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All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> What is it? BEFORE 1900 >> Veterinary Bottle?

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Veterinary Bottle? - 3/5/2003 10:52:34 AM    Guest About 20 years ago, I found what I assume is an old bottle (sorry I don' t have a picture) in the rafters of a very old barn. It' s square with smooth edges, 8 inches tall with a red painted, metal cap. It may have been clear when new, but it is tinted purple now, possibly thanks to the liquid inside (about 3/4 full). It has 1- 16oz markings and the words Dr. C.H. Michel & Co. Cleveland - Ohio on one side. The bottom has what seems like a pontil(?) with a decoration pressed on and what looks like a skeleton head between the numbers 2 and 4 and an L under the skull. Several years ago I tried to research it at the Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa, NY , but had no luck. I' d appreciate any help. Thanks.   Post #: 1

RE: Veterinary Bottle? - 3/5/2003 7:21:23 PM    woody   Posts: 1679 Joined: 10/29/2002 From: Gilmanton, New Hampshire Status: online The purple tint is indicative of a bottle that is sun colored amethyst. Clear bottle turning purple. I doubt if it has a pontil on it if it has a metal cap. The graduated measures on the side is usually seen on medicine bottles, hence the Dr.s name on the bottle also. What I would guess would be a local medicine bottle from the early 1900' s, without the advantage of having a picture. The numbers on the base of the bottle are usually mold numbers for the bottle manufactuer. _____________________________ Woody (in reply to Guest) Post #: 2

RE: Veterinary Bottle? - 3/8/2003 6:18:32 PM    AndyR   Posts: 47 Joined: 1/8/2003 From: Conroe, Texas (but originally Massachusetts) Status: offline Hi Lynn - If the glass is purple from the liquid, it probably only is purple as high up on the bottle as the liquid contents went before they evaporated (if they did). If the entire bottle has attained a purplish coloring it is probably from exposure to daylight for those many years in the barn. Most clear glass had manganese added to make it clear. How much maganese was added to the glass mix and how long the bottle was exposed to the sun' s UV rays deteremines how dark the purple color will be. Bottle collectors call this sun-colored amethyst. Manganese was added mainly between the early 1880s and the beginning of World War I. So the bottle' s coloring may help to date it. It' s not clear you' re saying the pontil scar is - is it in the center of the bottle bottom? If there is a skull on the bottle, it is probably an indication that the contents were poisonous if ingested. I can' t think of many human medicines that were marked poisonous for internal use, but acceptable for external use. If it is a medicine, you might be right, that it' s a veterinary medicine. Keep in mind that many poisonous liquids were (and are) put in bottles, including cleaning agents, insecticides, etc. I have no clue on the Dr. C. H. Michels Company of Cleveland. Check with the Cleveland Public Library - City Directories could surely identify this company. Let us know what you find out. Good luck! < Message edited by AndyR -- 3/8/2003 6:19:21 PM > (in reply to Guest) Post #: 3

All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> What is it? BEFORE 1900 >> Veterinary Bottle?

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