MULL'S GRAPE TONIC / ROCK ISLAND, ILL. -  Interestingly enough, this bottle was blown in the exact same mold as the labeled Mull's Tonic listed above.  This is indicated via a close inspection of the embossing pattern between the two (identical) and the presence of an embossed "3" mold number on the base.  As with the other example, this bottle is the smaller rectangular variant in a medium amber color with a touch of red (blown out of the same batch as the labeled example?),  7.5" tall, smooth base (the noted embossed "3"), a tooled "oil" type finish (long tapered collar), and dates from the very late 1890s to early 1900s.  Condition of this example is also near mint; no noticeable "issues" like chips, cracks, or staining.  $25

BOCK'S RESTORATIVE TONIC - Offered here are two different variations of the same fairly rare medicinal tonic product from Paducah, Kentucky but offered by two different companies.  Likely one preceded the other, but I don't know the actual history of these bottles or the companies embossed on them.  Both share the same manufacturing features and are essentially identical in dimensions: 9 3/8th inches tall, tooled "patent" finish or lip, aqua glass and blown in air-vented cup-base molds.  Both bottles appear to date from the late 1880s to very early 1900s.

The bottle on the right in the images I believe to be the older one.  It is embossed within an indented panel with BOCK'S RESTORATIVE TONIC / MANUFACTURED BY / S. H. WINSTEAD MEDICINE CO.  The left side panel is embossed with PADUCAH, KY. U.S.A.; the right side panel is also indented but with no embossing. Click the embossing close-up to see a larger version of that image. 

Unlike most paneled patent medicine bottles with vertical embossing, this example reads from the base upwards instead of from the top down.  I would guess that at least 95% of vertically embossed medicine bottles read from the top down in what I call "right hand" embossing, i.e., that by holding the bottle in the right hand and tipping it left one can read the embossing right side up.  This example would be a "left hand" vertically embossed bottle - holding it in the left hand and tipping it right   Additionally, the left side panel embossing runs from bottom to top and also "left" handed.  An unusual conformation all around.

The other example (bottle on the left in the images) is embossed normally ("right" handed top to bottom) with BOCK'S RESTORATIVE TONIC / MANUFACTURED BY / THE LAX-FOS COMPANY / INCORPORATED. The left side panel is also embossed with PADUCAH, KY. U.S.A. (reading top to bottom like the front panel); the right side panel is also indented but with no embossing.  I think this is the later bottle as the hyphenated company name and incorporation seem later to my mind.

Condition of the two bottles differ.  The Winstead Medicine Co. example (oldest I think) is essentially mint with no chips, cracks, dings; it just has a few very light wisps of staining and minor scuffing on the back.  It is a sparkling beauty with a nice blue aqua color and bubbles in the glass.  The other example has some moderate overall staining and a couple small areas of edge-of-the-lip roughness which is more felt than seen.  Otherwise the bottle is free from damage and decent to the eye.  See the images for more details.  Neither of the two bottles is listed in Baldwin's nor Matt Knapp's medicine bottle books, though the Winstead example is briefly noted in Fike's 1987 book but with no history noted.  Both are likely rare regional "tonic" medicinal bottles.  $95 for the pair.

W. M. JOHNSON'S / PURE HERB TONIC / SURE CURE / FOR ALL MALARIAL DISEASES -  That is all embossed on one side of the this square "bitters" type bottle.  Click different view of the embossing to see such with the bottle laying on its side.  Wonder what "ALL" malarial diseases means as I thought malaria was a stand alone disease?  Regardless, this is a nice bold and voluminously embossed Western tonic and cure bottle all wrapped up together. 

As far as history, the maker was located in Marysville, CA. being owned by W. D. Kenyon and W. M. Johnson.  According to my copy of "The Hedden's Store Handbook of Proprietary Medicines" (a great little book from 1974 about the bottles in the original contents of a drugstore in Scottsburg, Oregon) the Johnson's Tonic trademark was registered in California in 1901 (never trademarked at the national level) though the product was first produced in 1900.  Heddon's store had one with the original label and contents and the "cure" claims were much broader than just "malarial diseases" including "...sick headache, billiousness, indigestion, neuralgia, heat affections and general debility...".  This product must not have been made for very long since it would have been making largely illegal claims come mid-1906 and the implementation of the Pure Food & Drugs Act.  And indeed, the bottles are seen now and then but are not plentiful.

The bottle is about 24 ozs. in capacity, stands 8.75" tall, has a tooled "oil" finish or lip, and is embossed on the base with 147 / G.  That is a typical type of base marking used by an unknown California glass company since many Western bottles of that very early 1900s have similar markings though with different numbers and letters.  It has relatively heavy glass which is a moderately dark chocolate amber with maybe a bit of red.  Click on the close-up view to see a larger version and judge the color for yourself; the image shows it accurately to my eye.  The bottle is essentially perfect with no chips, cracks, or staining of note.  There are a few very minor surface scuffs but basically it is about as perfect as the day it was made.  $200

F. STEARNS & CO. DETROIT, MICH. - That is embossed vertically on one of the narrow corners (first image to the right) of this more or less triangular shaped bottle. The label and box note that Stearns Cod Liver Extract Tonic was good for an assortment of health issues like "nervous exhaustion, malnutrition, impoverished blood supply" and others directed at "...elderly people, weak women, pale children, and convalescents."  Also probably helped to have 16% alcohol to preserve the product.

This is a mouth-blown bottle with a tooled "patent" finish; the vertical side mold seam ending well below the base of the lip.  The identical bottle and box labels (far right image) do note that the label was adopted in 1916 making this relatively late "hand-made" bottle.  The glass is a dark amber color and the bottle has a perfect body label, a totally intact box (a bit of discoloring due to age and a couple minor creases), and a folded flyer or pamphlet inside noting that "UNLESS YOU Glance at this pamphlet -IT'S MISSON - "to be helpful" WILL NOT HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED"  The pamphlet elaborates on the uses of this tonic as well as other products touted by the company.  Frederick Stearns & Co. was a large druggist supply company selling pre-packaged patent medicines for druggists to brand as their own as well as proprietary products clearly sold by them like this tonic.  (I have an large 1886 catalog from the company which also shows that they sold hundreds of different herbs and other basic medicinal ingredients including Cannabis, Coca, and other products that were totally unregulated at that time.)

The contents are largely intact - probably 95% or so - and the bottle firmly corked.  The bottle does have a small pin-head size nick on the lip edge (visible in the label forward image to the far right) but is otherwise perfect.  The rest - box, pamphlet and bottle label are in excellent condition.  Nice item for a tonic or medicinal bottle collection.  $25  ON HOLD

DR. HARTER'S - IRON TONIC -  That is embossed on the two narrow indented side panels of this relatively abundant tonic in a rarely seen format - with the original label and corked contents!  The reverse has an indented label panel but no label...and doesn't appear it ever had one.  The wide front panel with the label is not indented making me think that it was put on the wrong side?  Be that as it may, the bottle looks to be at least 95% full with little evaporation; the fullness of the bottle is visible in the images to the left (click to view a larger version).  There is about 1/2" of firmly compacted sediment in the base which may be "mobilized" with the handling of shipping.  However, the liquid above it is very clear and almost looks palatable.  Such is not recommended although the label stated 17% alcohol would make it sterile I suppose.

As stated on this label, the company was founded in 1855 by Milton G. Harter in St. Louis (and this label notes St. Louis as well as New York) although the company didn't build a manufacturing plant (St. Louis, MO.) until the early 1870s for some reason.  The company didn't make the much more well known Wild Cherry Bitters until 1885 though the Tonic was advertised as early as 1872 - originally as Iron Magic.  That name didn't catch on and he soon changed it to Iron Tonic (Wilson & Wilson 1971).  The company was sold to C. I. Hood Co. - of Hood's Sarsaparilla fame - in 1901 (Fike 1987).  Not sure how long Hood maintained the Dr. Harter's Medicine Co. name but that was likely as this bottle could date from the very early 1900s.  The label doesn't note anything about the 1906 Pure Food & Drugs Act - common on patent medicine labels during the transitional years of increasing regulations from 1906 into the 1910s - so I think it predates 1906.  Call the bottle mid-1890s to early 1900s.

The bottle stands a bit over 9" tall, a nice medium golden amber color (as the images show), has a tooled "oil" style finish, and likely dates from the above noted period given the tooled finish, multiple mold air venting bumps on the shoulders and noted company information.  The label (close-up at THIS LINK) is in very good condition with just a tiny bit of it partially gone in the upper left corner.  The neck retains some of the neck/cork covering label on both sides of the neck (none over the cork) but it is mostly gone and unreadable.  The base has what appears to be a "N" in a square with rounded corners; click BASE VIEW to see such.  This could be a makers marking for Obear-Nester Glass Co. although they reportedly did not use that marking until the mid-1910 and then on machine-made bottles?  This bottle is certainly mouth-blown not machine made.  It could be an earlier marking for the company which did begin operations in East St. Louis, IL. in the early 1890s. This would be a logical local source of bottles for Harter's which was located just across the Mississippi in Missouri.  In any event, a great addition to any medicine or tonic bottle collection!  $85

PSYSCHINE - THE GREATEST OF TONICS - Those words are embossed on the two narrow, unlabeled sides of this bottle that includes most of the box (base and top flaps missing) as well as the complete booklet on the product - and others from the company - that was wrapped around the bottle in the box.  This is one of the few medicinal tonic bottles I have from our Canadian neighbors to the north.  The booklet is even divided into two parts - English and French - reflecting their bilingual nature. 

The bottle is also more profusely embossed within the indented front panel with the following: a double circle at the top of the panel with an anchor and TRADE MARK embossed on the inside with HOPE IS THE ANCHOR OF THE SOUL around the center.  Below that vertically is DR. T. A. SLOCUM / LIMITED / 179 KING ST. W. TORONTO, CAN.  Click close-up of the main embossing to see such.  Cool embossing, eh?  The pamphlet is intact with some minor discoloration and edge tears; click English side so see such, French side to view the reverse French cover side of the 15-16 page pamphlet.  Interestingly enough, the address embossed on the bottle is a different part of Toronto than that on the pamphlet which is 193-195 Spadina Ave.

Richard Fikes' book on medicine bottles (Fike 1987) notes the following about this product:  "Psychine, for consumption and lung troubles, was introduced in the late 1870s by Thomas A. Slocum, New York.  Apparently embossed bottles were not utilized until the late 1880s."  The company also produced Ozomulsion (mostly just cod liver oil) which is also noted in the pamphlet as a treatment/cure for many ills.  Interestingly enough, I can't find any mention of the company producing the product in Toronto - like is embossed on this bottle and on the box - though Fike lists Montreal as one of the offices regarding Ozomulsion?  I've never seen another of these tonic bottles nor any other Psyschine bottles that have the word "Tonic" embossed on them.  In fact, I can not find them listed in any book I have that covers patent medicines, including Matt Knapps huge (600 p.) and comprehensive 2012 book "Antique American Medicine Bottles" though he does list a couple New York & London ones.  Must be rare?

The bottle is of colorless glass that looks as though it may turn purple, i.e., decolorized with manganese dioxide.  It is 8" tall and has a tooled two part finish or lip that would be called a "brandy finish" though much smaller than one would see on a brandy bottle.  The bottle is perfect with just some residue inside from the original contents.  It likely has the original cork which appears to have been corkscrewed out (a bit of a hole in the center) apparently to relieve the bottle of its contents years ago?  Probably likely as the label notes the contents contained, among other things, strychnine sulfate!  The label notes that it was even to be used on children! The bottle likely dates from right around 1909 to early 1910s as it lists on the bottle and box that it has "No. 5595 Proprietary or Patent Medicine Act" which was the 1908 Canadian version of the 1906 Pure Food and Drugs Act in the United States.  Neat item!  $65

SCHENCK'S - TONIC with label.  That is embossed on two opposite sides of this scarce medicinal tonic bottle which is quite rare with most of the original label and almost all the contents!  (Images show how full the bottle is.)  This is a later (1890s?) iteration of a popular patent medicine which also came in square aqua glass bottles dating back to before the Civil War - Schenck's - Seaweed - Tonic.  Those bottles had that embossed on three sides with a label on the fourth non-embossed side.  The earliest examples (1840s and 1850s) were pontil scarred and had an oval indentation on the 4th side that accepted a pill box of the Seaweed Pills.  Pretty cool bottles which I've never had an example of but have had several of the somewhat later Seaweed Tonics dating from and after the Civil War.

The company was located in Philadelphia, PA. (also noted on the label of this example) and founded by Joseph H. Schenck in the mid-1830s with the first product being his Schenck's Pulmonary Syrup (1836) which was followed shortly thereafter by the Schenck's Seaweed Tonic.  When the name changed to just Schenck's Tonic (this bottle) I don't know but would guess in the 1880s as all the examples I've had of the "Seaweed Tonic" had applied lips (aka "finishes" in glass maker parlance) and were blown in post-base molds.

This bottle was also blown in a post-base mold but has a tooled "oil" type finish as well as mold vent markings at the shoulder sides opposite the mold seams and a couple more down the beveled sides below the two shoulder marks.  That would date it from the 1890s to possibly early 1900s.  According to Fike's medicine bottles book (Fike 1987) the product was advertised at least as late as 1930 although this bottle predates that time period by decades. It is in mint condition, of course, with the body label about 85+% intact and mostly readable.  The label stated alcohol level is 19% (38 proof) with the label noting a lot of things it was good for including "General or Nervous Debility" as well as "Flatulency or Distention of the Stomach, Belching or Wind, bitter or sour eructations..." and so forth.  The cork is in great shape and sealing the bottle well with some of the neck/cork label strip still remaining on the bottle neck.  There is also another label on the shoulder as the first image shows though it is not readable.  Neat item and in my experience a scarcer bottle than the Seaweed Tonic versions even thought not as old as those.  $125