# Pensacola Pharmacy Bottles



## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

These are a few pharmacy bottles I recently got to add to my collection of Pensacola, Fl. meds. They were dug by several local diggers and traded, swapped, sold and given to a friend and finally came to rest with me.

 First the total collection so far. There are about 100 here and who knows how many more to go.


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## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

First The Bosso's. The bottom is embossed _BOSSO'S/BLESSING TO MANKIND/PENSACOLA,FLA._ They are blown cup mold bottles and date from the  1860s to the 1870s.

 During a yellow fever epidemic at the end of the 1800s Bosso came up with a medicine that reportedly cured people of the fever. He put it in a large barrel in front of his establishment and allowed people to dip the medicine into what ever vessel they had for free. Some other local pharmicists and doctors got together and hired someone to kill Bosso because he was costing them money.


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## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

These are the C.O. Brosnaham. All are embossed _C.O. BROSNAHAM/PENSACOLA/FLORIDA._ They date from the 1860s to the 1880s. I didn't even know the large one exsisted untill I got it and there are still a couple I need.

 The C. O. Brosnaham family was large and besides being a pharmicist he and the family raised horses and sold timber. Someone from the Brosnaham family was on the local enlistment roster for the Civil War, with Roosevelts Rough Riders in The Spanish American War and WW1. There was also a Brosnaham in every conflict since untill the Vietnam War.


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## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

Hamilton Russell bottles date from the early 1900s. He apprenticed under W.A. DeAlemberte and bought the business after DeAlemberte's death. Shown are the rarest of the Russells. My wife dug all three on the same day. I have examples of most of his bottles. The white thing is a standard medicine bottle cap that was glued to the cork. I threw away a thousand of them before I found out what they were[&:]


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## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

W.A. DeAlemberte bottles date from the 1870s to the early 1900s. The pinched bottom bottle pictured is the oldest known type of bottle used by him. He used three different types. I have many of his bottles but have a ways to go yet.


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## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

These are the Lewis bottles. Just in the last ten years it was discovered that the Lewis on these medicine bottles was Lewis Bear a well known entrepreneur. 

 Lewis and his brother Max owned several businesses in the Florida panhandle, including the Lewis Bear Beer and Wine Bottlers. Lewis used his first name on the Medicine bottles they used. Most are rare and some are valued at over $500 dollars.

 From the left are the _LEWIS/LIGHTNING NERVE/AND BONE TONIC._ Don't know what it would be worth because I don't know of any others. The two taller meds are embossed _THE LEWIS Co./PENSACOLA,/FLA._  and are worth $50. The smaller med is a _LEWIS/PAINLESS EYE WATER_ and is worth $50. The one laying down is a _ LEWIS/POISON._ The poisons go for over $500 in good condition and are very rare.

 The Lewis Bear Co. still exists.


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## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

I will post more later. I have some in really large sizes and some in really small sizes including 2 pill viles that you can read the address on the paper/ink residue inside.


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## madpaddla (Feb 12, 2006)

Warren:

 Great bottles and pics. Embossing on the small ones is nice.  I see you have them in numerous sizes also.  Little brown ones are very interesting.  Are local meds (no matter where your from) hard to price? ?

 Knowing the history makes the bottle more understandable to me.  Such as, being a med. the person taking it was thinking this is the answer to make them feel better.  Wonder if it ever worked?   haha 

 Madpaddla


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## capsoda (Feb 12, 2006)

Yeah Ben, they are pretty hard to price sometime. You have to go by what the last one you know about sold for unless it is a super rare poison or one of a few known.


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## madman (Feb 13, 2006)

that is an amazing collection!!! i  love pharms  very nice cap!!! mike


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## K. C. (Jul 22, 2022)

I have one from The Crystal Pharmacy from Pensacola Florida.  Any info on this one?


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