Tarrant Drug Co. Prescription Bottle, 2026
Graphite on cotton paper
Dimensions: 15 in. x 10 in.
Framed Dimensions: 18.5 in. x 13.5 in.
All pieces are professionally framed with acid-free materials and UV-protective, anti-glare glass.
 
This piece features a vintage prescription bottle from Richmond, Virginia. Founded in 1905, Tarrant Drug Co. operated at 1 West Broad Street until 1987. Tarrant’s Cafe occupies the space today. The bottle bears a three-digit Madison Exchange telephone number. A 1938 newspaper lists Tarrant Drug Co. with a Milton Exchange telephone number, which replaced the Madison Exchange, helping date this bottle to before 1938. The substance inside is powdered tragacanth, a natural gum used as a binder in pharmaceuticals. This suggests that Tarrant Drug Co. was compounding medications on-site rather than simply reselling prepared drugs.
 
Reference:
Richmond News Leader sourced from the Library of Virginia