Transparent rounded rectangle based glass Ayer’s Cherry Pectoral bottle (a) with non-removable cylindrical black metal screw cap, and yellow and red rectangular cardboard box (b); bottle half full with brown liquid; flat rectangular front and back walls with top arch; flat rectangular side walls; r…
Transparent rounded rectangle based glass Ayer’s Cherry Pectoral bottle (a) with non-removable cylindrical black metal screw cap, and yellow and red rectangular cardboard box (b); bottle half full with brown liquid; flat rectangular front and back walls with top arch; flat rectangular side walls; round shoulders taper to short cylindrical neck, round neck ring, and cylindrical finish with external continuous thread; cream and black rectangular paper label with product information and directions in English on front and smaller label in French on back; embossed manufacturer information on textured bottom; mold lines on sides from base to top and around neck; cap has rolled bottom edge, vertical ridges in sides, and round top; box has product information in English on exterior front, proper right side, and top flap and in French on exterior back, proper left side, and bottom.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
a – bottle – Length 17.7 cm Width 5.7 cm Depth 3.1 cm
b – box – Length 18.2 cm Width 7.0 cm Depth 4.0 cm
Owens-Illinois Glass Company “diamond O and I logo” on bottom of bottle used 1929 – 1954; date mark “6” is last number of year manufactured
Material
glass: clear
paper: light brown, cream
ink: yellow, red, black
metal: black
Inscriptions
Printed on front bottle label: “CONTAINS 5 FLUID OZS. // AYER’S // Cherry Pectoral // TRADE MARK REG. IN CANADA // Contains No Opiates // SHAKE WELL // TAKE WITHOUT WATER // SWALLOW SLOWLY // ADULTS: For Bronchial irritations // and coughs due to colds – tea - // spoonful every half hour for three // hours, then every hour as need - // ed. In severe cases two tea - // spoonfuls. // Children: 10 to 15 years, one – half // adult dose; 5 to 10 years, one - // fourth to one – third adult dose; // 2 to 5 years, 8 to 15 drops. // Small doses taken frequently are // more effective // than large doses // taken less often. // Sterling Products, Ltd. // Windsor, Ontario // Successor to // THE AYER CO. INC. // No. 11824 Proprietary or // Patent Medicine Act”; stamped on front bottle label: “41907”; printed on front of box: “AYER’S // for Colds // CHERRY // PECTORAL // TRADE MARK REG IN CANADA // for Coughs // STERLING DRUG MFG LTD. // WINDSOR – ONTARIO”; printed on proper left side of box: “75 c // Equally Safe and Effective for Adults and Children. // Contains No Opiates. Valuable for preventing coughs // and colds from going down into the bronchial tubes. // Quick and lasting relief for coughs. Loosens phlegm. // Stimulates necessary expectoration. Sooths dry irri- // tated throats. For deep-seated coughs and bronchitis. // ESTABLISHED 1841 BY J. C. AYER, M. D. // CONTENTS 5 FL. OZ.”; stamped on bottom left side of box in black ink: “41907”; printed on top flap of box: “AN EFFECTIVE COUGH // MEDICINE // GOOD FOR ALL THE FAMILY”; hand written on top flap of box: “75”
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A3-9 Row C
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Minor discolouration all over front and back bottle labels; top box flaps torn, distorted, and unstable; major staining on top of box, especially on proper left side and back of box; minor soiling all over box, especially on top flap; minor tears and abrasion to edges of box
Griffenhagen, George and Mary Bogard. "History of Drug Containers and Their Labels." American Institute of the History of Pharmacy, 1999. Accessed 5 June 2019.
Lockhart, Bill and Russ Hoenig. “The Bewildering Array of Owens-Illinois Glass Co. Logos and Codes.” Society for Historical Archaeology, 2015.
Research Facts
James Cook Ayer was a medical doctor who created a popular line of proprietary medicines; Ayer’s first product, his Cherry Pectoral, was first marketed in 1841 as a cure for various conditions, including coughs, influenza, and consumption; it originally contained opiates, but these were eventually removed from the formula; the packaging of this bottle focuses on the application of the remedy for bronchial conditions and coughs.
The Ayer Company was acquired by Sterling Products in 1938.
Owens-Illinois Glass Company merged in 1929 and used the famous “diamond, O and I" logo until around 1954.