Chris Leonard

Come visit the National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa!

Bottle of the Day! Lovely blue prescription bottle from Abigail M. Littlefield's Pharmacy in Troy, NY. Ms. Littlefield (1868-1922) was one of the first women to receive a pharmacist's license in 1898 after graduating Albany College of Pharmacy. Whitall-Tatum produced the bottle in the early 20th c.

Bottle of the Day! Well, Shot Glass of the Day. Early 20th century shot glass from the Columbia Distilling Co. Stay classy, Albany.

Actually, Beaver rye was popular in Albany and harkens back to the city's settlement by the Dutch as Fort Orange; the headquarters of their beaver fur trade empire.

Late President Jimmy Carter spent most of 1953 in Capital Region, returned during campaign As the nation pauses to remember President Jimmy Carter, the loss of the longest-living president is being felt in the Schenectady area, where Carter spent some pivotal months long before embarking on...

Forgot I gave this interview to WAMC radio when President Carter went into hospice last year. www.wamc.org/news/2024-12...

‘Firebugs’ left path of destruction in 1883-1886 Schenectady arson spree – New Tales of Old Dorp Beginning in 1883, Schenectady was terrorized by something completely different. From May 1, 1883, to February 7, 1886, buildings, homes, barns and businesses throughout the city were lost to fire.

My latest article in the Daily Gazette of Schenectady @dgazette.bsky.social on an arson spree in the city from 1883-1886. www.dailygazette.com/life_and_art...

Bottle of the Day! Two bottles from when the milkman delivered to your door. In both examples, the cream separating top is stylized into a baby's face. It's a fun, mostly post-war embellishment, but not hard to find.

That's beautiful.

Bottle of the Day! This apothecary bottle is from my personal collection. 1940s vintage. You would bring in, buy, or "rent" a bottle from the pharmacy and purchase a personal share. I can't find anything on the Podoloff brand. One of these years, I'm going to write a book on Schenectady pharmacies.

Would be nice to have a Schenectady guy running things.

Bottle of the Day! Soviet-era Pepsi bottle, circa 1981. Although we are the National Bottle Museum, we have interesting bottles and glass art from around the world. I like to think Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev enjoyed a nip of Nench-Kojia, glaring angrily at the bottle through his bushy eyebrows.

Bottle of the Day! Stunning red seltzer dispenser from La Piedad in Buenos Ayres, circa 1903. Definitely blowing in mold, although the automatic bottle machine was coming into use.

It won't last forever

Bottle of the Day! Before combustion engines, you could pick up bottles of gasoline from you local apothecary for cleaning grease and other oily stains. This bottle dates to the 1880s.

Bottle of the day! Working from home, so this bottle is from my personal collection. Walker's Pharmacy was located in Schenectady's Lorraine Block during the first 30+ years of the 20th c. Herbert Walker, the Walker in question, built the house in which I live.

Just a part of the collection at the National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa, NY.

We're open Wed-Sat 10-4. Stop in!

Bottle(s) of the Day! Poison! Not to be taken orally!

Yes, but the directions state "Gargle, dilute, for mouth and throat ailments. No harm if swallowed." Feels like Prohibition medicine instructions.

Bottle of the Day! When in doubt, turn to "Mysterious Pain Cure: A Scotch Remedy." Good for everything from Diphtheria to Burns to Toothaches. 70 % Alcohol with Laudanum. Yup, that would do it. Patent medicine at its finest.

Bottle of the day! Mott's Cider Vinegar bottle from the early 1940s. This would have been my go-to vinegar, as I couldn't resist an Art Deco bottle shaped like a building. Mott's formed in 1842, so the notation of "A Century of Progress" helps with dating.

A pleasure to meet you!

Part of the reason I do what I do is the horrible cancer experience. Left my heartbreaking career in corporate marketing to study and teach history, and now I have a huge antique bottle collection. I couldn't be happier with my weird career path.

I really do. I "own" a collection of 5,000 antique bottles.

Bottle of the Day! This is a pesky one. I can find no info about Ridge Beverages, or Ridge Bottling Co., Inc., in Ridge, NY. There is a Coca-Cola bottling plant there now. I estimate the bottle is from the 1960s. Small mystery to solve.

The numbers have rebounded a bit. Still low, but signs that whatever the issue was is clearing. I live to fight another day...

A bracelet clasp with a Medusa on an emerald cameo. Gold is treated with diamond and enamel. 18th century. Made in England.

Are you an antique bottle collector or bottle enthusiast? Do you blow glass or make glass art? Do you collect or make glassware? Drop your Bluesky handle here. I'm going to put together a list so we can communicate and support each other.

It's one of those cancer survivors days. Most recent blood draw showed a slightly lowered white blood cell count. Three weeks later I'm in for a redraw. Hundreds of things could lead to a low WBC count, yet...

I'll join him, plus the bagel.

Does George not rate a bagel?