Lawrence, Ostrom & Company's ten years old famous "Belle of Bourbon"

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Folder 1

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This poster sized advertisement was issued by an Oregon newspaper in May 1888, touting "Lawrence, Ostrom & Company's ten years old famous "Belle of Bourbon" for medicinal and family use" to cure a range of ailments from malaria, typhoid fever, dyspepsia, and more. The "Belle of Bourbon" was a Kentucky sour mash whisky (no longer in existence today). This item features a large woodcut of a bell with ad text as well as testimontials and additional information from the producer/distillery.

Many patent medicines at the time claimed to cure all manner of illnesses and problems, and while most were alcohol-based, they often contained other ingredients. The "Belle of Bourbon" is strictly a bourbon, which makes this advertisement a little unique, treating a straight spirit as a "medicine."

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