Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Smith & Davis - Portland, Oregon - First Druggists in the Oregon Territory

In Bottles > Medicine Bottles > Show & Tell and Advertising > Pharmacy > Show & Tell.
Advertising10389 of 10397Printing House Glass Advertising PaperweightAmerican Express Co.
3
Love it
1
Like it

Tahiti1Tahiti1 loves this.
SpiritBearSpiritBear loves this.
kerry10456kerry10456 loves this.
potreropotrero likes this.
See 2 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 14 years ago

    jfcutter
    (4 items)

    Smith & Davis were the first druggists to operate in the Oregon Territory. As such, the bottles have some great historic appeal and significance. The drugstore/company was founded in 1850 and lasted until about 1879 according to business directory entries.

    The square bottles (first two images) are embossed with "SMITH & DAVIS / PORTLAND, OREGON. These are certainly the oldest bottles from the company dating from the early to mid-1850s to early 1860s. As such, they are also the oldest bottles from Oregon.

    None of the square examples are known (to this author) to have pontil scars though I personally dug the aqua one in my youth - in the downtown Portland urban renewal area back in the 1960s - that was in the context with nothing but pontil scarred medicines and snuff bottles...the Smith & Davis bottle being the only non-pontiled bottle...alas. There are no known pontil scarred Oregon bottles; these are the closest to that honor.

    The two cylindrical bottles are probably from a bit later, i.e., late 1860s to late 1870s. They are both embossed with SMITH & DAVIS / DRUGGISTS / PORTLAND, OREGON. The example with the double ring lip was likely used for Citrate of Magnesia.

    All the other bottles pictured were used for the myriad of concoctions that Messrs. Smith & Davis conjured up and produced for treating the ills of some of the earliest non-native Oregonians.

    logo
    Medicine Bottles
    See all
    COBALT Bottle BOSTON ROUND Solid Blue Glass ~ Large 16oz APOTHECARY High Quality
    COBALT Bottle BOSTON ROUND Solid Bl...
    $6
    Antique Townsend's Sarsaparilla Bottle, Pontil, Olive Amber, Pristine Condition!
    Antique Townsend's Sarsaparilla Bot...
    $248
    Embossed Cobalt Blue Drug Store Bottle, Dr. Hitzfeld, Denver, Colorado
    Embossed Cobalt Blue Drug Store Bot...
    $128
    Apothecary Clear Glass Bottle with Glass Lid Vintage 4.5
    Apothecary Clear Glass Bottle with ...
    $12
    logo
    COBALT Bottle BOSTON ROUND Solid Blue Glass ~ Large 16oz APOTHECARY High Quality
    COBALT Bottle BOSTON ROUND Solid Bl...
    $6
    See all

    Comments

    1. Bryce, 13 years ago
      I recently found some old bottles saying: Smith & Davis Drugcist - Portland, Oregon I was wondering what they are worth?

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.