- Gorgeous Antique Bluish-Green-Aqua Rectangular Glass Apothecary Bottle!
- One chip, no cracks, some scratches throughout this gorgeous bottle & it is in GREAT CONDITION after being in the water all of these years!
- SOLD: AS IS
- Antique bluish-green rectangular glass apothecary bottles—commonly known to collectors as "aqua" glass patent medicine or utility bottles—were the workhorses of the pharmaceutical and chemical industries throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. These distinct containers tell a rich story of industrial manufacturing, consumer habits, and evolving medical practices. Their beautiful bluish-green tint was actually an unintentional byproduct of cheap, utilitarian manufacturing, caused by natural iron oxide impurities in the sand used for 19th-century glassmaking. Because apothecary bottles were mass-produced and frequently discarded, manufacturers used this untreated, inexpensive formulation rather than paying for costly chemical decolorizing agents. The shift to a rectangular, flat-sided shape was driven entirely by practical commerce during the 1800s "patent medicine" boom. This design provided large, flat surfaces perfect for affixing descriptive paper labels or embossing product names directly into the glass. (Ours does not have a label after being in the water for so long.) Furthermore, rectangular shapes allowed for efficient packing tightly side-by-side in wooden shipping crates, which maximized space and drastically reduced breakage during transit via horse-and-carriage or early railroads. Finally, these flat-sided bottles offered storage convenience, sitting neatly on narrow pharmacy shelves and home cabinets to make organization and identification easy for pharmacists and consumers alike.
- 8 1/2” Tall 2 7/8” Wide
- Ed the Diver & Christie B. Stickers & a signed picture postcard included with order!
- We found and cleaned this beautiful piece out of a Wisconsin waterway!
- Tax & shipping costs applied at checkout