Open pontil Powell's American Liniment

Tom smith · Oct 27, 2021

I'm posting this for a buddy of mine. This was the first hole he ever dug. The story he told me is that an old civil war trench ran through his backyard. He said he dug six feet down to find the trench line and then somehow found this pit. He said there were about 6 bottles in the pit. This was the only one with embossing and there was only one other one with an open pontil. I find it a bit weird that he did not find a single 3 ringer but maybe he did not look hard. He has found over 200 bottles alone on his property. He also found a super rare blob a will post here soon. I don't know anything about the value or info on the bottle its self. I can't find any info about it online so if you know anything please let me know.

Thank you
Tom Smith

hemihampton · Oct 27, 2021

Don't know anything about the Bottle but any embossed Pontiled Bottle is a good find, Has he found any Civil War Flask like the Clasped Hands or Pikes Peak or any others Flask? I'd like to see pic of super rare Blob you mentioned. LEON.

CanadianBottles · Oct 28, 2021

Wow that's quite the find for someone's first dig! I can understand how he didn't find any bullets if he wasn't sifting or using a metal detector, there are probably plenty of bullets around the area but not enough for one to be likely to show up when using a shovel to dig. Even small bottles can be hard to find when using a large shovel.

K6TIM · Oct 28, 2021

Tom smith said:
I'm posting this for a buddy of mine. This was the first hole he ever dug. The story he told me is that an old civil war trench ran through his backyard. He said he dug six feet down to find the trench line and then somehow found this pit. He said there were about 6 bottles in the pit. This was the only one with embossing and there was only one other one with an open pontil. I find it a bit weird that he did not find a single 3 ringer but maybe he did not look hard. He has found over 200 bottles alone on his property. He also found a super rare blob a will post here soon. I don't know anything about the value or info on the bottle its self. I can't find any info about it online so if you know anything please let me know.

Thank you
Tom Smith

This is a older 1800 bottle.It is poorly made that's why the whittle mark all through the bottle that give it a wave look to it surface.These marks are caused by taking the bottle out of it's mold too quick! Meaning it was still too hot and needed to stay in the form longer.The lip seems to be an extract lip that has been applied to bottle using a lip tool to make that lip.
The bottle is probably a blow pipe pontil mark.Instead of using a regular pontil rod they used a old blow pipe instead as the pontil rod that's why the round indentation mark found on the pontil mark left on this bottle.. today's machine made bottles.We thank of this bottle as being crudely made.It ISN'T they had neither electricty or machines.They HAND MADE them ONLY!Vary nice old liniment bottle.

Harry Pristis · Oct 28, 2021

I agree with nhpharm, K6TIM's post is seriously confused, so confused that I suspect a troll to get a reaction. But, if not a troll, then K6TIM should do more reading.

Cunningham's Law in its simplest form: People generally don’t want to be helpful, but they do want to be the smartest person in the room. Contrast this generality with this measure of intelligence:

Intelligent people practice intellectual humility. Intellectually humble people challenge their conclusions based on evidence and feedback from others. As a simplistic example, you’ll see this when people say, “From what I’ve seen, it could be true.” Rather than, “It’s definitely true.” They frame their observations as open to critique. They prize truth over ego.

midway49 · Oct 29, 2021

In Digger O'dell's "Medicines 2002". One sold in 1988 for $60. Should bring much more today. Seems to be rare- not in Holst book.

Well said Harry! nhpharm is correct.

Harry Pristis · Oct 29, 2021

Interesting liniment! I wonder about the significance of "American" in the label . . . I mean, what is nationalistic about liniment? I have another "American liniment," a JOHNSON'S AMERICAN ANODYNE LINIMENT. My first thought was that these brands date to an intense patriotic period of American history (during the buildup to the Civil War).

Were there other brands enhanced with a reference to the nation, or was this just a lone example with a knock-off?

Marketing? "German kummel" or "French perfume" portray the item as original or even exotic. It's difficult for me to make the connection to original or exotic American liniment.

Open pontil Powell's American Liniment

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