Posted 8 years ago
SpiritBear
(813 items)
I had liked this in an antique store for over a year, but it was always so high-priced.
Today they had a Fourth of July sale with 50% off. As such, I thought about it and ended up getting me this dispenser made by Whitall Tatum Company, most known for its glass-making.
As Whitall Tatum has no "&" in the name, it's no earlier than 1901. I immediately found a 1913 reference with very similar picture in a catalog for this Phenix Dispensing Tank by them.
Glycerinum was its product in this case, one of four they were marketed as. It's in great shape. Sadly, though, it has paint and grease-marker on it. This was likely in a drug store long ago.
Thank you, Nicefice. I like it a lot.
Waiting also leads to items being bought. :P
Still at a loss as to what it dispenses. Glycerinum ? Were they made to dispense what ever you wanted to dispense ?
It was for skin moisturizing. A must in any apothecary. Still used today.
http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/felter/glycerinum.html
Women could make their own skin preparations.
Interesting - Whitall Tatum also made glass and glass insulators.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitall_Tatum_Company
Here is an ad for the dispenser circa 1913:
https://books.google.com/books?id=e5BNAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA1&lpg=RA1-PA1&dq=whitall+tatum+Glycerinum&source=bl&ots=e8a06v6NT-&sig=6nuAkc7gnY63IuAHxRRa9qRQQQw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvrpKKq93NAhWJKWMKHa6xABQQ6AEINzAE#v=onepage&q=whitall%20tatum%20Glycerinum&f=false
1909
https://books.google.com/books?id=yMoAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA309&lpg=PA309&dq=whitall+tatum+Glycerinum&source=bl&ots=3rAKx4B1yw&sig=QeSvwCWXEpt-hRjH0eWme3-VqHI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvrpKKq93NAhWJKWMKHa6xABQQ6AEIQjAJ#v=onepage&q=whitall%20tatum%20Glycerinum&f=false
1984!
https://books.google.com/books?id=kM3nAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA9&lpg=RA1-PA9&dq=whitall+tatum+Glycerinum&source=bl&ots=47dILSmGO9&sig=QKmmtOgQVvQ-mUM_Wwr4-Nx3Ets&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvrpKKq93NAhWJKWMKHa6xABQQ6AEIPDAG#v=onepage&q=whitall%20tatum&f=false
1894 is on page 9. This ^^ one looks like the 1894 version.
The 1894 book shows the 2 gallon version. All others are the one gallon.
Whitall, Tatum & Co. was a huge maker of medicine containers (bottles) in their early years. This piece is after 1900 as they took the "&" out of their name in 1901.
Glycerinum, while used as a lotion, was one of four 'heavy oils' the item was designed for (same dispenser, different names). It could be dispensed and used for topical products and ingestion from what I gathered, and is also supported in Celiene's links. I often look at what a product was used for back in the day and compare it to its current use as it can be very interesting.
Good catch on the "&" in the name!
It's a way to help date bottles made by W. T. & Co. So can other aspects of their marks on glass, such as stars or additional words. One of those things any druggist collector should have stored in his brain.
Very cool :)
Thanks. :)