# Seeking Mamaluke Liniment bottle



## Jacqke (Mar 17, 2016)

I am seeking a _J. L. Curtis' Mamaluke Liniment_ bottle, or a _Curtis' Syrup of Sassafras_ bottle, in any condition. My family came from Keokuk, where the medicines were made and have a connection to the maker. For those interested in this Iowa patent medicine manufacturer, he was the same J. Lafe Curtis who sold/financed real estate in Chicago (beginning in 1872, after the great fire).


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## Jacqke (Mar 18, 2016)

I am also looking for pictures of these bottles. 

Other information I have to add about the Mamaluke Lininiment:

Attached are two adds from the 1856 Keokuk City Directory, one of which was cited by Joseph K. Baldwin in his book "A Collector's Guide to Patent Medicine Bottles of the 19th Century".




Baldwin misnamed T. I. M'Kenny (calling him T. I. Kenny). The add says that he was the sole manufacturer of Gilimore's Mamaluke Liniment and Anti-Bilious Pills.

However, the very last add in the directory was this:


Baldwin seems to have missed that J. L. Curtis also advertised Curtis' Celebrated Mamaluke Liniment.

What I found interesting is that Curtis advertised his J. L. Curtis Mamaluke Liniment through 1852 and 1853 in the Davenport, Iowa newspaper "The Democratic Banner".  An example And his advertisement purported him to to be in partnership with Gillmore. Then in 1856, both M'Kenny and Curtis marketed the same product from the same Gillmore. Then in 1859 through 1862, Curtis was advertising in White Cloud, Kansas and Brownsville, Nebraska (the J. L. Curtis Mamaluke Liniment, along with his Syrup of Sassafras, but no longer the Gillmore's Anti-Bilious Pills).

One more thing to consider. In the 1850 census for H. R. Gillmore in Keokuk, Iowa, (the town where both Curtis and M'Kenny would advertise Gillmore's products), J. L. Curtis lived with Gillmore, having married Gillmore's daughter (Helen A). Link to census, requires Ancestry.com subscription to view. He was still a "dealer in medicine" in the 1870 Census.The business arrangement seems confusing, but it seems to me that Curtis must have been selling the Mamaluke Liniment continuously from 1852-1870. He moved on sometime in 1871-1872, and was in Chicago in 1872, selling real estate.

My two cents...


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## botlguy (Mar 18, 2016)

Matt Knapp, in his wonderful book, also found online, lists the Sassafras but not the liniment. He also lists a J.L. Curtis Elba N.Y. but no product name. The Sassafras is valued at $100 - $150             Jim


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## Jacqke (Mar 18, 2016)

Thanks Jim. I need to check out that book too. I think that the J. L. Curtis in Elba is a different person.  I found a little about him here. He seems to have been a real doctor, as opposed to an Ohio/Iowa businessman in patent medicines.  The Iowa J. L. Curtis was brother to Samuel R. Curtis, the Civil War general. Jack


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## cowseatmaize (Mar 18, 2016)

Yup, and that's there 'cause it's in the Green catalog.


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## Jacqke (Mar 18, 2016)

That is a nice picture. Thank you!  Is that from the Samuel J. Greer book?


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## cowseatmaize (Mar 18, 2016)

That's the one. I hope there's no © infringement.


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## Jacqke (Mar 18, 2016)

Since we are having a conversation, then it should be covered under fair use exemptions. I do appreciate letting me see it. I haven't found a copy of that book yet.


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