# The May Drug Co



## JerDfx (Feb 20, 2006)

Hey guys been awhile since I have been here. I have been accumulating alot of old cellar hole sites while out detecting.

 The last 2 spots I hunted gave up early 1800's large cents a 1787 new jersey copper war of 1812 buttons.... 

 I now am ready to start to find the bottle pits in the places. The one site has a very deep well but I don't think I want to venture that far into it. It has another with a solid lid on it also. 

 I don't have time or equiptment to haul ladders and such deep into the woods. However I do beleive the other site I can just dig them out. I saw a few depressions in the ground that looked to be were they threw all there junk. 

 I have dug out others this way just by guessing were they were. I'm not a expert in bottles but detecting I can answer any question just about. I like looking for bottles though to. Alot of fun doing it.

 Now I can get to the point of this thread. I picked up a bottle today on the surface of one of the sites. It's light pink in color about 5 inches in height and about 3 inches in width. The seem just runs to the bottom of the neck of the bottle. At the bottom of it it has a H in a triangle.

 The bottom and the neck seem to have been attached seperately. The front reads The May Drug Co. Pittsburg. I am pretty sure the bottle pre dates the 1890's. I beleive they started using the H on pittsburgh sometime after the late or mid 1890's. 

 Just wanted to know what you experts thought of it. And maybe you could give me some more info on it. Like is it a common bottle to find. And if this was on the surface what other bottles do you think I may find at the site. And would it be worth doing the work to find them.

 Thanks for the help

 Jeremy

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## JerDfx (Feb 20, 2006)

Sorry about the size guys. I have to get used to the forum again. I know it's tough to see. 

 Jeremy

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## JerDfx (Feb 20, 2006)

One more time. Just didn't know you could only edit once on here.

 Jeremy


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## capsoda (Feb 20, 2006)

Hey Jeremy, Nice bottle. I'd dig like crazy. The pinched bottom medicine bottle was common during and shortly after the Civil War I beleave. I don't have any info on that perticular company but I would be interested in any extras you might dig.


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## GuntherHess (Feb 20, 2006)

H in a triangle..........J.T.& A. Hamilton, Pittsburgh, PA (1884-1943). Mark reportedly used approximately 1900-1943

 I would guess your bottle is made in 1900 +/-10yrs


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## madman (Feb 21, 2006)

hey jerdfx nice bottle, ive found one of those also, great find start digging  best of luck mike


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## JerDfx (Feb 21, 2006)

Thanks alot for all the info guys. Thanks for deleting those pics for me to Administrator. I should have some more bottles to show you all here soon. I am starting to learn about them more as I read up on them. 

 I would like to find some 1800's bottles. I know there around. I dug out one hole last year and found listerine bottles and a bunch of other types of bottles. I had to stop digging though or I wouldn't be able to get out of the hole. I know the old bottles are deeper.

 This one place has alot of pottery type broken jugs lieying around. That tan colored stuff with the blue writing on it. There are several depressions with red brick lining them. Some could be wells filled in or old out houses I guess. 

 You always find alot of iron in them and you sorta know you are in the right spot. Hopefully I'll post back with some better bottles to show you all.

 Thanks for all the help

 HH Jer


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## xpadigger (Feb 22, 2006)

First post - great board all!  I started digging with my dad back in the 60s and 70s, and have collected a lot of bottles, but never knew what to do with them.  Definitely lots to catch up on.

 As for the May Drug Company bottles - while Pittsburgh has been frequently misspelled over the centuries, there is a twenty year span starting in 1891 and ending in 1910 when the city officially dropped the 'h'.  these bottles come from that era.

 I have the same bottle as Madman above, complete with the original stopper, contents and paper label.  It contained raw PA "Crude Oil".  very interesting uses:  it could be taken internally for a variety of ailments, used externally as a linament, and if you were feeling well, then it doubled as a furniture polish.  Don't have the exact wording from the label, as it occupies a place of honor on display in my office.


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## madman (Feb 23, 2006)

wow thanks x pa!! for the info on the may drug bottle, it would be really great to see a pix of your labled bottle   im learning more and more about contents of these all purpose meds but im wondering what killed you faster the medicine or the sickness  mike


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## JerDfx (Feb 23, 2006)

Thanks for the info also X Pa. I live in Pittsburgh and there are alot of bottles to be found around here. Alot of glass work factories around here back in the day. Just like anything you do practice makes perfect.

 The stuff they used back in the days in these medicines was crazy. All kinds of hard drugs mixed into these meds. Your right don't know what killed you faster. The sickness or the meds. Probably alot of high people back in the day. I guess some things never change.

 I have a hard time ever putting my detector down to go digging. But bottles really are worth more than the things you can find with a detector if you find the right hole. I have a good bit of spots that I know have some bottles. Just have to take the extra time and try and find them.

 This is a great site and you'll see more of me here in the future. Thanks for all the help bottle experts.

 HH Jer


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