If you are just visiting and found the information you were looking for please contribute to the running costs by making a donation.	Forums : : Register : : Log In : : Log Out : : Help : : Calendar : : Search
	My Setup : : Member List : : Contact Admin : : Today's Posts

All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> What is it? BEFORE 1900 >> usa medical bottles

Page: [1]

Login Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>

usa medical bottles - 7/17/2003 2:59:30 PM    Guest hi,wanted to know more about these and thier worth..... thanks mike Attachment (1) < Message edited by Admin -- 7/21/2003 11:47:24 AM >   Post #: 1

RE: usa medical bottels - 7/21/2003 11:21:32 AM    Guest Hello Michael. You have some nice bottles here. The best one is the amber U.S.A Hospital Dept. This particular bottle was used during the Civil War, but I don' t know if it held any specific medicine. I suspect it contained whatever the government decided to put in it...alcohol...chloroform...who knows. It comes in other colors such as shades of olive green, green, aqua, amber, and cobalt blue, and also in half a dozen different sizes, ranging from about 2.5 inches to roughly 9 inches tall. Most that I' ve seen have been cylinders like yours, but some are oval in shape. Large ambers are worth around $500 in mint condition. However, I just saw one at the Shupp' s Grove bottle show that was around $800, if memory serves me correctly. In any event, its a nice looking and historical piece of glass. I don' t know when the design and wording was changed to that of your other two bottles. Hopefully, someone else can help us both out with some details? They appear to be from the 1880' s - 1890' s. I did find the U.S.A Med' l Dept. listed in " The Auction Price Report" by William Brown. An aqua 9" quart in perfect condition sold for $121 in 1993 and another in 1996 for $203. By the way, your amber bottle was also listed, but there were too many examples to list. As a final note, please be aware that the Civil War version is currently being reproduced, and it is very realistic. However, the original bottles have a smooth base (I have heard of, but not seen, an iron pontil example) but the reproductions have a pontil scar. I hope this helps. If I find any more historical data, I' ll let you know. (in reply to Guest)   Post #: 2

RE: usa medical bottles - 7/23/2003 5:41:33 PM    BottlesandMore   Posts: 44 Joined: 7/10/2003 Status: offline Michael, I hope the following long but informative note helps. This was presented in our March 2003 Bottles and More Magazine. The U.S.A Hospital Department bottles were manufactured for use by the Union Army and their personnel and hospitals. During the beginning of the Civil War, the medicines were being packaged in many different ways. Most of the drugs and medicinal products were being sealed in paper and parchment. Unfortunately, this was of a fragile nature and they did not hold up well during transportation to battlefield hospitals. Although tin containers were the most widely used container, the glass bottle played a role during the Civil War. Manufacturing of the glass hospital bottles commenced in 1862, it is widely believed, however there are several of these bottles known with rough iron pontiled bases suggesting the possibility that they had been produced prior to that year. The Union thought the war would not last long, but after the defeat at First Manassas, the reality of war lasting years was evident. The Army Medical Dept. under the auspicies of their procurement department contracted with 2 firms to manufacture a variety of bottles for use in the battlefield hospitals. One in Pittsburgh and one in Baltimore. The bottles were produced in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes. The bottles were probably used by color for several basic typed of medicines, since illiteracy was rampant. The bottles blown in Baltimore have a flat base, while those blown in Pittsburgh have a recessed concave base. This type of bottle design lasted through 1870. From the pictures you have posted, the aqua bottles would in mint condition bring in the $100-$200 range. The amber in mint condition $500 or so. The bottle in amber that was present on Larry Marshalls table in Shupps Grove was more of an apricot color and would be a fair price at $700. It is not unusual to find these in different types of colors, and depending on the style they can bring more. For example, we had an aqua that had the same style top as your amber bottle in our last auction...it brought $550. Get a subscription to one of the bottle magazines available, even if it is not mine, you can learn alot from them and get active in one great hobby. (in reply to Guest) Post #: 3

All Forums >> [Bottle Forums] >> What is it? BEFORE 1900 >> usa medical bottles

Page: [1]

New Messages No New Messages Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages

Post New Thread  Reply to Message  Post New Poll  Submit Vote  Delete My Own Post  Delete My Own Thread  Rate Posts