The Most Expensive Poison Bottle

[UnderMiner]

I found this bottle a long time ago. I didn't dig for it but rather found it in my youthful trash picking days. It qualifies as both a historical poison bottle as well as treasure. It contains 1 pound of pure Silver Nitrate crystals and as such likely qualities as the most expensive bottle I have ever found.

Silver Nitrate was used back in the day by pharmacists to make sunscreen and treat certain skin disorders. It was also used in schools to demonstrate metalic chemical precipitation.

If you mix Silver Nitrate with water and then introduce a copper wire to the solution pure silver crystals will form on the copper wire. You can then collect and melt the crystals with a torch and produce a 100% pure lump of silver.

This bottle contains about $350 in pure silver that need only to be added to water to precipitate into its metallic form. The bottle may be small but it is very heavy for its size - the density of Silver Nitrate is more than twice that of similar crystals such as table salt. Interestingly enough silver is actually more expensive in its nitrated crystal form - most chemical suppliers charging at least double - meaning that although this bottle contains $350 in silver it is likely worth closer to $700 in its nitrate crystal form.

The bottle sports two paper label skull and cross bones as well as the word POISON in big letters on the front and side.

 

[web]

Mallinckrodt as listed on the label had a location in ST.Louis right on the Mississippi River next to the McKinley Bridge. There was always a ripe chemical odor when you went across the bridge. I actually remember being treated for a sore inside my mouth with I am sure a diluted mixture. Tasted like crap as I recall but it worked.

 

[TheArchitect]

Several bottles in the 5-figure range have passed through my hands. Here is an Owl Drug KT-1, in attic-mint condition, with original label and stopper. It's loaded with tiny seed bubbles--none open.
Approximately 8 examples of this bottle are known. Most examples are much darker in color, with no bubbles.
This is the first time this photo is uploaded online. Other photos of this bottle have travelled the world. Original image (shot by me) is 200 MB.

 

[Poison_Us]

I have ever only seen 1 Grand Pappy KT-1 for sale. I had to sit and drool at it as I couldn’t compete in the bidding war. Would be a great addition to any Owl Drug collection, which I have many. It sold for $2840. BTW, this is the exact photo we used in our club book

 

[TheArchitect]

Hi:
I took the photo you show above, and provided it to the club several years ago. I've collected TODCO bottles since 1980. Always discovering something new. This bottle sold for $8k. Also, a perfect 9" Grandpappy (deep electric cobalt color) for the same price. I took the photo you show above, and provided it to he club several year ago.
Here is a photo of the same bottle, with it's two cobalt bretheren (original image 200MB)

.

 

[Poison_Us]

Absolutely beautiful . I haven’t picked up anything new in years. More of a passive collector ATM.