Medicine Bottle

PeriodCirca 1850 - 1880

Place MadeProbably New Jersey, U.S.A.

MediumGlass, paper

Dimensions10 × 4.25 in. (25.4 × 10.8 cm)

ClassificationsMedical T&E

Credit LineGift of Louise Hartshorne, 1938

Object number1150

DescriptionA colorless mold and freeblown glass jar, with a flared cylindrical body tapering to a banded shoulder and a narrow, elongated neck. The bottle retains its cork stopper. A large printed paper label is glued to the front center of the bottle, reading "SPTS. CAMPHOR / DURYEE & CONOVER / NO 3 West Main STREET FREEHOLD N.J." The bottle is decorated with hand-painted floral springs.
Curatorial RemarksSpirits of Camphor was a standard medication on the shelves of 18th and 19th century pharmacies and continues to be widely used today. For much of its history, camphor was made by distilling the wood of the camphor tree (latin cinnamomum camphora), then mixing the resulting distillate in alcohol. Originally, the camphor tree was found widely in areas of Asia, although transplants gradually widened its range. Modern camphor is distilled from turpentine oil. The strong aromatic properties of camphor made it popular for colds, allergies, and other respiratory conditions. As an astringent, camphor was used in preparations for oily skin, acne, and other skin issues. Camphor is a main ingredient in numerous modern over-the-counter medications and preparations.NotesAccompanying tag reads "Spt. Camphor bottle belonging to / my Great Grandfather & Mother / Daniel and Nellie V. M. Hendrickson / came to me at time of sale of the / personal property of their great-granddaughter / Mary Louisa Hendrickson July 9th 1913." It was not uncommon for families to have bottles or jars of frequently-used medications or preparations refilled by their local doctors or pharmacies when needed. This bottle, labeled "Spirits of Camphor" and featuring the Freehold druggist firm of Duryee and Conover, was hand-decorated with paint, an indication that it was added by a member of the Hendrickson family as an enhancement. The bottle retains its label from the firm of Duryee & Conover. The pharmacy, first founded in 1859 by William Voorhees on Main Street in Freehold. It changed hands a number of times. By the 1860s, it was run by Gordon S. Conover and business partner Joseph Wolverton. Wolverton left the partnership in 1872, and William B. Duryee joined Conover in the business. The label appears to date from between 1872 to about 1877.

Collections