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C1925 Hicks Capudine Amber Medicine Bottle Original Label Raleigh NC 5.75"
A Glimpse Inside the Old-Time Drugstore
Before headache relief came in familiar plastic bottles, a neighborhood druggist might reach for something like this: a slender amber bottle of Hicks’ Capudine, its paper label promising relief from headaches, neuralgia, muscular aches, and the discomforts accompanying colds.
Standing 5¾ inches tall, this attractive example combines rich amber glass, bold CAPUDINE embossing, and a remarkably well-preserved paper label identifying the Capudine Chemical Company of Raleigh, North Carolina. Estimated to date circa 1920–1935, it is an appealing survivor of America’s early twentieth-century drugstore trade.
Rich Amber Glass and Bold Embossing
The glass glows golden amber when illuminated, with deeper brown tones along the thick edges and base. Its elongated neck, rounded shoulders, beveled corners, and recessed panels give the bottle an elegant profile.
On the reverse, large raised CAPUDINE lettering provides a second display face, allowing the bottle to be appreciated for both its printed advertising and molded glasswork. Light catches the lettering and subtle surface texture beautifully, giving this small bottle considerable shelf presence.
An Exceptionally Complete Advertising Label
The surviving paper label is the centerpiece of this example. Deep blue printing contrasts beautifully against the warm, age-toned paper, while the small profile of a man wearing a cap forms the distinctive Hicks trademark.
The label preserves the product name, ingredient declaration, advertised uses, period dosage directions, and manufacturer’s Raleigh address. Together, these details tell the bottle’s story far more fully than an unlabeled example could.
Its prominent wording includes “Liquid,” “Simple Headaches,” and “Neuralgia,” followed by claims relating to muscular aches and the discomforts accompanying colds. Even the instruction to shake the bottle remains clearly readable.
Henry T. Hicks and the Raleigh Connection
Hicks’ Capudine originated with Raleigh pharmacist Henry T. Hicks, whose pharmacy business helped launch the remedy during the 1890s. In 1904, the Capudine Chemical Company was organized to expand its manufacture and distribution.
What began as a local pharmacy preparation developed into a widely advertised medicine sold far beyond North Carolina. Its history connects this bottle to the period when entrepreneurial druggists could turn a locally marketed remedy into a nationally recognized product.
The Raleigh address printed on this example provides a clear connection to that history.
What Was Capudine?
This bottle’s label identifies the preparation as a liquid containing antipyrin at 15 grains per fluid ounce. Its advertised purposes reflect the language of period medicine: headaches, neuralgia, muscular aches, and aching discomforts accompanying colds.
Neuralgia referred to nerve pain, a familiar complaint in medical advertising of the era. The detailed ingredient statement and printed directions make the label an interesting document of how household medicines were presented to consumers.
The dosage instructions are preserved here as historical text.
Smithsonian Connection and Estimated Date
Hicks’ Capudine is represented in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, which holds a related preparation dated circa 1930, with the same stated antipyrin concentration and similar advertised uses.
That museum example provides useful context for dating this bottle. Circa 1920–1935 is the estimated range for the offered example; its precise manufacturing year is unknown.
Measurements and Condition
- Height: Approximately 5¾ inches.
- Color: Rich golden amber with deeper brown tones.
- Embossing: Bold raised CAPUDINE lettering on the reverse.
- Label: Substantially intact and highly readable, retaining the pictorial trademark, directions, and Raleigh address.
- Paper condition: Age toning and minor surface wear.
- Glass condition: Appears bright and glossy
- Please review the photographs closely for surface details and overall condition.
A Handsome Piece of Pharmacy History
An attractive addition to a collection of antique medicine bottles, pharmacy advertising, North Carolina memorabilia, or historical medical objects.
The amber color, strong embossing, and preserved advertising give this example both visual appeal and a readable history—a small piece of the Raleigh drugstore trade that still tells its story.
Offered as a historical collectible.
