The World's Great Conqueror of Pain. All Australia Uses St. Jacobs Oil; All American Uses St. Jacobs Oil; All England uses St. Jacobs Oil.
Ca. 1886. A large, three dimensional 3 panelled trade card for one of the most popular quack remedies of the 1880s, St. Jacob's Oil was touted as being prepared by German monks in the Black Forest, while actually being made in the US and distributed by suppliers in Maryland, Ohio and New York. It contained 2% Aconite (monkshood, a poisonous root) in a tincture of alcohol, ether and turpentine, and was sold as an "anti-neuralgic". This unusual trade card is a pyramid-shaped point of sale advertising display featuring chromolithographs of Australian, American and British beauties in oval frames, with city scenes in the background. Each scene features a statue of St. Jacob in a hooded robe, holding up a bottle of oil & standing on a pediment very much resembling the one for the Statue of Liberty; the Australian scene has St. Jacob atop the Exhibition Hall in Melbourne; and on a pedestal to the right of the Houses of Parliament in the English scene. When assembled, the display forms a pyramid 7" tall and 7 1/2 " wide at the base. With instructions printed on verso for assembling the display. Each attractive young woman printed in full color with gold border; the scenes are printed monotone in blue, red or green. Gently rubbed at edges, short split at fold between American and English panels, slt. crease in lower left corner of the Australian panel. Extremely unusual. Very good condition. Item #17990
Price: $275.00