RARE Antique Apothecary Inverted Show Globe Blown In Mold, B.I.M. “Natural Sodium Salicylate” WM. S. Merrell Co.

An antique apothecary Inverted show globe containing its original sample of Natural Sodium Salicylate, an early anti-inflammatory compound and chemical precursor to aspirin. Produced by the Wm. S. Merrell Company of Cincinnati, Ohio

This was used as an apothecary display in the late 19th to early 20th century.

Sodium Salicylate (chemical formula: C₇H₆O₃Na) was introduced into American medical use in the 1870s by Dr. William S. Merrell. It was widely prescribed as a treatment for pain and inflammation before aspirin became dominant.

The Wm. S. Merrell Company was a leader in early American pharmacology and chemical refinement, later merging into Richardson-Merrell (and eventually part of Sanofi). They were pioneers in the U.S. manufacture of standardized medicinal compounds.

Blown-in-Mold (BIM) Glass: This bottle was formed using an early glassmaking technique where molten glass was blown into a two-part mold. You can identify this by the visible seam that stops before the lip and the subtle irregularities in thickness — signs of hand-finishing and pre-machine production, typically pre-1910.