Bristol-Myers Squibb European Apothecary -- Prescription Labels
Prescription Labels

The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Eighteenth and nineteenth century prescription labels were very different looking from the generic pieces of paper glued to prescription bottles drug stores dispense today. Two-hundred years ago prescription labels were triangular in shape, colorful and artistic. They were attached to the neck of the bottle with a piece of string.
Early labels were plane and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, elephants or important buildings associated with the name of the apothecary. Later in the nineteenth century colored labels were used to differentiate between medications meant to be used externally or internally. Labels were printed with the pharmacist’s name, the name of the apothecary, the city and the street address. (p.128, Pharmacy in Pre-Soviet Russia, by Mary Schaeffer Conroy, in Pharmacy in History, volume 27, No. 3, 1985)
One special sheet of uncut labels (13 ½ H x 8 ½ H) has thirteen prescription labels, each one with a different image, and may have been a salesman’s’ sample depicting the different designs available to the pharmacist. Generic sheets with the center of the labels left blank are ready for the doctor or pharmacist’s prescription.


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Prescription Labels
- Description (Brief)
- Uncut sheet of thirteen percription labels. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1338
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1338
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Prescription Label, Fust Badeker in Mulheim
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1229
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1229
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1234
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1234
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Prescription Label, Apotheke von C. Lesaulnier in Niederbreisig
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1239
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1239
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Prescription Label, Lowenapotheke von Dr. Ph.J. Hainz
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 19th century
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1123
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1123
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Prescription Label, Lowen Apotheke in Essen am Markt
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1119
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1119
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Trarbach von Pfeiffer
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1244
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1244
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Prescription Label, Apotheke in Schwelm
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1254
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1254
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Prescription Label, Apotheke in Carlsruhe von Dr. E. Riegel
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1270
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1270
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, apotheke zum Lowen in Mannnheim von Dr. Hirschbrunn
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria. Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1136
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1136
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Fust Badeker in Mulheim
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1230
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1230
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Hirsch Apotheke bei C. Bengardt in Huckeswagen
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1249
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1249
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1231
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1231
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1232
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1232
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1233
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1233
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1235
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1235
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1236
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1236
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1237
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1237
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke in Siegenvon Eduard Polthoff
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1238
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1238
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Prescription Label, Apotheke von C. Lesaulnier in Niederbreisig
- Description (Brief)
- The Bristol-Myers Squibb Collection has over two hundred early prescription labels from dozens of apothecaries across Germany and Austria.
- Early labels were plain and without adornment. Later embellishments included decorative borders, images of animals such as stags, lions, or elephants associated with the name of the apothecary.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 1991.0664.1240
- catalog number
- 1991.0664.1240
- accession number
- 1991.0664
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History