Hiram C. Johnston, William Holloway, M.D., druggists, were first associated in 1852, and a year later James Cowden joined them for various ventures involving patent medicines. Cowden left the company around 1873, the year that Johnston & Holloway gained manufacturing and distribution rights to Doctor Hoofland's Celebrated German Remedies. Both private die stamps were issued in the Johnston, Holloway & Company name. Both were first delivered in July of 1874 and last issued April 18, 1883.

496,070 of the one-cent black stamps were issued on silk paper and 649,668 on watermarked paper. The copy above is on watermarked paper.

480,654 of the four-cent green stamps were issued on silk paper and 547,227 on watermarked paper. The one above is on silk paper.

This cover lists the products being handled by the company in 1862: Holloway's Worm Confections, Cathartic Sugar Drops, Arnica Plasters, Arnica Liniment and Essence of Jamaica Ginger, among others.

Holloway's Arnica Plasters predated the purchase of the Hoofland remedies.

Prior to receiving private die stamps in 1874, Johnston, Holloway and Cowden used general issue proprietary stamps. Here a first issue general proprietary stamp with their cancel is used on one of the Arnica Plasters. Perhaps it came in the wrapper above, as they were in the same collection.

A later general issue proprietary revenue stamp with a Johnston, Holloway and Cowden cancel.

Hiram Johnston died in 1883, but the firm continued to be run under the same name for a number of years. A facsimile stamp was prepared for use after June 30, 1883. It is found with thick and thin lettering. This copy appears to be the thick lettering variety.