Jay T. Last Collection of Medicine Prints and Ephemera: Finding
Aid
Finding aid prepared by Charla DelaCuadra.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Prints and Ephemera
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: 626-405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2017
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Jay T. Last Collection of Medicine Prints and Ephemera
Dates (inclusive): approximately 1750-approximately 1929
Bulk dates: 1850-1910
Collection Number: priJLC_MED
Collector:
Last, Jay T.
Extent:
approximately 4,030 items
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Prints and Ephemera
Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: 626-405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The Jay T. Last Collection of Medicine Prints and Ephemera contains over 4,000 printed items related to medical, dental, and
vision products and services in the United States from approximately 1750 to 1929,
with the bulk of the content dating from 1850 to 1910. Most items are lithographs, but engravings and woodcuts are also included.
The collection deals with medical and drug-related advertising and practice including the tools, equipment, and supplies used
by the medical field in the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
This includes the wide and varied assortment of patent medicines that proliferated during this time.
Language: English.
Note:
Finding aid last updated on June 16, 2017.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities.
The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the
researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Item title, Call number]. Jay T. Last Collection of Medicine Prints and Ephemera, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
This collection forms part of the Jay T. Last Collection of Graphic Arts and Social History, which was
donated to the Huntington Library by Jay T. Last in 2005 as a gift in progress. The bulk of the Medicine prints and ephemera were transferred to the Library between 2010 and 2012.
Background
The Jay T. Last Collection is an unparalleled archive of printed paper artifacts that documents American lithographic, social,
and business history. The collection began in the early 1970s when
physicist and Silicon Valley pioneer Jay Last moved to Southern California and started collecting citrus box labels he found
at local flea markets and rummage sales. As his collection grew,
Last realized that these labels conveyed important information about commercial printing, graphic design, and social history,
and he expanded his collection to include other forms
of American visual culture. Today this collection contains more than 200,000 lithographic prints, posters, and ephemera of
mostly nineteenth- and early twentieth- century American
origin and represents works by more than five hundred lithographic companies.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Scope and Content
The Jay T. Last Collection of Medicine Prints and Ephemera contains over 4,000 printed items related to medical, dental, and
vision products and services in the United States from approximately 1750 to 1929, with the bulk of the content
dating from 1850 to 1910. Most items are lithographs, but engravings and woodcuts are also included. The collection deals
with medical and drug-related advertising and practice including the tools, equipment, and supplies used by the
medical field in the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. This includes products and services relating
to human health care and the remedies to treat, relieve, and cure medical, dental, and vision conditions as
prescribed or administered by doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and quack practitioners often affiliated with patent medicine
manufacturers, drug companies, hospitals, asylums, institutes, and/or sanitariums.
Materials are arranged in two series: small-size items (11 x 14 inches or less) and large-size items (more than 11 x 14 inches).
Small-size items are described broadly at the series level; large-size items and select small-size items are
fully inventoried with printers, artists, and publishers indexed by name. The collection includes 30 large-size items comprised
mainly of advertising prints and leaflets. Small-size items number approximately 4,000 and contain a variety
of materials, including trade cards, product labels, stationery, calendars, booklets, leaflets, periodicals, and printed billheads
and letterheads (with and without manuscript text). Of note are over 150 product labels for remedies
offered by Dr. A. De Fontaine of Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1840-1850, and approximately 100 items of advertising ephemera
for products made by C. I. Hood & Co. of Lowell, Massachusetts.
The collection supports various fields of research relating to medical and drug-related merchandising, advertising, and practice
in the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This includes the
wide and varied assortment of patent medicines that proliferated during this time. The images provide a rich visual resource
for studying the history of American medical practitioners, methods, and materials, as well as a perspective on
ailments and illnesses common during this period. As graphic materials, the collection highlights developing techniques and
trends in printmaking while documenting the artists, engravers, lithographers, printers, and publishers
involved in the creative process.
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Related materials in the Huntington Library
The Huntington Library Historical Prints Collection contains two related items (priHHC_MED_0000021 ; priHHC_MED_0000022) that
are listed in the "Related Materials" section at the beginning of Series II in this finding aid.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following two series:
- Series I. Medicine Prints and Ephemera (small size)
- Series II. Medicine Prints and Ephemera (large size)
Indexing Terms
Genres
Billheads.
Calendars.
Certificates.
Chromolithographs.
Ephemera.
Ephemera -- United States -- 19th century.
Ephemera -- United States -- 20th century.
Engravings.
Handbills.
Intaglio prints.
Leaflets (printed works)
Letters (Correspondence).
Letterheads.
Lithographs.
Manuscripts.
Printed ephemera.
Prints.
Relief prints.
Trade cards.
Views.
Subjects
Advertising -- Drugs.
Advertising -- Medicine.
Boys -- Pictorial works.
Buildings -- Pictorial works.
Children -- Pictorial works.
Girls -- Pictorial works.
Industrial buildings -- Pictorial works.
Landscapes -- Pictorial works.
Medicine.
Men -- Pictorial works.
Patent medicines.
Sick -- Pictorial works.
Storefronts -- Pictorial works.
Women -- Pictorial works.
Printer, Publisher, Artist Index
The following is a complete list of printers, publishers, and artists represented in the fully-cataloged items in this collection.
Anderson, Walter W.
Aspinwall, Horatio G.
Bannan, Benjamin, 1807-1875
Calvert Lithographing Co. (Detroit, Mich.)
Cosack & Co.
Crosby, Charles H., 1819-1896
Haehnlen, Jacob, 1824-
Hanford, Albert, 1807-1883
Hawkins, Ezekiel C.
Hop Pill Mf'g Co.
J. Ottman Lithographic Company
King, W. A. (Artist)
Longacre & Co.
Queen & Co. (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Reed, Edwin O., approximately 1824-
Samuel Bowles and Company
Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith.
Shields, C. (Printer)
Stevens, H. R.
Theo. Leonhardt & Son
Thomas & Eno
Thoubboron, J.
Tobin, M. F.
William H. Forbes & Company
Series I. Medicine Prints and Ephemera (small size)
approximately 1750-1929
(bulk 1850-1910)
Physical Description:
approximately 4,000 items in 26 binders and 1 box
Arrangement
Items smaller than 8 x 10 inches are housed in binders.
Items that are between 8 x 10 inches and 11 x 14 inches in size are arranged in boxes. Items with individual call numbers
are arranged numerically. Select items have been fully cataloged and are described in the following format:
-
Title of print. Date
- Artist(s) (when known). Printer(s). Publisher(s).
Binder 1
Medical equipment, services, and supplies, A-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 115 items
Binder 2
Dental and vision equipment, services, and supplies, A-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 75 items
Binder 3
Patent medicine, A by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 200 items
Binder 4
Patent medicine, Ba-Bri by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 125 items
Binder 5
Patent medicine, Bro-Bu by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 135 items
Binder 6
Patent medicine, Ca-Cl by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 145 items
Binder 7
Patent medicine, Co-Di by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 235 items
Binder 8
Patent medicine, Do-Fl by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 145 items
Binder 9
Patent medicine, Fo-Fu by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 200 items
Binder 10
Patent medicine, G by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 190 items
Binder 11
Patent medicine, Ha-Hea by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 145 items
Binder 12
Patent medicine, Hec-Hu by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 210 items
Binder 13
Patent medicine, I-J by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 105 items
Binder 14
Patent medicine, K by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 115 items
Binder 15
Patent medicine, L-Mc by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 170 items
Binder 16
Patent medicine, Me-My by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 210 items
Binder 17
Patent medicine, N-Pl by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 200 items
Binder 18
Patent medicine, Po-Ri by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 165 items
Binder 19
Patent medicine, Ro-Sh by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 195 items
Binder 20
Patent medicine, Si-Te by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 185 items
Binder 21
Patent medicine, Th-V by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 170 items
Binder 22
Patent medicine, Wa-Wh by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 110 items
Binder 23
Patent medicine, Wi-Z by company (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 130 items
Binder 24
Patent medicine, C.I. Hood (1) (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 95 items
Binder 25
Patent medicine, C.I. Hood (2) (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 20 items
Binder 26
Patent medicine, Dr. Fontaine (8 x 10 inches or smaller in size)
Physical Description: approximately 160 items
Box 1
General medicine (between 8 x 10 inches and 11 x 14 inches in size)
Physical Description: approximately 55 items
Note
Select items in this box have been fully cataloged and are listed below.
priJLC_MED_002609
Ayer’s sarsaparilla. approximately 1843-1878
priJLC_MED_002614
Dr. McMunn’s kinate of quinine and cinchonine. approximately 1862-1864
priJLC_MED_004466
Golden sheaf bitters. after 1866
Printers: Calvert Lithographing Co. (Detroit, Mich.)
priJLC_MED_004467
Lactopeptine in cholera infantum and all digestive ailments. 1895
priJLC_MED_004473
Schweizer alpen kraüter. Swiss alpine herbs bitters. approximately 1854-1873
Printers: Haehnlen, Jacob, 1824-
priJLC_MED_004484
Dr. H. Cox's compound syrup of sarsaparilla. approximately 1850-1853
Artists: Anderson, Walter W. ; Hawkins, Ezekiel C.
Printers: Reed, Edwin O., approximately 1824-
priJLC_MED_004707
Quaker bitters. approximately 1874
priJLC_MED_004711
The Hop annual. ©1887
Printers: J. Ottman Lithographic Company
Publishers: Hop Pill Mf'g Co.
Series II. Medicine Prints and Ephemera (large size)
approximately 1839-1915
(bulk 1850-1900)
Physical Description:
29 items
Related Material
Items in the Huntington Library Historical Prints collection:
- priHHC_MED_0000021
Chart to Dr. Kline's Philadelphia Medical & Surgical Institute for the treatment of all diseases. ©1868
Link
- priHHC_MED_0000022
Cholera medicine, for the cure of diarrhea, summer complaints, colics, cramps, & c. 1843
Link
Arrangement
Items are arranged numerically by call number and described in the following format:
-
Title of print. Date
- Artist(s) (when known). Printer(s). Publisher(s).
priJLC_MED_000686
Manufacturing chemists : Powers & Weightman. approximately 1876
priJLC_MED_000731
View of Ascutney Mountain taken from High Bridge at Claremont, N. H. ©1868
Artists: King, W. A. (Artist)
Printers: William H. Forbes & Company
priJLC_MED_002610
Dr. S. S. Fitch’s celebrated medicines. approximately 1847-1855
Printers: Shields, C. (Printer)
priJLC_MED_002611
Hamlin’s wizard oil good for man and beast. after 1867
Printers: Calvert Lithographing Co. (Detroit, Mich.)
priJLC_MED_002612
Humphrey’s specific homeopathic remedies. after 1853
priJLC_MED_002613
Hood’s sarsaparilla. approximately 1872-1922
priJLC_MED_002615
Dr. Solon Osmond Richardson's jaundice bitters. ©1840
priJLC_MED_002616
Bitters S. S. Wyckoff & Co. ©1861
Printers: Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith.
priJLC_MED_002617
Standard eye colors. Shades of brown. ©1891
Publishers: Queen & Co. (Philadelphia, Pa.)
priJLC_MED_002618
Dr. J. Bovee Dod’s imperial remedy and family physician. approximately 1855-1878
Printers: Samuel Bowles and Company
priJLC_MED_002619
Hunnewell’s standard preparations. approximately 1856-1872
Printers: Crosby, Charles H., 1819-1896
priJLC_MED_002620
Dr. D. Jayne's alterative. ©1845
priJLC_MED_002621
Dr. J. P. Mann’s offices & reception days. after 1875
priJLC_MED_002622
Use Renne’s pain killing magic oil. It subdues pain instantly. approximately 1859-1893
priJLC_MED_002623
Dr. Sage’s catarrh remedy. approximately 1878-1891
priJLC_MED_002624
Barker’s Liniment. approximately 1874-1890
Printers: Theo. Leonhardt & Son
priJLC_MED_002625
Green mountain boys gathering materials for Paine's celebrated Green Mountain Balm of Gilead and Cedar Plaster. ©1868
Printers: William H. Forbes & Company
priJLC_MED_002626
Dr. Leons’ celebrated preparations. approximately 1854-1873
Printers: Haehnlen, Jacob, 1824-
priJLC_MED_002627
The celebrated oxygenated bitters a sure remedy for dyspepsia asthma, and general debility. approximately 1843-1847
Printers: Hanford, Albert, 1807-1883
priJLC_MED_003721
On guard. approximately 1886-1899
priJLC_MED_004503
Thomas' American mechanical leech, breast glass, cupping glass & eye glass. approximately 1852
priJLC_MED_004504
The national life. Devoted to the heath and interests of the people. approximately 1878
Publishers: Stevens, H. R.
priJLC_MED_004505
Herbert M. Rogers & Co.'s pure Newfoundland cod liver oil. 1877
priJLC_MED_004507
Dr. J. P. Mann's offices and reception days. after 1875
priJLC_MED_004508
Societas Medica Insula Rhodi. approximately 1839
Printers: Aspinwall, Horatio G.
priJLC_MED_004704
Reliable, soluble, permanent, sugar coated pills. approximately 1858
priJLC_MED_004705
A treatise on diseases of the lungs, describing the virtues of Haas' expectorant... approximately 1851
Printers: Bannan, Benjamin, 1807-1875
priJLC_MED_004706
Watkins vegetable anodyne liniment. after 1914
priJLC_MED_004766
Hood's calendar companion. 1915