Oliver Crook & Company
S.N. Smith & Company

"Dr." Oliver Crook was located in Dayton, Ohio and abandoned a medical practice to manufacture and market Wine of Tar in 1868. A private die stamp was issued for the company in March of 1869 and last issued in December of 1875. 329,116 were printed on old paper and 385,495 on silk paper. The copy above is printed on silk paper.


The Dayton Directory for 1875-76 contains a listing for "Smith, S.N. & Co." and shows the proprietors as Smith and one John D. Park. There is some doubt that Smith actually existed, as Park ran the firm. The Crook stamp design was altered and reissued in December of 1865, and was last issued on March 27, 1883. 308,829 stamps were issued on silk and watermarked papers. The one above is on silk paper.


The cover of a book of an advertising booklet for Wine of Tar.


Inside the cover of the booklet there is a reproduction of the stamp design, which was not legal but sometimes done.


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