Antique Watkins Products - Watkins Tins, Watkins Bottles, & More

In 1868, Joseph Ray Watkins founded Watkins from his kitchen in Plainview, Minnesota. He was so confident of his home-manufactured product, Dr. Wards Liniment, that he introduced the Watkins "Trial Mark" bottle, along with the first-ever money back guarantee.

By 1885, he moved the company to the booming lumber town of Winona, Minnesota. The company expanded its product line to include products such as Petro-Carbo Salve, Cathartic Pills, Vanilla, Black Pepper, and Cinnamon.

The Watkins company has been family owned and operated. J. R. Watkins’ descendents (Watkins and Kings) guided the company through its first 110 years. In 1978, Irwin Jacobs bought Watkins, and they continue the manufacturing the highest quality products and providing outstanding.

When I was 14 or so, I started selling Watkins products door-to-door in different towns to make money. In the summer our supervisor would take four or five of us and drop us off in a neighborhood, and we would sell products door to door. When I got older, I started collecting Watkins tins, bottles, and other Watkins items and displayed them above one of my kitchen cabinets.

I have now moved to a different house and no longer have the room to display my vintage Watkins products. I like the look of these collectibles but just have no room to store them.

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