de la cour's balm of the white water lily camden nj

[william bradley]

i have dug a de la cour's balm of the white water lily med bottle in nc .it is 5.75 in. tall---light aqua in color---blown in a bottom hinge mold----excellent condition.Can someone give me some info including a value range .will consider selling.Sorry no pic available at this time. phone #252-599-6188. william bradley

 

[GuntherHess]

any chance you can post a photo?

 

[william bradley]

probably thursday.Camera problems.Thank you for your time.

 

[surfaceone]

Hello William,

Welcome to the Blue Pages, and thanks for telling us of your bottle. Were you purposefully digging bottles, or was this a bit of excavation kismet? Our member Tom / Ratzilla, writing in the New Jersey forum, profiles a Beautiful Example.

"Joseph C. Delacour started his drugstore on the SW corner of 3rd & Plum(later renamed Arch)St. in Camden at least as early as 1843. His operation quickly grew, and soon included a laboratory at Front and Arch were medicines were made. This was apparently his version of a 'Balm of 1,000 Flowers' bottle, which it resembles in shape. An early hinge mold bottle, so far I'm not aware of any pontilled ones, but the potential is certainly there, this one was dug from a privy where all the other bottles found were pontilled. It's likely his earlier bottles were label only, as unembossed pontilled bottles the same shape have been dug in that neighborhood. Delacour was in business for many years, at least through 1880, I haven't researched his later years yet. For as big as his store was, this is the only embossed bottle known from him, and it's not very common. There is one example known with the original label, which wrapped al the way around the bottle." Thanks Tom.

There's a thread at Treasure Depot, that contains some additional information.

Hortbottles.

 

[william bradley]

Thanks for the info.Yes,was digging a civil war site near Kinston,nc back in the late 70's.It was found with pontiled meds and whiskey bottles.I use to collect NC Dispensary bottles and dig real small NC towns since I'm from Jackson,NC.Thank you for your time. sorry but my typing sux

 

[Ratzilla]

Hmmm...I think you pretty much have it covered now. I can add that the only example I've seen for sale in recent history - the labeled one - sold for $75. I imagine a nice unlabeled one should bring at least $30 - $40.

 

[GuntherHess]

I would agree it seems to be a knock-off of the Balm of 1000 Flowers bottles. They were quite popular and many people appear to have cloned their own versions.

 

[william bradley]

I think i've got the jist of the de la cours bottle.Will post pics as soon as camera cooperates! By the way a couple yrs. ago found in an old plantation, DR. townsend's sarsaparilla,Albany,NY no 1.The bottle is green with a film of dried medicine? inside.Looks like original cork still present.Bottle is blown in a bottom hinge mold.Wear patterns are present on bottom of bottle.Any thoughts? this is outside of my area of collecting.Any interest?