A. Vogeler & Company
Vogeler, Meyer & Company

August Vogeler was born in Germany in 1819, and emigrated to the United States in his twenties. He built up a drug business in Baltimore and manufactured products such as Dr. August Koenig's Hamburger Tropfen. In 1873 he took over manufacture of Dr. Bull's Cough Syrup (not the Dr. Bull in Louisville.) His son was ambitious, and formed several partnerships for various purposes. This is reflected in the various names used for their private proprietary stamps.

The one-cent black stamp for A. Vogeler & Company is unusual in that the only place to find the company name is on the building in the center, in tiny letters. The stamp was issued from June of 1874 until May 3, 1883. 6,902,431 were printed on silk paper and 20,459,431 on watermarked paper. This copy is on silk paper.


Adolph Meyer emigrated from Germany in 1869 and became a friend and business associate of Charles Vogeler, August's son. Vogeler, Meyer & Company produced Dr. Bull's preparations from July 1, 1877 until shortly after the death of Charles in 1882. A bull's head was chosen to be on the stamp.

The Vogeler, Meyer private proprietary was issued from 1877 until April 6, 1883. 5,044,100 were printed on pink and watermarked papers. The copy shown is on pink paper.


A Vogeler almanac from 1879 featuring St. Jacobs Oil. On the inside cover it says, "IMPORTANT! - CAUTION! - In purchasing, see that every bottle bears our facsimile signature , as follows, and also our private U.S. Government Stamp."


Trade cards promoting Red Star Cough Cure and Saint Jacobs Oil.


A clipping from the Manchester, Michigan Enterprise of July 7, 1881.


Vogeler & Meyer used a strip stamp over the cork bottles of their products.


After Charles Vogeler's death in 1882 (his father lived until 1908), Meyer took over the company and had the strip stamps altered accordingly.


After June 30, 1883, when tax stamps were no longer necessary, A. Vogeler & Company used facsimile stamps with a similar appearance to their private proprietary.


Return