# Veterinary bottle prices



## bostaurus (May 24, 2011)

There are not a lot of Veterinary collectors out there, at least not compared to other bottle niches, but there are some very serious ones.  I would be considered on the low rung of the vet collector world.  Most of my bottles do not have labels...a big yawn to the serious guys... and I do not even try to collect the non- bottle items like cabinets and boxed items.
 I wanted to share some of the prices from a recent vet auction.  These are all with full labels and usually the box and contents.
 Dr Daniels Oster Cocus   $15
 Dr. Daniels Volitar Mange Liquid  $180
 Dr. Daniels Compound Sulphur Tablets $275
 Dr. Daniels Eye Wash  $350
 Craft's Distemper Remedy $ 55
 Clayton's Sedative $225
 Circus Liniment $110
 Kronkine $160
 Glover's Imperial Mange Cure (in unopened box) $450
 Humphreys Veterinary AA (no contents but label and box) $80
 Security Gas Colic Remedy (no box or contents) $30  I think some one posted one of these on the forum recently

 The Cabinets ranged from $1400 to $2500 and all had condition problems.  Very nice ones can go for double or more. Posters and signs did very well especially full color ones.  One poster for International Stock Foods went for $850 and another for $825.
 In total there were 225 lots in the auction.
 There is another ending in June selling off a private collection.  There are going to be some very rare things in there so prices will probably go very high.  I am hoping that the big guns will be busy with the rarer things and not paying any attention to the more common bottles.


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## cowseatmaize (May 24, 2011)

> Glover's Imperial Mange Cure (in unopened box) $450


Any clue to age on stuff like this? BIM or ABM screw top? Does it matter for that unopened condition?
 Not to worry, I'm not competition.[]


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## bostaurus (May 24, 2011)

I have the printed catalog of the auction.  I can try to scan in pictures of any item if someone would like to see it.


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## bostaurus (May 24, 2011)

> ORIGINAL:  cowseatmaize
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> ...


 I am not too worried about the competition...the deep pocket folks already keep me at bay...
 I would say that most of them are BIM and 1880's- 1920's age range.  You don't see a lot of ABM screw top stuff in the auctions.  Most of it(bottles and powders) were geared towards horses and cattle with poultry, pigs and dogs in lesser numbers.  The advent of tractors, FDA,  scientific agriculture, and real veterinary schools kind of happened around the time ABM bottles were entering the arena so you do not see as much in ABM/screw-top bottles except for dogs.


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## bostaurus (May 24, 2011)

That Glover's Imperial Mange cure was a pretty early one and the box was in very nice condition.  The bottles them selves are pretty common and not worth very much.  It is amazing what a box and label can do for the value.


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## RED Matthews (May 24, 2011)

Thanks bostarus;  I know about the collection of these and may have one or two up north.  When I was a kid, we had a Dr. Love that covered the farm area in NY where I lived.  At that time we had all kinds of traveling sales systems:. From the milk man to the butcher w/ a truck, Fuller Brush, Watkins products, etc.  I have not found any book coverage of the early vet services - but is looks interesting.  RED Matthews


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## bostaurus (May 24, 2011)

The early history of vet medicine is quite interesting.  Here in the States is was mostly blacksmiths, others with animal experience but no medical education, and charlatans.  We did not even have any veterinary schools here thought Europe had established vet schools by the late 1700's.  We started to establish small private schools in the very late 1800's, most requiring only 2 years of training and most failed within a few years of opening. The boom, if it would even be called that, started at the beginning of the 1900's.  
 There were some European trained vets that immigrated during the 1800's , some did well and most did not.  Partially due to the poor quality of animal care "specialists" operating in the US, professionally trained veterinarians were not held in very high esteem for many decades after the schools began to graduate folks that actually knew what they were doing.  They spent many decades fighting misconceptions about animal disease and treatment that had been perpetuated by the 'snake-oil" salesmen.


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## texasdigger (May 25, 2011)

I have couple of nice Texas vet bottles I would part with if you are interested.  If you are shoot me a message, and I am sure we can work something out.  My best vet bottle is a fairly early Dr. Legears Veterinary Remedies Austin Texas, indented panels and aqua.  If it is one you do not own I will keep an eye out for another example.  I love niche collections.  We can't collect them all so picking a small category fits me also.

 Brad


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

Brad, I sent you an email...your PM box is full.
 I would be interested and thanks for the offer to keep an eye out for the LeGear's...I don't have one.


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## westernbittersnut (May 25, 2011)

So what are the embossed 'Dr. Geo W. Clayton / Dog Remedies / Chicago bottles worth? I have two different sizes.


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

Let me check and see if I have anything on those.  Do they have labels?  I don't think I paid much for the couple I have (no labels) but that doesn't mean much.  I will get back to you.


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

Well I could not find anything on the Clayton bottles but I will keep looking.
 Here are some pictures of stuff that is coming up to auction with the starting bids
 Dr. Claris  bottles are pretty common and cheap 
 Here is what happens when they have labels.  Opening bid for the fever med is $100, and white liniment opens at $150.  This also comes in gallon stoneware jugs.


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

Gargling Oil...a green one went in the last auction for $10.  That was pretty low but most of the serious collectors have one already.  This one starts at $150


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

Dr. Barber vet medicines from Vermont are quite rare.  I think someone posted on here at one point that they had some in their collection.  All three of these start at $75 each.  There is also Physic Capsules starting at $75 and an 8 1/2" box and bottle of Trotter's or General Liniment at $100.


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

Dr. Daniels and Dr. Lesures are also pretty common without the labels...Not quite as  pricey as the others in the sale but I wish mine had labels..
 $50-$25-$35


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

opening bids of $100-$75-$35
 Colic drops has the full bottles, dose syringe, paper insert, and complete box.  Last one sold for $500


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

These are opening for $35-$100-$50
 the Eye Wash in the last auction went for $350


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## bostaurus (May 25, 2011)

Those are just some of the more common ones...at least without labels they are common, except for the Barbers.  The boxes of stock rememdies, stock food, and powders usually have beautiful colorful graphics.   The posters are quite rare as they did not last long and are very colorful.  These two posters start at $2000 (23" X 35", canvas) for the Porter's  and $850( measures 20"x12 1/2") for the Volcanic Oil.  The Porter's also comes with a labeled bottle with box, a photo and some paper ephemera.


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## bostaurus (May 26, 2011)

Now for a very rare, possibly one of a kind, vet bottle.
 It was bought in 1998 for $650.  It will open at $500 and is expected to go pretty high.  Will be sold with a trade card for the ointment.  Not up there with bitters or flasks but way out of my price range.  Very cool bottle.


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## westernbittersnut (May 26, 2011)

There are no labels, bottles were dug thirty years ago or better. In the old days we used to leave them out in the sun to turn amethyst. The larger bottle is fairly purple, the smaller is much less amethyst.


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