07/27/2026
Hey everyone! I wanted to share a few pieces from my collection today. There is just something amazing about the history, colors, and embossed details on old pharmacy and medicine bottles.
Cobalt blue glass: Always a favorite for its rich color and light protection.
Embossed lettering: Love finding pieces with old town names and pharmacist signatures baked right into the glass.
Bakelite and cork caps: The little details that make early 20th-century packaging unique.
The cobalt blue glass bottle of Bromo-Seltzer antacid and analgesic with an original paper label was originally formulated by the Emerson Drug Company. The “Maryland” cobalt blue glass was manufactured between 1950 and 1956 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Date Range (1950–1956):The Cap: This threaded, metal screw-top lid serves as a measuring cap. It completely replaced the older cork-top finishes used prior to the late 1940s.
The Label Details: The text explicitly lists the purpose as "Acid Indigestion and Headache." Older variations from the 1920s to 1940s prominently featured the words "Stomach Upset".
The Company Ownership: In 1956, the original Emerson Drug Company sold its Baltimore medicinal and glass plants to Warner-Lambert Pharmaceutical Company. Shortly after the acquisition, product labeling and bottle profiles were drastically modernized, making this bottle one of the very last variations produced by the original company.
