My First Drug Store bottle (Local, too!!!)

[Robby Raccoon]

Front:
A. ECKERMANN
PINE ST. DRUG STORE
MUSKEGON, MICH.
Base:
W. T. & Co.
E
Made by W. T. & Co. (Whitall Tatum & Company)-- the "&" was taken out in 1901 by the glass-maker who specialized in medicine bottles from about 1875 on till they turned to insulators.
I believe the name of the druggist until after The Great Pine Street Fire of 1891 (Muskegon) was Alexander Heinrich Adolphus Eckermann of Germany. He isn't present in our 1894 Census (Muskegon.)
Coming to Michigan, he fought in the U.S. Civil War with-- I believe-- the 3rd Michigan Regiment. Afterward, he settled in Grand Rapids till he picked up and left to start his druggery (made-up word) in Muskegon in 1881.
After the 1891 Great Fire, in which his and 250 other businesses burned, he seemed to have been down for awhile. Then, in 1907, a Muskegon Druggist under the name Alexander Eckerman (one n now, not two,) pops up as a new business. He dies on April 4, 1918. The obituary claimed 37 years of druggery (presumably Muskegon-- and 1918 - 37 = 1881)
I discover soon after that Eckermann (2 n's) dies April 4, 1918. BINGO.
He changed his name between 1891 and 1894.
His bottles from his G.R. (Grand Rapids) days are known-- he had run several drug stores there. This one, which I scored for $4, is less-known as I cannot find another pictured.
The bottle itself is likely 1880s.Now, it is one of my favorites.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

E on base for Eckermann? Some way to organize? Behind this bottle is a whole bunch of freebies from my new friend who is a huge collector of Muskegon. 4 boxes of bottles-- 1/3rd from Muskegon including blobs/tooled crowns pre-1906 (S. B. G. Co.-made tells me that.) This bottle, though, I got the day before, alongside a new ACL from my town! (So excited, obviously.) He got all these bottles free, took what he wanted/what he could piece out to his buddies, and told me to take the rest.

 

[botlguy]

Congratulations, local Pharmacy/Druggist bottles are a great collection and the research can be really rewarding. (Actually, it's the same for all local bottles) The style of the bottle looks more like early to mid 1890s to me but research can pin it down closely. Others might have other input. Jim

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Jim, A. Eckermann appears to vanish in 1891. It leads me to believe that the Great Pine Street Fire here knocked him down.A 1907 directory lists an A. Eckerman under "New Business" in Muskegon.

 

[antlerman23]

nice druggist! They are personally my favorite bottles to collect. Its always cool to get a new one!

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Thank you. I was very excited to get it.

 

[hemihampton]

Nice score for $4.00 Congrats. LEON.

 

[Robby Raccoon]

Thanks! I hope to try again with another one.

 

[cowseatmaize]

I'm sure I missed something but I don't think the "E" has anything to do with Eckermann.Download THIS if you don't already have it. It's the most up to date info know of.Go to the section that describes it best.1880-95 seams to fit ..

 

[Robby Raccoon]

I usually go here, for it's quick and easy. But thanks for the Sha page. [] I agree with ''E'' not being for Eckermann ([]) and your saying it's circa 1880 to 1895 based on their page's info. That base is dead-on. Narrowing it down further is easy due to the company being 1881 to, it'd appear, 1891.
So thanks again![8|]