Rare Antique Dr. S. S. Fitch New York NY NYC Open Pontil Tooled Lip Bottle c1848 For Sale

Among America's earliest nationally advertised patent medicines, few names are more recognizable than Dr. Samuel Sheldon Fitch of 707 Broadway, New York. This remarkable embossed medicine bottle dates to the formative years of Fitch's medical empire and survives in extraordinary attic-fresh condition.

Standing approximately 2¾ inches tall, this scarce example is boldly embossed:

DR S. S. FITCH
707 B. WAY. N.Y.

Unlike the taller, narrower Fitch bottles most collectors encounter, this is the much scarcer early squat, wide-mouth variant. The broad opening, heavy square body, massive outfolded lip, and large open pontil scar all point toward manufacture during the earliest years of Fitch's operation at 707 Broadway, placing this bottle approximately 1848-1852.

What immediately sets this example apart is the quality and character of the glass itself. The bottle exhibits prominent annealing lines flowing through the neck and body, creating beautiful wave-like distortions when viewed in the light. Rich aqua glass puddles dramatically in the corners, heel, and base, producing the deep green-blue pooling collectors prize in early hand-blown glass. The uneven thickness, heavy corner build-up, and fluid interior surfaces give the bottle a lively appearance that simply cannot be duplicated by later Victorian production.

The pronounced pontil scar and substantial hand-finished lip, the bottle possesses the unmistakable look of a truly early American medicine.

Attic Mint

• No chips
• No cracks
• No scratches
• No stain
• No haze
• Bright, clean, shiny glass
• Strong embossing
• Large open pontil scar
• Beautiful annealing lines throughout
• Rich aqua glass puddling in corners and base
• Excellent oversized flared lip

A superb survivor approaching 175 years of age.

Dr. Samuel Sheldon Fitch was one of the most successful medical entrepreneurs in antebellum America. Operating from his famous offices at 707 Broadway in New York City, Fitch marketed remedies for respiratory ailments, nervous disorders, digestive complaints, and numerous chronic conditions. Through newspapers, books, pamphlets, and testimonials, he built one of America's earliest national medical brands decades before radio, television, or modern advertising existed.

His embossed bottles served not only as containers but as permanent advertisements, carrying his name into homes throughout the country.

When this bottle was produced:

• The California Gold Rush was underway.
• Telegraph lines were rapidly spreading across America.
• Gas streetlights illuminated much of Manhattan.
• Millions of immigrants were arriving through New York Harbor.
• Central Park had not yet been built.
• Germ theory had not yet been discovered.
• Doctors routinely prescribed mercury, alcohol, opium, and herbal compounds.
• Political tensions over slavery were pushing the nation toward the crisis that would eventually become the Civil War.

This bottle comes from a fascinating period when America was transforming from a young republic into an industrial power. A beautiful, early, and visually striking example with outstanding glass character, strong embossing, and exceptional preservation.

The address embossed on this bottle still exists today. While Dr. Fitch's original building disappeared long ago, 707 Broadway remained a famous New York address, later housing renowned photographer Mathew Brady's gallery and eventually becoming part of the modern NYU campus. Few embossed medicine bottles can be tied so directly to a location that remains an active part of Manhattan nearly 175 years later.