I got a pm on a bottle forum from a friend who was heading off to college, and knew of my interest in the Civil War. He has an amazing collection of antique bottles, photos, advertisements, clocks...he could open an antique store. He couldn't take all of his collection with him, so he had to reluctantly sell most of it off, keeping his favorite pieces. He offered me a U.S.A H'OSP. DEP'T. bottle from the Civil War for $40 - a heck of a deal. I took the offer, and he sent the bottle along with two other pieces of history. A photo of an unidentified Michigan man who served in the war, with two Mar. 20th 1866 stamps on the back, and a large postcard of a U.S. Cavalry captain. The post card dates to the 1880s-1890s. On the back, it has his writing, and the postmasters writing. I can't make some of it out, but his name was Davis Collins. He served from September 1861, and was Honorably discharged in April 1862. He was captain in company K, 3rd Mich. Cavalry. Oh, and the bottle is nice too.
Anything from Chloroform, to pure alcohol and opioids could have been in here. Usually this bottle came into play during limb amputations. A disturbing history, but an amazing bottle to have.
The unidentified man.
The stamps.
Captain Collins.
The back of the postcard. It's amazing just to have the handwriting!
Anything from Chloroform, to pure alcohol and opioids could have been in here. Usually this bottle came into play during limb amputations. A disturbing history, but an amazing bottle to have.
The unidentified man.
The stamps.
Captain Collins.
The back of the postcard. It's amazing just to have the handwriting!
Comment