Title
Baker’s Liniment Bottle
Author
S. F. Baker & Co., Keokuk, Iowa
Image
Description
A rectangular aqua glass liniment bottle embossed “S. F. BAKER & CO. – KEOKUK, IOWA” on the sides, retaining its original paper label and metal screw cap. The label reads “Baker’s Liniment – Alcohol 37 percent – For the relief of sprains, bruises, cuts and wounds, neuralgic and rheumatic pains, stiff neck, inflamed joints, and sore throat.” The formula was also recommended “for animals” to treat barbed-wire cuts and lameness—typical of the multi-use patent medicines of its day.
This bottle likely dates to the 1910–1920s, after the Pure Food and Drug Act but before widespread standardization of packaging. Its clear aqua hue and machine-made lip reflect the early industrial period of American medicine manufacturing.
Condition
Excellent condition with full readable label, clean glass, and intact screw cap. Light label toning and minor wear consistent with age. Embossing sharp and legible.
Gallery
Historical context
S. F. Baker & Co. was founded in 1878 in Keokuk, Iowa, by Dr. Samuel F. Baker. The firm became well known for its liniments, tonics, and veterinary remedies, many of which were sold by traveling salesmen and through farm supply stores across the Midwest. Baker’s Liniment reflected the transitional era between 19th-century patent medicines and early 20th-century regulated pharmaceuticals—retaining old-fashioned claims but disclosing its alcohol content in compliance with federal labeling laws.
The company remained active well into the mid-20th century, supplying both human and animal medicinal preparations and even advertising its wares in rural almanacs.
Curious Facts, Ephemera, and Trivia
The dual-use claim (“for humans and animals”) was common among liniment makers, maximizing market appeal.
Keokuk, Iowa, was once a regional hub for drug and chemical manufacturing, home to several patent medicine firms.
The 37% alcohol content made these liniments both antiseptic and mildly intoxicating—something not lost on their users.
Excerpt
Label excerpt:
“MUST NOT BE TAKEN INTERNALLY”
Prepared only by S. F. Baker & Co., Keokuk, Iowa. Price $1.10.
Why it is in the Cabinet
This bottle represents the pragmatic blend of human and veterinary medicine in early 20th-century America. Its clear labeling and farm-market origins illustrate how liniments served as household staples—bridging the gap between folk remedies and regulated pharmaceuticals.
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