Medicine Chest: Bottle Hunting in the Big Apple

By John Panella and Joe Widman

SOME NEW YORK FINDS

Bottle hunting in the Big Apple. Interesting New York City and Brooklyn discoveries

Through the years and always learning

Seems funny how, with years of bottle collecting discoveries, networking in bottle shows, auctions, flea markets and searches of every remote city thrift shop, true bottle collectors learn by experience. They research and link their discoveries to share their information. Unearthing artifacts via excavation and detection provide various online forums for collectors to introduce themselves to each other, and to discuss their finds and connect the dots to find historic as well as aesthetic value in discovering certain items of interest.

Antique bottles are a bonanza of diversification and bring color, shape and weight, but most of all a quest for history with each discovery. We like when our artifacts tell a story. While searching for a topic for this month’s Medicine Chest, I was reviewing old pictures and emails and came across this one from Stephen Atkinson, a long time collector and friend, with regard on to how, via communication, we all broaden each other’s interests and share our finds with our other buddies we know could be interested.

How many times have we seen an item that screams another collector’s name at you at first sight. Often this leads to the betterment of the hobby, acquiring historical knowledge and pleasing a friend all at the same time. This is why I was attracted to this hobby from an early collecting stage in my everlasting hunt for related items pertinent to my own interests and geographic location.

Stephen’s post, dated 2019, in a Facebook forum in which we are all members, reads as follows: “Thank you Kevin Kyle for this unique bottle. Although I really like this one and have only had it one day, I will be sending this one to John Panella, as I can’t think of anyone who would enjoy this more than he, as this bottle is from his own local backyard.”

Here is a really rare Brooklyn New York Cone shape Flint glass medicinal/chemical bottle. This bottle is embossed R. J. DAVIES-CHEMIST-BROOKLYN. It appears to have a gall pontil to boot. In research that I did today he left the firm of Rushton & Aspinwall in 1838. In this column I intend to look briefly into these businesses, their products and advertising and their impact on old New York.

R.J. Davies continued in business until 1867. He had a store located at Fulton and Clinton streets in Brooklyn. Their advertising tells a story of its own. One ad reads: “Medicine Perfumery & Company R.J. Davies Chemist And Apothecary Late with Rushton and Aspinwall. The corner of Fulton & Clinton Streets, Brooklyn, keeps every article in his business of the best quality. Mineral waters, soda and Seiditz powders, brushes, perfumery fancy articles. English, French and American chemicals. His friends and the public are invited to call.”

In December’s Medicine Chest we are going to continue with some of the top historic New York bottle and stoneware finds from Rushton & Aspinwall. We’ll follow up with other significant advertising and artifacts from the early days of patent medicines and apothecary nostrums. Tighten your shoe buckles for a good walk through local history.

TOP: R.J. DAVIES / CHEMIST / BROOKLYN rare cone-shaped bottle. MIDDLE: The base of the DAVIES bottle, showing the glass gall. BOTTOM: Early advertisement for R.J. Davies, listing imported goods for their drugstore.

PHOTOS (clockwise, from top left):

Early image of the Brooklyn Flint Glass Works. Rare "Dalby's Carminative bottle. A&W. UNDERHILL / DRUGGISTS / NO 15 PECK SLIP / NEW YORK stoneware jar. Brooklyn flint glass lantern. N. W. Seates / Negative Electric Fluid / New York, rare sample size. Three small embossed medicine vials. From left to right: HOLLAND bottle; second example is G. deKOENIG TILLY, and the third is HAARLEM OIL. An early R.J. Davies advertisement.

Remember: Advertising doesn’t cost, IT PAYS!

A display ad this size costs only $30.00 for one month. What are you waiting for? Call us today! Publisher’s Note:

Antique Bottle & Glass Collector is looking for great digging stories! Do you have an interesting digging (or diving), story that you would like to share with your fellow readers? Let us know, as we would love to include recent finds and funny stories in one of our upcoming issues. And don’t forget about the Antique Bottle & Glass Collector Writer’s Contest: you may also win a great bottle! Send articles (and don’t forget to include plenty of good images) to: Antique Bottle & Glass Collector Attn: Editor P.O. Box 227 New Hudson, MI 48165

Phone: 248.486.0530

Email: jpastor@americanglassgallery.com