Antique Lydia Pinkham Vegetable Compound Bottle w Label Lynn Massachusetts c1910 For Sale

Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound
Prepared by the Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Company, Lynn, Massachusetts.

Bottle appears to date to approximately 1907-1915, with the strongest likelihood around 1908-1912.

Why?

• The label prominently states "Contains 15 Per Cent Alcohol."
• After passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act, manufacturers increasingly disclosed alcohol content.
• The label's typography, claims language, and bottle form are consistent with the years immediately following the 1906 legislation.
• The slogan "In Use For Over 50 Years" also fits this period. Lydia Pinkham introduced the compound in the 1870s.

This was one of the most famous patent medicines ever sold in America.

It was marketed primarily to women for:

• "Female complaints"
• Menstrual discomfort
• Menopause symptoms
• General weakness
• Nervousness
• Fatigue

The formula contained:

• Alcohol (15%)
• Herbal ingredients such as black cohosh, pleurisy root, fenugreek, and unicorn root

Many historians believe some customers felt genuine relief due to:

• The alcohol content
• Mild herbal effects
• The fact that women could seek treatment privately without consulting a physician

At its peak, Lydia Pinkham became one of the most recognized female entrepreneurs in America.

Positives:

• Original paper label present
• Excellent readability
• Original cork remains
• Clean glass
• Attractive display appearance
• Interior residue confirms original use

Condition notes:

• Cork top cleaned more recently (albeit being orignal)
• Interior evaporation speckling (tiny, faint, fine, white dots)
• Small label losses and edge wear
• No chips, no cracks

None of these are unusual for a bottle over 110 years old.

Approximate height: 8.25 inches.