Lilly mini 3" tall slender cod liver oil fish bottle

[trickytroll@sbcglobal.net]

Had heard years ago about the fourth size mini of the fish shaped Eli Lilly cod liver oil bottle, but only recently saw and got one. Understand that they originally came in a box of 3. Where are there others!!! Great find, even if it took me 50 years!!

 

[botlguy]

That is quite a find. I never knew they came that small.
Jim

 

[trickytroll@sbcglobal.net]

Eli Lilly mini FISH

Before the internet, there was little knowledge about finds there are today. Still so much out there that comes to light every day now. Check out these pics.

 

[botlguy]

Are those brand new, newly made? Could those be reproductions or are they NOS (New Old Stock)?

 

[trickytroll@sbcglobal.net]

I was told by the owner that he got they quite a few years ago, in his collection and not for sale.

 

[CanadianBottles]

Wow, at first glance I thought that was a Wheaton fantasy bottle. I had no idea that the Wheaton fantasy bottles were based on real bottles that were actually that size.

They definitely look like NOS to me. I never knew Eli Lilly had figural bottles, I mainly know of the as the company that often shows up on the labels of poison bottles.

Why on earth would they make sample size cod liver oil bottles in the first place? I thought it was all the same stuff, generally speaking, and all tasted terrible. It seems like so much work for trying to get people to try your cod liver oil over other cod liver oils.

 

[botlguy]

Somehow I believe these were never filled nor intended to be. Just a gut feeling really but that's my impression.
Jim

 

[sunrunner]

I dug half a do.z of the large size many years ago . did not know about these . and never dug even a shard of one.

 

[trickytroll@sbcglobal.net]

There were three sizes larger than the little 3" one I posted. Next larger one is in the 6" range, largest about the same size with the middle size in between these. Have had numerous of all three regular sizes, but the 3" one is super scarce. Had never seen one in the 50 years of collecting old bottles till I ran across this one.
RLRT

 

[CanadianBottles]

Somehow I believe these were never filled nor intended to be. Just a gut feeling really but that's my impression.
Jim

Ah, I think you may be right. I didn't think of the possibility that they could be meant as a sample of the bottle itself rather than the product, but the label "Cod Liver Oil Fish Bottle" does suggest that the bottle was the important thing. I'd really like to know the story behind these, like who was the sample intended for, and why was it worth the money of having the mold especially made?