Gilmore's Germicide bottle and accessories

scianfrini

Can anyone shed some light on this museum quality set and value? It consist of a Gilmores Germicide bottle with original paper packaging/box as well as the original 4 page pamphlet of how to/what ailments its used on. The pamphlet looks like it was made yesterday but is actually well over 100 yrs old. The original label on this bottle is in emaculate condition front and back. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Chris

Thanks for posting. Your bottle is early 20th century. There really are a lot of examples of bottles retaining their labels and packaging still out there. I once had a pretty big collection of them (quite a few dozen)..

Rochester Germicide started operations in 1888 and were still using that company name late in the 20th c. See

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester_Midland_Corporation

scianfrini

Thanks for the info Chris! Any idea of value?

Chris

I would probably put this in the $25-50 range for a retail price - meaning at a show or perhaps a buy-it-now on a venue like eBay.

This auction provides something of a reference point:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-Eight-8-Labeled-Quack-Cure-Medicine-Bottles-For-Children-amp-Babies-/224320103395

This grouping sold at about $40 each...I would argue these bottles are a bit older, and a bit more desirable. Collectors pay a fair amount of attention to the type of bottle so a "cure" or "remedy" or "bitters" are going to be valued more than other categories. Medicines that contained now-banned substances like heroin or laudanum are prized.

I hope this gives a bit of context for the valuation and is helpful.

scianfrini

Thanks alot, that was exactly the information I was searching for! I'll probably just hold onto it and pass it down to my kids. Much appreciated!