early 1870's remnants unearthed from former site of stephen israel's post-fire chicago pharmacy

remnants from the site of a short-lived druggist's pharmacy (1872-1874) were discovered under a downtown chicago parking ramp (since demolished). during excavation in preparation for new development, machine operator john propeck unearthed nearly 30 (mostly broken) stephen israel mineral water bottles lying against a foundation wall belonging to his post-fire building (demolished when the parking ramp was built in the 1950's).

the original and completely intact late c.1870's israel bottle included here, is virtually identical to the bottles discovered along the foundation wall. the reddish amber glass saratoga style quart mineral water bottle with mug base, was manufactured specifically for chicago druggist stephen israel (bottle fabricator not known). the body has low, broad shoulders that slope into a wide neck and applied collar with single ring. the front body is caseworn, but embossed "israel's / mineral water / chicago." the bottle features a twelve-paneled mug base on the lower body. crudities are typical of its age and date of manufacture, including minor surface wear, bubbles, whittling, and patination from having been dug. the intact bottle was discovered in a long-forgotten mid-century downtown chicago landfill not far from israel's pharmacy.

druggist stephen israel appears in the 1870-1874 chicago city directories, first at 152 dearborn and later at 522 wabash avenue (the later being the site of the bottle discovery). i dropped by the site the other day to document what i could, including a few of the bottles that have been buried in what remains of israel drugstore basement since the 1870's.

update as of 3-12-2016:

additional bottles and fragments were discovered the day after i visited the excavation site. a late 1850's cobalt blue william h. hutchinson soda and/or mineral water bottle with iron pontiled base was found intact. the latest discovery inspired me to take a closer look at a bird's eye view lithographed map of chicago as it appeared in 1857. the northwest corner (the area being excavated) contained a large brick structure, along with frame cottages facing harmon. the w.h.h. bottle was likely unearthed from an undisturbed privy pity located behind one of the houses.