1900 PERUNA PROHIBITION TONIC MEDICINE ADVERTISING S (06/01/2009)...

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1900 PERUNA PROHIBITION TONIC MEDICINE ADVERTISING SIGN

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1900 PERUNA PROHIBITION TONIC MEDICINE ADVERTISING SIGN

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Sold Date: 06/01/2009
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Advertising

Very rare and attractive, ca1900, Chromolithograph Patent Medicine Advertising Sign for Peruna Tonic - a popular cure for Catarrh Diseases and Prohibition Era Liquor Substitute. This wonderful, Chromolithographed Advertising Sign measures approx. 20 1/4" x 40" and is printed on heavy card stock. It features a fantastic, image of the interior of a Pharmacy. Two women and a young child stand at the counter while the Druggist hands the women bottles of “Pe-Ru-Na” Tonic. Behind the Druggist are shelves filled with bottles of Peruna Tonic. A sign on the top shelf behind the Druggist reads “Pe-Ru-Na / Cures Catarrh / Sold ”. The lithography is of the very highest quality and the Sign is signed by the lithographer - The American lithography Co. of New York.

In the 1890’s Dr. Samuel Brubaker Hartman gave up his practice and moved to Columbus, Ohio and began producing various Patent Medicine “Cures”. He hit pay dirt when he decided to define most all diseases as a form of “Catarrh” and began marketing a “Catarrh Cure” was called “Peruna” (he preferred to have it written “PE-RU-NA”). Pneumonia was catarrh of the lungs, so was tuberculosis.Cancer sores were catarrh of the mouth; appendicitis, catarrh of the appendix; chronic indigestion, catarrh of the stomach; mumps, catarrh of the glands; Bright’s disease, catarrh of the kidneys. Peruna, he said, would cure them all, even yellow fever, another form of catarrh. Peruna Tonic quickly became THE most popular Patent medicine in the United States - not because it actually cured anything (it had NO curative ingredients of any kind) but because it contained 28% alcohol by volume. With the passage of the Food and Drug Acts of 1906 Dr. Hartman changed the formula to include a mild laxative and reduced the alcohol content to 18%.
With the advent of Prohibition Peruna continued to be sold over the counter. The company made no real effort to disguise Peruna’s spirituous nature. During National Prohibition, Peruna came to be known generally as “Prohibition Tonic.” and was endorsed by clergymen and temperance men alike. The end of Prohibition marked the beginning of the end of Peruna’s popularity.

Unfortunately, this very beautiful, original, turn of the century, Chromolithographed Patent medicine Advertising Sign is in fair condition only. The colors are bright and vibrant and the Sign does display nicely but the stiff paper board has been broken into 2 pieces horizontally approx. 8” from the top edge. The break has had a preliminary repair being reinforced using a piece of corrugated cardboard on the back side (see the scan below of the rear of the Sign. T is also edge wear and edge chips to the Sign as well as a tight, 8” tear entering the Sign at the lower portion of the left hand edge. We have included a number of images below to show the condition problems with the sign. With a quality matting and framing the Sign will display nicely but it does have significant condition problems.

. A wonderful and very rare, original 1910’s, American Patent Medicine Chromolithograph Advertising Sign and a fine addition to any collection!! Overseasshippping is extra and cost will be quoted at bidders request. Massachusetts residents must add 5% sales tax. Insurance is required on all items selling for $100 or more and optional on items selling for under $100 (but highly recommended) and not available on International Shipping.

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The amount quoted for Shipping & Handling is calculated by eBay and is equal to the EXACT amount charged by the Post Office plus a $1.00 "packing fee" - the $1.00 fee is our only compensation for the virgin packing materials we use on all of our professionally packaged boxes as well as our cost for the salaried help that does most of our packing - as I am sure you can see, we make NO profit on the Shi...