Item: Set of 3 Antique Poison Bottles
Make: Eli Lilly & Co. (2 Triangular Bottles), Park Davis & Co. (1 Rectangular Bottle)
Model: Both Eli Lilly Bottles identified as KV-1, Park Davis & Co. Bottle identified as KR-9 (Rudy Kuhn Poison Bottle Workbook)
Age: ca. 1920
Construction: Park Davis & Co. - BIMAL (Blown in Mold Applied Lip), Eli Lilly & Co. - ABM (Automatic Bottle Machine)
Dimensions:
Large Eli Lilly & Co. - 3 1/2" x 2" x 1 1/4" D
Small Eli Lilly & Co. - 2 1/8" x 1 7/8" W x 7/8" D
Park Davis & Co. - 2 5/8" x 1 1/2" x 7/8"
Condition: Excellent. Largest Bottle still has a partial cork. No chips or cracks. Please see photos!
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.
Please see our other listings for more poison bottles.
