Collection of Shaker Medicine Bottles and Trade Card

Collection of Shaker medicine bottles and trade card.  Late 19th Century. The larger bottle measures approximately 5 3/4 inches tall, 2 inches wide and 1 1/4" deep with a light aqua hue.  It reads SHAKER DIGESTIVE CORDIAL on one side and A.J. WHITE NEW YORK on the other.  The smaller bottle measures a diminutive 2 1/4 inches tall, 1 1/8 inches wide and 3/4 inches deep with a dark amber hue.  It reads THE SHAKER FAMILY PILLS on the front, DOSE 2 TO 4 on one side and A.J. WHITE on the other.  Both bottles are in amazing condition with no noted imperfections, cracks or chips other than a small inclusion on the inside lip of the larger bottle that may date from the time of manufacture.  The trade card dates from 1891 and features SHAKER FAMILY PILLS across the top and a drawing of a little girl standing in a field of daisies wearing a Shaker bonnet and holding a small bouqet of the flower.  She is seemingly healthy complete with chubby rosey cheeks the color of which is still visible on the card.  Underneath the girl is a claim to CURE SICK HEADACHE along with name A.J. White, Proprietor, along with his address if 168 Duane Street, NEW YORK.  The back promotes the pills as "[F]or  the constipation, Sluggish Liver, and the immediate symptoms and effects of Biliousness.  They are not to be classed with the hard a drastic purgatives, which distress you when in operation and leave you feeling more dull and constipated as before."  The card further goes on to claim that "[T]he most women may use them without hesitation, following directions" and that they are available from A.J. WHITE. The card measures 5 inches by 3 inches.  The front is in excellent condition and color and the back is in good condition with some staining.  The original price of the medication when sold was 25 cents.  Medicinal herbs was one of the early cottage industries of the Shakers, but the start of this industry is not free of debate even internally amongst the Shakers. According to Edward D. Andrews in his book The Community Industries of the Shakers, the Shakers claim in a catalogue of  medicinal plants that their medicinal herb industry began in 1800 along with the claim to be the oldest such industry in the United States.  However, Dr. Andrews points out that The Shaker Manifesto, which is the official monthly publication of the Shakers claims that the Shakers did not prepare such medicines for sale until at least 1820 and further argues that supporting entries can be found in early ledgers of the trustees at New Lebanon: "With the exception of rose-water, no record of the sale of herbs or extracts occurs until the year 1821, when on November 21st, an entry under "Articles Sold" reads "for herbs...$1.15"".  Please contact us for any additional information or pictures.