Dr. A Boschee's German Syrup

[robertk]

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Bottle Vitals​

	Date **	Color	Shape	Size (Height x Diameter)	Value*
Dr. A. Boschee's German Syrup	1880s	Aqua	Rectangular	6.75" x 2.25" x 1.25"	$30.00

Bottle Views (click to enlarge):

Front	Back	Side	Side	Bottom
Dr. A Boschee's German Syrup		L. M. Green	Proprietor	"L" or backwards "7".

This bottle contained a proprietary medicine marketed by George Gill Green from the 1870's to the early 1900s. The "L. M. Green" on the side of the bottle is actually his father, Lewis M. Green, who originated the formula. George Gill Green started medical school in 1862, but dropped out in 1864 to enlist in the US civil war. He served in the 142nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Infantry Regiment from 1864 to 1865. After leaving the military, he started a wholesale drug business in Baltimore. That one burned down, so he started another one, buying the rights to the German Syrup and another medicine called Green's August Flower from his father.

Mr green created a mass marketing campaign involving newspapers, mass mailings, free samples, and almanacs (click to enlarge):



The marketing campaigns worked, as sales took off and Green quickly became a millionaire. He would go on to open the Hotel Green in Pasadena California, which is now a state historic landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. It also now includes the Castle Green, which you can take a virtual tour of through their website.

The medicine was purported to cure consumption, coughing, asthma, and any other disease of the throat and lungs. Whether it actually did so is debatable, and the ingredients don't sound like something you'd want to take much of. Opium, ipecac, and tar. Throw in some cherry flavoring and a massive dose of sugar to make it all somewhat palatable. Yum. (Click to enlarge).



Green's business declined after the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, and closed entirely in 1916.

This bottle would have originally had a paper label on one side, similar to this example:


And finally, here is the before and after for this bottle, using just soap and water, brushes, and scrapers (click to enlarge).



* Value is based on sold eBay listings at the time of posting and vary with condition.

** Date notes: The bottle has mold seams across the bottom around and up onto the shoulders of the bottle, but they do not go all the way to the top (in fact the mold seams are "twisted" halfway up the bottle neck). The mold seam is visible across the entire bottom, with a circle in the middle. This suggests a base mold plate and a date before 1890. If anyone has a more exact date, I'd love an explanation.

 

[Sandinmypants]

​

View attachment 2219933​

Bottle Vitals​

	Date **	Color	Shape	Size (Height x Diameter)	Value*
Dr. A. Boschee's German Syrup	1880s	Aqua	Rectangular	6.75" x 2.25" x 1.25"	$30.00

Bottle Views (click to enlarge):

Front	Back	Side	Side	Bottom
View attachment 2219933	View attachment 2219934	View attachment 2219935	View attachment 2219936	View attachment 2219937
Dr. A Boschee's German Syrup		L. M. Green	Proprietor	"L" or backwards "7".

This bottle contained a proprietary medicine marketed by George Gill Green from the 1870's to the early 1900s. The "L. M. Green" on the side of the bottle is actually his father, Lewis M. Green, who originated the formula. George Gill Green started medical school in 1862, but dropped out in 1864 to enlist in the US civil war. He served in the 142nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Infantry Regiment from 1864 to 1865. After leaving the military, he started a wholesale drug business in Baltimore. That one burned down, so he started another one, buying the rights to the German Syrup and another medicine called Green's August Flower from his father.

Mr green created a mass marketing campaign involving newspapers, mass mailings, free samples, and almanacs (click to enlarge):

View attachment 2219954 View attachment 2219955 View attachment 2219932 View attachment 2219928 View attachment 2219929

The marketing campaigns worked, as sales took off and Green quickly became a millionaire. He would go on to open the Hotel Green in Pasadena California, which is now a state historic landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. It also now includes the Castle Green, which you can take a virtual tour of through their website.

The medicine was purported to cure consumption, coughing, asthma, and any other disease of the throat and lungs. Whether it actually did so is debatable, and the ingredients don't sound like something you'd want to take much of. Opium, ipecac, and tar. Throw in some cherry flavoring and a massive dose of sugar to make it all somewhat palatable. Yum. (Click to enlarge).

View attachment 2219931

Green's business declined after the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, and closed entirely in 1916.

This bottle would have originally had a paper label on one side, similar to this example:
View attachment 2219930

And finally, here is the before and after for this bottle, using just soap and water, brushes, and scrapers (click to enlarge).

View attachment 2220185 View attachment 2219933

* Value is based on sold eBay listings at the time of posting and vary with condition.

** Date notes: The bottle has mold seams across the bottom around and up onto the shoulders of the bottle, but they do not go all the way to the top (in fact the mold seams are "twisted" halfway up the bottle neck). The mold seam is visible across the entire bottom, with a circle in the middle. This suggests a base mold plate and a date before 1890. If anyone has a more exact date, I'd love an explanation.

Great Research--People can learn from your example