AI Appraisal Estimate

This item appears to be an amber or dark-colored glass bottle, likely rectangular or flask-shaped, featuring a prominent paper label. The label, which is white with red text, bears the heading 'POISON' alongside 'Completely Denatured Alcohol' and a 'skull and crossbones' icon. Additional text identifies a distributor as 'MODERN PAINT & WALLPAPER CO.' located at '14 Washington St. - Telephone 4882 - HAVERHILL, MASS.' The label includes detailed warnings describing the substance as a 'violent poison' and provides an 'ANTIDOTE' section recommending immediate medical attention. Physically, the bottle appears heavily soiled with dust, grime, and possible residue, which obscures the clarity of the glass. The paper label exhibits significant wear, including creases, staining, and lifting at the corners, consistent with objects of a mid-20th-century aesthetic. The typography and four-digit telephone number suggest a style consistent with the early-to-mid 1900s. Because paper labels and vintage bottles can be reproduced or married later, this is identified as being stylistically consistent with period apothecary or industrial hazardous materials containers, subject to in-person verification of the glass manufacturing technique and paper substrate.

Based on my visual examination of the provided images, I have evaluated this amber glass poison bottle featuring a label for the Modern Paint & Wallpaper Co. of Haverhill, Mass. The value estimate is predicated on the item being a period-correct industrial container from the early-to-mid 20th century. This type of 'utility' ephemera is currently popular among collectors of apothecary, medical, and industrial 'memento mori' items. The four-digit phone number and typography are consistent with an age hypothesis of circa 1920-1940. However, I cannot verify from a photo whether the label and bottle were originally married or if the label is a high-quality contemporary scan applied to a vintage blank. The significant surface grime and label wear observed are consistent with age but do negatively impact the display value compared to a 'clean' example. While comparable labeled hazard bottles often occupy this price range, the value is highly dependent on the label's integrity; if the label were found to be a modern reproduction or if the glass shows modern machine-mold seams inconsistent with the purported era, the value would likely drop to $5.00-$15.00. To confirm these findings, an in-person inspection is necessary to examine the paper fibers under magnification, check for UV fluorescence of the adhesive, and verify the glass manufacturing method (such as the presence of a tool-finished lip or specific suction marks). Market demand for authentic regional industrial history remains steady, though localized to collectors of Massachusetts ephemera.