deepbluedigger
Well-Known Member
I'll post a few pics of various British Dalby's bottles here over the next day or three. Starting off with the one in this picture:
A Gell's Dalby's Carminative. One of the most common of British pontilled medicines, although the one in this picture is the relatively scarce early type, with very large and bold embossing. There are later pontilled types with much tidier embossing which are more common, and smooth base examples which, from a labelled example in my collection, must have been in use up to about 1900 or later.
Frances Gell (nee Dalby) was the daughter of the orginal inventor of Dalby's Carminative, which was first sold in the mid 18th century. She eventually sold the rights to her version of the medicine to Newbery & Sons of London, who were one of the main patent medicine proprietors in the UK. They continued to use the 'GELL'S' name for the medicine, and embossed it on their bottles, until the 20th century. There was (as seems to be usual for many of the earlier patent medicines) a family feud between Frances Gell and another family member (can't remember the relationship right now - possibly a cousin) about ownership of the 'rights' to the 'original' Dalby's Carminative. That rival used clear flint glass bottles embossed with the name 'James Dalby'. Photos of that and other types to follow in the next few days.
The little Turlington's in the centre of the group is an American example!
A Gell's Dalby's Carminative. One of the most common of British pontilled medicines, although the one in this picture is the relatively scarce early type, with very large and bold embossing. There are later pontilled types with much tidier embossing which are more common, and smooth base examples which, from a labelled example in my collection, must have been in use up to about 1900 or later.
Frances Gell (nee Dalby) was the daughter of the orginal inventor of Dalby's Carminative, which was first sold in the mid 18th century. She eventually sold the rights to her version of the medicine to Newbery & Sons of London, who were one of the main patent medicine proprietors in the UK. They continued to use the 'GELL'S' name for the medicine, and embossed it on their bottles, until the 20th century. There was (as seems to be usual for many of the earlier patent medicines) a family feud between Frances Gell and another family member (can't remember the relationship right now - possibly a cousin) about ownership of the 'rights' to the 'original' Dalby's Carminative. That rival used clear flint glass bottles embossed with the name 'James Dalby'. Photos of that and other types to follow in the next few days.
The little Turlington's in the centre of the group is an American example!
