*2-Day* Fresh Barn Finds & Country Estate Auction (Day 1/2)
Lot 123:
Description
C-18787
c. 1940s/1950s; mfd. for Miles Laboratories, Inc. – Elkhart, IN Alka-Seltzer countertop display mechanism manufactured for Miles Laboratories during the mid-20th century, designed as an interactive store fixture to draw attention to the brand’s effervescent remedy. This piece represents the mechanical base portion of a counter display, featuring the characteristic cast metal body, upright column, and hand-turned wheel assembly used to animate or demonstrate the product in retail settings. The cast housing is marked "Alka-Seltzer", with period blue factory paint remaining throughout. The hand wheel shows heavy, honest wear from use, and the overall form aligns with known pharmacy and drugstore promotional equipment produced for Miles Laboratories during the postwar era, when Alka-Seltzer advertising emphasized motion, novelty, and customer engagement.
Two segments of the turning wheel are broken off, as shown. Surface wear, oxidation, and patina are present across the entirety of the piece, consistent with age and retail use. This example is offered as a display artifact rather than a functioning mechanical unit.
5.5" W x 6.5" D x 9" H
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