Antique Purple FF&W Medicine Bottle Marked Potter & Pharmacy, Providence, RI

Antique purple glass medicine bottle embossed with "POTTER & PHARMACY / 206 CRANSTON ST. / PROVIDENCE, R.I.” Bottom is marked FF&W. Origin: The bottle dates back to the late 19th or early 20th century (circa 1890s to 1914). It was custom-embossed for a local neighborhood drugstore to hold liquid prescriptions, tonics, or liniments. The Purple Color ("Sun-Colored Amethyst"): This striking purple or amethyst hue was not the original color of the glass. Before World War I, glass manufacturers mixed small amounts of manganese dioxide into molten glass batches. The manganese acted as a clarifying agent ("glassmakers' soap") to neutralize the natural greenish-aqua tint caused by iron impurities in sand, leaving the glass looking clear. The Science: When clear glass containing manganese is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation over long periods, the manganese ions undergo a chemical change that shifts their light absorption, turning the glass an amethyst color. This process is known as solarization. Value & Rarity: Because the United States cut off manganese imports from Germany at the onset of WWI, the industry permanently switched to alternative clarifying agents like selenium. This makes authentic purple-solarized bottles highly sought-after, historical time capsules for antique collectors No chips or cracks. Good condition. 3 ½” x 1 ½” x 1”