Antique BDH Hobnail Cobalt Glass Poison Bottle

Item: Poison Bottle

Make: British Drug House (England)

Age: Circa 1890

Construction: Glass (Blown in Mold)

Dimensions: 3 1/2" Tall x 2 1/4" Wide x 2 1/2" Deep

Condition: Good pre-owned antique condition. Chip with webbed cracking on one shoulder. Glass surrounding the chip/crack is still solid. Please see photos. 

Details: Small antique cobalt glass poison bottle with curved back, two ribbed panels, and v-shaped front with pronounced rows of diamond point hobnails. Embossed on the bottom is "BDH" inside of a diamond, which stands for British Drug House, a manufacturer of antiseptics. 

Throughout the 19th century, new hazardous compounds including medications, household cleansers, and pest control entered the market. Poison bottles were frequently marked with certain raised forms or distinctive patterns to help prevent accidents. This was especially helpful if you were handling bottles by candlelight. Cobalt blue, inky black, and dark green were popular hues for antique poison bottles, and they frequently included raised text or inlays spelling out "POISON" or "DEATH" among designs of raised latticework, deep grooves, geometric forms, and, most frequently, the skull and crossbones.