EXCEPTIONAL ICE BLUE DR. P. FAHRNEY\'S PANACEA MEDICINE BOTTLE c.1870s-1880s For Sale

EXCEPTIONAL ICE BLUE DR. P. FAHRNEY\'S PANACEA MEDICINE BOTTLE c. 1870s-1880sLarge Heavy Hand-Blown Example • Outstanding Ice Blue Color • Crude Applied Lip

If you collect early American medicine bottles, this is one of those examples that immediately grabs your attention. The color is simply spectacular. Ice blue bottles are always desirable, but examples with this level of intensity are seldom encountered. Combined with the heavy glass, crude hand-finished appearance, and bold embossing, this bottle has outstanding eye appeal and would make a centerpiece in almost any medicine bottle collection.

Dr. Peter Fahrney was one of America\'s most successful proprietary medicine manufacturers during the second half of the 19th century. His remedies were distributed throughout the United States and became household names during an era when patent medicines dominated pharmacy shelves.

Interesting historical facts:

• Dr. Peter Fahrney built one of the country\'s better-known proprietary medicine businesses.

• \"Panacea\" was marketed as a remedy intended to treat a wide variety of ailments, reflecting the popular medical philosophy of the day.

• Fahrney\'s medicines were sold through druggists, mail-order catalogs, newspapers, and traveling sales representatives.

• The company eventually expanded into a nationally recognized pharmaceutical business that remained in operation well into the 20th century.

• Bottles such as this represent an important chapter in American pharmaceutical and advertising history before modern prescription medicines became commonplace.

One of the most desirable features of this bottle is its crude hand-applied (\"gloppy\") lip.

During manufacture, the bottle was blown first, and then additional molten glass was applied by hand to create the finish. Because this process was performed individually by a glassworker, every bottle developed its own unique appearance. This example displays a particularly heavy and irregular applied finish that collectors appreciate.

I am not an expert, but based on my research and the manufacturing characteristics, I believe this bottle was produced approximately between the 1870s and early 1880s.

Characteristics supporting this dating include:

• Hand-blown manufacture
• Heavy glass construction
• Crude applied lip
• Slightly whittled surfaces
• Early mold characteristics
• Overall form typical of the period

As with many antique bottles, knowledgeable collectors may have differing opinions regarding the exact production date.

This bottle has been professionally tumbled and polished and displays beautifully.

Based on my examination, it has:

• No chips
• No cracks
• No repairs
• Strong, crisp embossing
• Excellent clarity
• Attractive slightly whittled surfaces
• Heavy glass with wonderful early character

There is an original manufacturing mold defect located along the bottom edge of the bottle, where it appears the molten glass did not completely fill the mold during production. This is not a chip or damage, but rather an authentic factory-made imperfection created during manufacture over 140 years ago. Please review the photographs carefully, as they accurately show this feature.

As with nearly all bottles of this age, there may be tiny age-related marks from normal handling over the past century and a half.

• Height: 9 1/4 inches
• Width: 3 3/8 inches
• Depth: 2 inches
• Weight: Nearly 2 pounds

This is a substantial, heavy bottle with excellent shelf presence.

✔ Circa 1870s-1880s

✔ Exceptional ice blue color

✔ Heavy hand-blown glass

✔ Crude gloppy applied lip

✔ Bold embossed panels

✔ Slightly whittled surfaces

✔ Original manufacturing mold defect on the bottom edge

✔ Professionally restored

✔ Outstanding display piece

This bottle has undergone my extensive multi-stage professional restoration process.

The interior was completely restored before the exterior was polished, allowing the bottle\'s beautiful natural color and character to emerge while preserving its antique appearance. The complete restoration required many weeks of careful work and attention to detail.

Collectors often look for three things in an early medicine bottle:

• Outstanding color
• Early hand-blown manufacturing characteristics
• Strong visual presence

This bottle delivers all three. The exceptionally vibrant ice-blue color is far more intense than normally encountered, and the heavy glass, crude applied lip, and strong embossing make it a remarkable display piece. It is one of those bottles that immediately stands out, even when displayed alongside other ice-blue medicines.

I OFFER FREE RETURNS! IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY THRILLED WITH YOUR PURCHASE, SIMPLY RETURN IT FOR A FULL REFUND. I WILL EVEN PAY THE RETURN SHIPPING—NO QUESTIONS ASKED! YOUR SATISFACTION IS 100% GUARANTEED!

THIS GUARANTEE APPLIES TO U.S. SALES ONLY. INTERNATIONAL SALES ARE FINAL AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RETURNS OR REFUNDS.