John I. Brown & Son

John I. Brown & Son originated Brown's Bronchial Troches in 1850. They also sold Brown's Vermifuge Comfits or Worm Lozenges and other preparations. Three private die stamps were prepared for their use. The one-cent was issued from February, 1863 until May 5, 1883. 2,272,088 were printed on old paper, 783,925 on silk paper and 2,270,062 on watermarked paper. This copy was printed on silk paper.


The two-cent stamps were issued between February, 1863 and October, 1880. 6,728,931 were printed on old paper, 3,931,931 on silk paper and 1,896,076 on pink and watermarked papers. The one illustrated is on old paper.


The four-cent stamps were printed in far fewer numbers between February, 1863 and October, 1880. 35,015 were printed on old paper, 32,250 on silk paper and 1,250 on watermarked paper. The one above is on silk paper.

In 1865 John I. Brown & Son entered into a limited partnership arrangement with Jeremiah Curtis & Son known as Curtis & Brown, for the purpose of marketing medicinal preparations other than Brown's Bronchial Troches and Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup, the leading Curtis product.


An 1865 receipt for Brown's Bronchial Troches.


An empty box for Bronchial Troches with the remains of a two-cent proprietary stamp.


A Brown cancel on a twenty-cent Inland Exchange First Issue revenue, probably used on a promissory note.


Part of a promissory note (to judge by the amount of tax paid) probably used by Brown to collect amounts owed. Pity it was not left whole.


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