Records of the George D. Feidt Company

Collection

Identifier: MSS 5/004

Scope and Contents

This small collection of records, 1833-1939, documents the Philadelphia pharmacy and chemical manufacturing business of George D. Feidt Company and its antecedent firms, Smith and Hodgson and Bullock Crenshaw. The collection includes a Smith and Hodgson memorandum book; a Bullock Crenshaw recipe book and commercial product catalogues; and a George D. Feidt Company stock inventory register, commercial product catalogues and price lists, order book, poison register, catalogue mailing lists, and pharmacy register. The commercial catalogues contain notes and emendations, many probably by John G. Bullock. Sample product labels, price lists, and information on the ingredients and manufacture of pharmaceuticals and chemical compounds are included.

Dates

1833 - 1939

Creator

George D. Feidt Company (Organization)

Biographical / Historical

The Philadelphia chemical and pharmaceutical firm of George D. Feidt Company had its origins in a drug store established in 1819 by Daniel B. Smith (1792-1883) at Sixth and Arch streets. In 1828, Smith entered into partnership with William Hodgson, Jr., and the name of the firm was changed to Smith and Hodgson. In 1849, Charles Bullock (b. 1826) and Edmund A. Crenshaw purchased the business and renamed it Bullock Crenshaw. Under this name, the firm operated as wholesale druggists and manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and laboratory apparatus. In 1901, George D. Feidt (d. 1942) purchased the 528 Arch Street firm from the estate of Charles Bullock and renamed it. From 1907 to 1912, George D. Feidt Company was located at 240-244 North Fifth Street; in 1923, the firm removed to Fifth and Buttonwood streets.

Extent

1.25 Linear feet (14 volumes and 1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

The records of George D. Feidt Company and its two antecedent firms, Smith and Hodgson and Bullock Crenshaw, were purchased by the Historical Collections of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia from Palinurus Rare Books in August 1992. The collection was processed and catalogued in 1993.

During the course of processing, a notebook of Joseph DeFeher and nine unmarked commercial product catalogues were removed from the collection.