Oliver Johnson Rhode Island - Help Please

[BeachComber]

Hello all! I recently found this medicine bottle and tried to do some research but was unable to find anything on it. Would anyone happen to know the date, what was in it, company information, rarity, etc etc? The bottle is embossed with "Oliver Johnson & Co / Wholesale Druggists / Providence R.I". Any info at all would be great! Thanks.

 

[RIBottleguy]

Hi Beachcomber,You have a nice looking, but common RI medicine bottle. I have a few of these, and would value them at $5-10. Your example looks to date from the 1890s-1910s. Here's my research:In 1833 Oliver Johnson and Sylvester Knight established a drug store in Providence. The store was opposite the Arcade on Weybosset St. In 1834 they purchased the stock of Charles Dyer Jr. and moved 36 and 38 Weybosset St. Knight came from Centreville, and died in 1841. That same year Oliver Johnson opened another store on Market St. In 1844 he was listed as a merchant at 32 Market St. and Broadway. In 1846 he moved again to Exchange St. That same year his son, William Sullivan Johnson (1826-1887) began working for him as a porter and salesman. In 1852 William joined the company which became Oliver Johnson & Son. In 1859 Benjamin W. Spink joined the company, which again became Oliver Johnson & Co. In 1860 they advertised 40 cases of Dyer’s Healing Embrocation. The same year they were listed at 13 Exchange St. In 1865 he ventured into manufacturing and selling paints along with his current drug business. Sometime in the 1850-60s they became proprietors of Barber’s Indian Vegetable Jaundice Bitters. In 1875 they filed a patent for the bitters name. In 1887 he published a very informative article titled “The History of the Drug Business in Providence. In 1889 they were located at 13-19 Exchange St. They were still in business in 1914. A 1921 factory inspection graded the company as excellent with 22 employees. By this time they were only manufacturing paints. In 1932 an article stated that their products were sold under the name of Ojaco and Decocote. It also said their line of What Cheer paints had been discontinued.

 

[2find4me]

Cool little Bill:

 

[Robby Raccoon]

For a squared building it's looking pretty interesting--I love how they did their signs. I wonder if it's still standing?

 

[BeachComber]

Thank you so much! This is exactly the sort of information I was looking for. Extremely helpful and a very interesting bit of history to add to the bottle! Thanks again everyone!