#druggists

~ Dinkler Bros., Druggists; Anadarko Daily Democrat, October 01, 1901

Spotlight: The Lucky Star

This advertising booklet for The Lucky Star 5 Cent Cigars is such a little gem! From the illustrations, to the poems about cigars, to the advertisements for local druggists Widule and Conrath’s, everything in it is just so much fun. The book is “respectfully dedicated to everyone who enjoys a first-class cigar,” and each of the short poems in the book extolls the virtues of Baxter’s Lucky Star Cigars. I personally enjoy the poetic grace that comes tumbling down in this Lucky Star Cigar poem:

The Oldest Inhabitant’s Opinion.

You may tear the man From his place in the moon; Or rip the stars From the azure sky; Pluck plumes from the buzzard, Or fur from the coon; But you can’t tear me From the truth I cry: That the LUCKY STAR Is the boss Cigar, And that is the brand You ought to buy.

It goes from poetic nature imagery to shilling cigars real fast. Another favorite is the poem featuring a smoking frog.  

It’s unclear whether this booklet was put out by Lucky Star or Widule and Conrath’s, or if it was a booklet made by Lucky Star for distribution at various druggists’ shops with binding to be supplied by each shop. I think the latter is the most likely of the possibilities. Christian Widule was born in Prussia and came to the United States in 1849 at the age of 4. He opened his pharmacy at 630 Chestnut St. in Milwaukee in 1868. Adam Conrath was born in Germany and also came to the United States at the age of 4 in 1852. He became a partner in Widule’s pharmacy business in 1875. 

J.M. Watts & Co. Druggists

Special Announcement!

New Book Spring 2026

Presenting our latest online publication, B.C. Druggists Repository: An index of early drug stores in British Columbia 1858-1930. This body of work was primarily compiled by long time member and collector Gord Northcote. 

There are nearly 700 druggists in the list, although it is not a completely comprehensive list, it remains a very good overview. It's loaded with facts, dates, locations, photos, and ephemera related to the early drug stores of B.C. More work could be done to fill in the blanks, and there will no doubt be more druggists to add from 1915 to 1930. The bulk of the material came from the publication The Canadian Druggist (1889-1915) which is found at archive.org. 

You can download the 96 MB PDF FREE from our website, under the Publications section: 

found this whack book of recipes and apothecary stuff (and just general, bizarre knowledge) published in the US in 1891

losing it at the ingredients in this late-victorian-era Nair

Poudre Subtile for Removing Superfluous Hair.—Take powdered quick-lime, two parts; sulphuret of arsenic, one part; starch, one part; mix into a fine powder, and keep in a close corked bottle. When required for use, take a small quantity and add two or three drops of water, and apply on the part you desire to remove the hair from—let it remain about one minute, or until it becomes red, then wash off.

primary highlights:

quicklime

arsenic (tbf she's in every recipe)

peak highlights:

"let it remain about one minute, or until it becomes red,"

just a quick modern-day 'hazards' check on that, uh, "quicklime":