POISON".

The last two tablet boxes measure 3.25 long and date to the early 1900s. PHYSOSTICMINE and STRYCHNINE each contain three perfectly labeled vials. The Strychnine vial mentions the 1906 Food and Drug Act on the tiny end label.

The condition of the boxes are very good!

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!

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 #3*****

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 is an interesting and varied, quality sextet of Patent Medicines as follows!

First is a Munyon's Headache Cure which has a screw cap glass vial in a colorful box. This medicine sports a partial tax stamp, measures 2.75 inches and is in fine condition.

The two Dr. Franklin's Specific Cures measure just over 3 inches long and sport very graphic and appealing labels. The first glass vial marked #24, cures Diseases of the Ear and Hearing and more. The second glass vial marked #31, cures Sore Mouth and Canker, plus Morning Sickness, Syphilitic Sore mouth and more. The condition of both vials is very good.

Next, is a very colorful REQUA'S CUBEB CIGARETTES box of 12--complete! This Brooklyn, N.Y., medicine claims to relieve minor sore throat and bronchial irritations including nasal congestion due to colds. Please note the image of the patient puffing casually on a cigarette to retain good health!!!! The box is in good condition with wrinkling and creases and is 3.25 inch high.

MOTHERSILL'S TRAVEL REMEDY is a cute box of 12 capsules for children. This 2 inch cutie is empty, in very nice condition and is made in N.Y.

Item #6 is a laxative tin, QUINARETS, from the Virginia Chemical Company with partial contents, pamphlet and is in good condition. The tin measures 2.5 inches with some mild scratches and wear.

Together a wonderful grouping of quite interesting patent medicines from the early 1900s to 1940s.

Offered is a circa 1920s, four-tier, clear glass Apothecary Show Globe. Stacking show globes such as this have always been a highly sought after apothecary artifact for those building a venerable collection of old pharmacy items. This lovely, 26 inch tall example is a visual statement piece- one to be admired for years to come.

Each individual globe sports ground glass construction and each fits into position with perfection. The interior of all sections is sparkling clear with almost no trace of staining, a problem which is often seen in such pieces, but not here.

The only flaw is a very small surface crack in the large globe as seen in the photos. This does not effect structural integrity as the globe holds water with no leakage whatsoever. This imperfection, in fact, is not visible when the globe is filled with water. It can also be easily hidden by positioning this side of the globe facing towards the back of one's display. Simply a faulous piece!

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

This complete display consists of 24, colorful CHANDLER'S medicine boxes, each of which contain the original brown pills!

Each box's label includes ingredients described as Acetanilide 1 gr., Caffeine Alkaloid 1/16 gr.,, Po. Ext. Dogwood, Po. Extract Gentian, Cascarin, Po. Capsicum, Podophyllin, and Aloin.

Packed by CHANDLER MEDICINE CO. - Office 2812 Dodier Street, ST. LOUIS, MO., the display measures 6" x 5" x 1" and is in unused, fine condition. ***NOTE*** The cover must be separated from each corner to be set-up as a display as seen in photo.

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

Please Note: All BLACK LABEL bottles are PRICED EACH @ $6.00 per bottle. ALL RED LABEL POISON bottles are PRICED EACH at $10.00 per bottle.

****NOTE ****CHLOROHYDRATE, QUININE, PHENOBARB bottles are SOLD****

Offered is a wonderful collection of approximately 35 Merck & Company pharmacy stock bottles from the 1940 - 1950s era, recently acquired from the collection of a retired Pennsylvania pharmacist.

Included within this grouping are five, RED-labeled, POISON bottles displaying the visually-interesting skull and cross bone image!

The bottles measure 5 inches tall, sport front and back labels and have plastic or bakelite type caps. The condition of all of the bottles is very good with almost no wear!

Each bottle sports a different content label; given the number of bottles in this offering, a comprehensive listing of specific bottle content labels is prohibitive. Instead, please view each of the photos for a representation of the content labeling on these great drug store stock bottles!

The entire grouping all together would make an absolutely stunning addition to one's pharmacy collection!

This very colorful and detailed pictorial display salutes the achievement of America's First Apothecary General, Boston's Andrew Craigie, commissioned in 1777. He had served as Massachusetts' Committee of Safety as Apothecary and fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill, continuing to serve American forces throughout the Revolutionary War.

This display is one of a series entitled "The History of Pharmacy in Pictures" produced by Parke Davis in the late 1950's to early 1960's honoring the story of American Pharmacy.

This scene depicts Craigie providing aid during the June 17, 1775, Revolutionary War, Battle of Bunker Hill, Charlestown, Boston, Massachusetts.

This self-framed, white-bordered artwork is constructed of a quality, thick, card board and has a built-in easel on back for displaying. The picture can also be easily framed.

Perfect, intense color throughout - no fading - any glare seen is due to lighting conditions during photography. Measures approximately 21" long x 17.75" wide.

Offered is a wonderful group of seven, Hypodermic Medicine Tablet Boxes w/vials from Eli Lilly and Sharpe & Dohme. Each box sports complete labels dating from the early 1900s to the 1920 era.

The first two tablet boxes are from Eli Lilly and measure 3.25 inches long and date to the early 1900s. The NITROGLYCERIN box contains 5 labeled tubes and is in excellent condition. The PROCAINE medicine box contains 1 labeled tablet tube and is in very good condition.

The second group are five SHARPE & DOHME tablet boxes (4 measure 3.25 and one measures 4.25 inches long). The condition of the boxes are very good with the red colored CAFFEINE box showing one piece of tape on one end. The CAFFEINE box contains 5 perfect glass tablet vials and dates to the 1910 era. Two SCOPOLAMINE tablet boxes are excellent. Two CLYCERYLIS boxes are in very good condition, one of which contains a full compliment of vials while the second has four vials.

A unique opportunity to acquire scarce medicines!