Bill Hunt's Medicine Bottle Glass Index

This database is a reference to aid in the identification of embossed medicine bottles. It is equally appropriate for researching complete labels as well as label fragments and is suitable for use by bottle collectors as well as historical archeologists. The finding aid is available as a Microsoft Word document or as a text file. The data file was built as a text file to allow the researcher to employ word processing software text finding aides (a "word search") to locate strings of letters, complete words, or combinations of words which appear on a bottle or bottle fragment. It includes about 6,080 entries.

The embossed label listing was compiled using information from 38 archeological reports and popular bottle publications [set out below]. Printed labels were not used in the data file's compilation.

This finding aid has proven itself to be an extremely rapid means of identifying an embossed medical bottle or fragment and sources of information for that specimen. Where once it may have taken hours or days to sort through the published materials, now only minutes are required to either locate a label or establish that it is unlisted in the designated sources. The database will be updated as entry errors and additional published information are provided by users. Corrections and information should be sent by email to bill hunt@nps.gov.

Entry format

Each entry includes:

1. a label as it appears on the bottle description. The compiler's comments are contained in square brackets [like this].
   
2. a tab character.
   
3. a bibliographic reference from which the label was obtained.

Embossed labels are listed following standard notation. A single backslash - / - within an entry marks the end of one line of embossed labeling and the beginning of another on a single side of a bottle. A double backslash - // - marks the end of embossing on one bottle side and the beginning of another.

Citing the index

For citation purposes, refer to Hunt, William J. Jr. (compiler), 1995, Embossed Medicine Bottle Labels: An Electronic Finding Aid for the Identification of Archeological Specimens. National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska. Revised August, 1997.

Using the index

The bottle glass index is currently available as a PDF file or as a text file [both files are available from the NPS web site, for which there is a link above; a copy of the .pdf file is also available through the "backup copy" link above]. The index is very large (766k, over 360 pages), so it may take a while to download (2-3 minutes on a 56k connection). The best strategy is to search for the string of letters and spaces as they appear on the bottle or bottle fragment. Once a label has been identified, the user may consult the appropriate reference(s) for additional information about the bottle, manufacturer, date of manufacture, and contents.

Baldwin, Joseph K., 1973, A Collector's Guide to Patent and Proprietary Medicine Bottles of the Nineteenth Century. Thomas Nelson Inc., Nashville.

Berge, Dale L., 1980, Simpson Springs Station, Historical Archaeology in Western Utah, 1974-1975. Cultural Resource Series No. 6. Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office, Salt Lake City.

Blee, Catherine H., 1988, Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska, Volume 2: The Moore Cabin and House, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. United States Government Printing Office, Denver.

Blee, Catherine H., Marianne Musitelli, Linda J. Scott, D. Kate Aasen, Stephen A. Chomko, 1986, Wine, Yaman and Stone: The Archeology of a Russian Hospital Trash Pit, Sitka National Historical Park, Sitka, Alaska. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

Bowyer, Gary C., Lou Ann Speulda, Lynda J. Sekora, and Lester A. Ross, 1995, Summary Reports: Historic Sites, edited by Lou Ann Speulda. In Archaeological Investigations PGT-PG&E Pipeline Expansion Project Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and California, vol. I II, Michael J. Moratto, general editor. INFOTEC Research, Inc. Submitted to Pacific Gas Transmission Co., San Francisco, Subcontract No. 20822-SC-41. Copies available from INFOTEC Research, Inc., Fresno, California.

Bray, Robert T., 1967, Wilson's Creek Revisited: An Account of the 1967 Excavations. Report prepared by the University of Missouri Archaeological Research Division, Columbia for the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Region, O maha under Contract Number 14-10-0232-1209 as amended.

Dial, Janis L., 1991, Archeological Data. In Historic Structure Report Blockhouse (HS-10) Fort Larned National Historic Site, Pawnee County, Kansas by Ron Cockrell, Alan W. O'Bright and Janis L. Dial. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Servic e, Midwest Regional Office, Omaha.

Fike, Richard E., 1987, The Bottle Book: A Comprehensive Guide to Historic, Embossed Medicine Bottles. Gibbs M. Smith, Inc., Peregrine Smith Books, Salt Lake City.

Fitting, James E. (principal investigator), 1977, Report No. 1815: An Archeological Survey of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Phase I Report. Report prepared by Gilbert/Commonwealth, Commonwealth Associates, Jackson, Michigan under Contract No. CX -6000-6-A060 for U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Fitting, James E. (principal investigator), 1978, Report No. 1897: An Archeological Survey of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Phase II Report. Report prepared by Gilbert/Commonwealth, Commonwealth Associates, Jackson, Michigan under Contract No. C X-6000-6-A060 for U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Herskovitz, Robert M., 1978, Ft. Bowie Material Culture. Anthropological Papers of the University of Arizona 31. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.

Hunt, William J. Jr., 1986, Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site (32WI17) Material Culture Reports, Part II: Food Related Items. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Hunt, William J. Jr., 1986b An Assessment of Archeological Resources Associated with Several Structures in Historic Everett Village, Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, Ohio. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeologi cal Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Klimko, Olga, 1983, The Archaeology and History of Fort Pelly I, 1824-1856. Saskatchewan Culture and Recreation, Manuscript Series in Archaeology and History, Pastlog No. 5, Regina.

Mansberger, Floyd, 1987, Archeological Investigations at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield, Illinois. Report prepared by Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, for U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeolog ical Center, Lincoln, Nebraska under Contract No. CX-6000-5-0017.

Munsey, Cecil, 1970, The Illustrated Guide to Collecting Bottles. Hawthorn Books, Elsevier-Dutton, New York.

Perry, Leslie A., 1983, 1982 Archeological Investigations at the Taft House Site, (33HA431) William Howard Taft National Historic Site, Cincinnati, Ohio. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln.

Smith, G. Hubert, 1972, Like-A-Fishhook Village and Fort Berthold, Garrison Reservoir, North Dakota. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service Anthropological Papers 2. Washington, D.C.

Reynolds, John D., 1983, Archeological Investigations at Old Fort Scott, 14BO302, Fort Scott, Kansas 1968 to 1972. Prepared by the Kansas State Historical Society and submitted to U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Region, Oma ha under Contract Number 14-10-2:920-46 and Amendments 1-4.

Rhodes, Diane L., 1988, Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska, Volume 3: The Mill Creek Dump and the Peniel Mission, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. United States Government Printing Office, Denver.

Richner, Jeffrey J., 1986, An Archeological Evaluation of the Trout Point Logging Camp. Midwest Archeological Center Occasional Studies in Anthropology #17. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Ne braska.

Ring, Carlyn, 1980, For Bitters Only. The Pi Press, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts.

Rossillon, Mitzi, 1984, The Curecanti Archeological Project: The Archeology of Marion, An Historic Railroad Camp in Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado. Midwest Archeological Center Occasional Studies in Anthropology, No. 9. United States Depart ment of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Schoen, Christopher M., 1994, Phase IV Salvage Investigations at the Martin Farmstead (14RP322) in Republic County, Kansas. Kansas State Historical Society Contract Archeology Publication Number 12, Topeka.

Smith, G. Hubert, 1960 Archeological Investigations at the Site of Fort Stevenson (32ML1), Garrison Reservoir, North Dakota. In Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 176, River Basin Surveys Papers, No. 18, pp. 159-238.

Smith, G. Hubert, 1968, Big Bend Historic Sites. In Smithsonian Institution River Basin Surveys Publications in Salvage Archeology, No. 9.

Spude, Katherine H., Douglas D. Scott, Frank Norris, David R. Hulesbeck, Linda S. Cummings, and Kathryn Puseman, 1993, Archeological Investigations in Skagway, Alaska, Volume 4: Father Turnell's Trash Pit, Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, Skagway , Alaska. United States Government Printing Office, Denver.

Sudderth, W.E., 1985, Grant-Kohrs Ranch: An Archeological Glimpse of the Golden Years. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Sudderth, W.E., 1992, The 1983 Archeological Excavations at the Ray House, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Missouri. Midwest Archeological Center Technical Report No. 15. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Sudderth, W.E., 1992b Salvage Archeology at the Herbert Hoover National,, Historic Site: The Mackey House, 1983. Midwest Archeological Center Technical Report No. 12. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, L incoln, Nebraska.

Sudderth, W.E. and Jeffrey J. Richner, 1992, Appendix A: A Description of Glass Bottles from 33-Cu-314. In Archeological Excavation at Site 33-Cu-314: A Mid-Nineteenth Century Structure on the Ohio and Erie Canal, Midwest Archeological Center Technical Re port No. 14. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Midwest Archeological Center, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Sullivan, Catherine, 1984, Dr. Thomas' Electric Oil. Research Bulletin No. 218. Parks Canada, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, National Historic Parks and Sites Branch.

Switzer, Ronald R., 1974, The Bertrand Bottles: A Study of 19th-Century Glass and Ceramic Containers. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, D.C.

Watson, Richard, 1965, Bitters Bottles. Thomas Nelson & Sons, Camden, New Jersey.

Watson, Richard, 1968, Supplement to Bitters Bottles. Thomas Nelson & Sons, Camden, New Jersey.

Wilson, Bill and Betty Wilson, 1971, 19th Century Medicine in Glass. 19th Century Hobby & Publishing Co., Eau Gallie, Florida.

Wilson, Rex, 1981, Bottles on the Western Frontier. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.

Wood, Donna (editor), 1982, Trade Names Dictionary, vol. 1. Gale Research Company Book Tower, Detroit, Michigan.