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Rare Antique Seattle WA Parlor Pharmacy Bottle – Heussy & Filz (c. 1890s)
Item Overview
Up for sale is a beautiful, rare piece of Pacific Northwest pharmaceutical history: an authentic, late-19th-century medicine bottle from the renowned Parlor Pharmacy of Seattle, Washington. Run by prominent business partners George Heussy and Dr. Frank J. Filz, this bottle dates back to the vibrant 1890s, capturing the spirit of early Seattle before the turn of the century.
Item Condition & Measurements
• Height: 7 1/4 inches tall
• Condition: Good condition. No cracks or major chips. Photos described condition accurately.
The History Behind the Bottle
In the 1890s, George Heussy and Dr. Frank J. Filz operated the high-profile Parlor Pharmacy in Seattle, eventually anchoring the historic Heussy Building at 3rd and Pike. Long before federal regulations mandated sterile medical packaging, Heussy and Filz launched a famous 1896 advertising campaign in The Seattle Times titled "About Bottles" to showcase their remarkably strict sterilization routine.
Every single bottle was soaked in a special solution, washed three times inside, twice outside, and meticulously inspected. Because of this obsessive care, finding an intact specimen today is a fantastic tribute to early American public health and West Coast mercantile history.
