Palmetto State Druggist - G.W. Aimar & Co. - Part III - Bottle Gallery

Aimar's Sarracenia Bitters - Ferdinand Meyer

In this third and final part of my series on G. W. Aimar & Co., Charleston, SC, I share a gallery of photos of Aimar bottles - one from my collection, an absolutely beautiful Aimar's Sarracenia Bitters bottle from premier bitters collector Ferdinand Meyer V at Peachridge Glass, other Aimar proprietary medicines from Matthew Knapp's excellent Antique Medicines website, and a few others gathered from the web.

G. W. Aimar was a full service druggist offering raw medicinals (minerals, herbs, and synthesized medicines), as well as several of its own proprietary medicines carrying the Aimar name.

One example was his "Aimar's Sarracenia Bitters," which he began advertising as early as the Civil War era.  Sarraecenia is one of the North American Pitcher plants, or "trumpet pitcher," a carnivorous "fly trap." It ha slong been thought to have medicinal properties, including as a tonic for digestive problems (indeed, Aimar's bitters were marketed specifically for dyspepsia), kidney problems, and astringent.  There are numerous reports in the medical literature of the mid-1800s of its efficacy in treating smallpox.  Aimar's was by no means the only Sarracenia-based bitters or medicine.  Ferdinand Meyer has a beautiful example of an Alabama Sarracenia bitters here. 

Aimar's Neurotic Oil - Matthew Knapp

Other named medicines include "Aimar's Neurotic Oil," "Aimar's Sarsaparilla & Queen's Delight," "Aimar's Infallible Gonorrhea Injection," "Aimar's Golden Fluid" (for the hair), and others.

As mentioned above, Aimar also sold traditional remedies and chemicals, and examples are shown of these as well.

Aimar's Queen's Delight - Matthew Knapp

College of Charleston Digital Library

Aimar's Sarracenia Bitters - Ferdinand Meyer Collection

Aimar's Sarracenia Bitters - Ferdinand Meyer Collection

 

 

G. W. Aimar Druggist Bottle - James M. Schmidt Collection

Hair Raising Stories Website

Ebay Listing (2012)

Ebay Listing (2013)

Ebay Listing (2013)

LiveAuctioneers.com Listing (2008)