In 1862,
the United States federal government instituted a series of stamp taxes on consumer goods to help pay for what was rapidly becoming a very expensive war effort against the Confederacy.

The appearance of stamps on store-bought goods became commonplace and continued for over one hundred years.

My purpose here is to display a broadstroke chronological rendering of the philatelic possibilities of an area that is rarely seen at exhibition because most items are too bulky to fit into exhibit frames.

I have managed to show examples of all six Proprietary revenue series in actual use.
But that's just a cover for my enjoyment of the fascinating range of interesting packaging and the long-forgotten brands and products that used to be found on store shelves, stamp-taxed by Uncle Sam.

Feel free to look around.

©1996 Bruce Baryla

Scott's Cholera Curate bottle
1865

Dr. Hopkins' Worm Lozenges box
circa 1865

S.R. Van Duzer match box
circa 1865

Celebrity Photograph
circa 1865

Tobacco band box canister
circa 1868

Senier's Asthma Remedy box
circa 1871

Wooden matches
circa 1875

Levi Garrett & Sons glass snuff bottle
circa 1883

La Corona de Cuba cigar box
1884

Duke's Best Cigarettes
1890

McKesson & Robbins Laxative
1898

"Superior" brand snuff canister
1908

Majestic glass perfume vials
circa 1914

Baldpate Hair Tonic bottle
circa 1914

Tuxedo Tobacco fabric pouch
1915

Himyar Tobacco Cigarette Tubes
circa 1919

Roger & Gallet cosmetics box
1920

Luden's Menthol Cough Drops box
1924

U.S. Playing Cards Bridge Deck
1925

Longfellow cigarettes in metal box
circa 1927

Canadian Club Whisky bottle
1933

Marlboro Cigarettes
circa 1955-59

Cel-U-Tone Playing Cards
circa 1965