A pair of Weiss Eagles

[botlguy]

Just curious, because of the small population and lack of variety of our state, what IDAHO pharmacy / pharmacies do you have?

 

[DruggistBottles]

According to my list I have a "THE OWL DRUG STORE / RAY & OSMERS, PROPS / LEWISTON, IDAHO" it has an owl on moon graphic. I am still looking for a colored druggist and a territorial one (assuming either exists). I like to get reference books when they come out for different states to see if I can even find some that match what I am looking for. I believe I have some other Idaho bottles that just have plain text. These I have not inventoried yet.

I use to have a black glass cylinder with the following etched in its side "FORT / SHERMAN / IDAHO-TERR. / 1878 - 95". I figured some soldier made it as a survivor. Unfortunately I sold it at a Federation auction to pay for a laptop back in 2008. The stupid laptop died two week after the 1 year warrantee went out. I wish I had that and the other bottles I sold back.

 

[cacarpetbagger]

Quite the collection, I wouldn't mind seeing more.

 

[sandchip]

ORIGINAL: cacarpetbagger

Quite the collection, I wouldn't mind seeing more.

Same here. Very impressive.

 

[DruggistBottles]

Someday I plan to do postings for each state calling for people to show druggist bottles. I have been waiting until I had time to set up a better way to take pictures of mine.

 

[botlguy]

ORIGINAL: DruggistBottles
According to my list I have a "THE OWL DRUG STORE / RAY & OSMERS, PROPS / LEWISTON, IDAHO" it has an owl on moon graphic. I am still looking for a colored druggist and a territorial one (assuming either exists). I like to get reference books when they come out for different states to see if I can even find some that match what I am looking for. I believe I have some other Idaho bottles that just have plain text. These I have not inventoried yet.

I use to have a black glass cylinder with the following etched in its side "FORT / SHERMAN / IDAHO-TERR. / 1878 - 95". I figured some soldier made it as a survivor. Unfortunately I sold it at a Federation auction to pay for a laptop back in 2008. The stupid laptop died two week after the 1 year warrantee went out. I wish I had that and the other bottles I sold back.

I appreciate your response Bill. I have a few Coeur d' Alene Pharms, 1 duplicate if you are ever interested. I am MORE than willing to help research what is available from IDAHO if you want. I have an older (1996) inventory list of known IDAHO bottles and several contacts. Let me know what you would like to know. The Lewiston OWL is a very desirable Idaho bottle bring pretty high prices when available.

I can tell you now that there are darn few, if any, COLORED pharms, few pictorial and not many overall. I know of only one (1) Territory pharm and I believe (I just don't remember for sure, it's been about 10 years since it's discovery and sale on eBay) it is from Lewiston. Your "black glass cylinder" is from Fort Sherman in Coeur d' Alene and I suspect you might be correct about it being Soldier made. We have discovered quite a few "Etched" Ale, Champaign, Wine bottles in the dumps around. Most are flower designs. Hard to know for sure, these can be easily faked even now.

If you ever come across any Coeur d' Alene bottles you would part with I am interested. I got several nice examples from that "Cannibal" guy from Missouri awhile back. Thanks again Jack.

 

[Bottleworm]

I see a Joliet, Danville, Chicago, 2 Shuh's drug stores from Cairo really like those. That's all I can make out. But those are some darn nice bottles!

ORIGINAL: DruggistBottles

Bottleworm, as you like Illinois bottles I know you will like these colors even more...

They are all from Illinois. The Halsey is a super dark violet that is it black unless one holds it directly in a light and look at the bottom. Normally I do not keep druggist if they do not have the word "druggist" and their location. However, I know the Broadwells are from Springfield and I have no other druggist the color of the Halsey. Hopefully you can make out all the towns on the others. Shrinking the photos to fit the site makes it hard. Sometime I will do individual ones.

 

[DruggistBottles]

Bottleworm,
Sorry that picture's size cut down on being able to read them. Here is basically the embossing:

North Western Homaeo. Pharmacy Co. Chicago
Sargent's Drug Store Chicago
Broadwell's Velotine (this is from Springfield)
M. C. Metzger Druggist ... Cairo, ILL
Carson's Prescription Pharmacy Danville, IL
Will Blythe Druggist Centralia, ILLS
Schuh's Drug Store Cairo, ILL
Schuh's Drug Store Cairo, ILL
John Wester Prescription Druggist Rockford, ILL
Halsey Bros Co Chicago
Broadwell's Velotine (this is from Springfield)
Dr. F.G. Downey Homeopathist Clinton, IL

I have a number of other small amber "DR" bottles from Illinois not pictured. Plus some other colored Illinois druggist. One is a yellow Chicago druggist. Wait I should say citron, that is a more exciting name. Illinois druggists were the first I pursued. As I told you earlier, once I start digging through those that are boxed up I will let you know what I have. Eventually I plan to sell the plan text ones but have been making myself get rid of soda, meds, inks etc first. Just in case I decide to keep all the druggists. I use to have many pontiled Chicago sodas and a few rare medicines that I have already parted with them. I even had a Horse Shoe Bitters that was Hostetters shaped. Good luck on your Illinois collection. Just don't let it get out of hand.... When I bought an Illinois Druggist's cabinets and his 6' long sign (1880s) I knew I had passed the point of no return.

 

[Bottleworm]

Some really nice and rare bottles you have in that picture there. One time antiquing I found a citron druggist bottle with green swirls in it and it was from somewhere in Illinois but I can't remember and it was only like $5. Unfortunately I didn't get it and for the life of me I can't figure out why! And for the out of hand bottles take up a lot of my room both of my dressers have bottles on them and then I have a shelf with bottles on them. Not all of them are Illinois though. Some are the ones my dad found digging back in the 70's and some are just random common ones. So it isn't quite out of hand yet but it will get there! Eventually......! That is still something I don't have is a colored druggist from Illinois or a pontiled soda. I have had my chances and they went on by.

 

[DruggistBottles]

Bottleworm,

I think we all have some kind of story about one that got away. For some reason we don't act and regret it later. I saw a rare St. Louis Bitters in a shop in Kentucky once. The price was good if it was a common bitters. But the bottle was clear and for some reason I held off. Well I did not collect Bitters was one reason. Later I asked someone and they told me they are rare and go for over $300. Oh well.

Be patient and I am sure you will find a nice colored druggist and a pontiled soda. They are around. Hold off if the price seems too high. I have seen many go high one time then a year or two later can be found a lot more reasonably. I am holding off on a colored St. Louis druggist right now because the price seems too high to me. Even though it is the first one of that name I have seen. I think one has to be careful with rarity. Most bottles were made in the hundreds and thousands. There is always a chance more may turn up. Personally I prefer to dig or trade for bottles. The less money involved the better. I don't think I could relax if I ever paid $1,000 for a bottle and had it sitting on a shelf. But then I have a cat. I think I would be ok with a $1,000 bottle I had dug on a shelf. But then... I am still waiting on digging one of those.

I am pretty sure I do have one duplicate green Illinois druggist (a Danville Carson's). Once I get around to inventorying my Illinois druggist I will let you know. Maybe we can work something out.