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6 Rare Pierce’s Memorandum Account Books: 1880s, early 1900s - $95 (west of Ann Arbor)
condition:
good
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In Buffalo, Pierce developed patent potions and marketed them through mail order sales. One of his products, “Dr. Pierce’s Smart Weed,” sold over a million bottles a year.
Pierce also claimed his medicines could cure tuberculosis, liver problems, and “women’s complaints.” Several of the pages have fake testimonials as well.
Eventually, Pierce became known as “The Prince of Quacks.” Sadly, he became very rich.
In the late 1870s, Pierce created Pierce’s Memorandum Account Book for Farmers, Mechanics, and—whot the hell—All People.” He gave these booklets to customers as a “present.”
This “present” was a 48 page advertisement for Pierce’s quack medicines disguised as a memo book for each month.. Some of the booklets here have actual memos written in them.
Five of these memo books have the same cover design. On the front are illustrations of a farmer, a mechanic, and a blacksmith. On the back is an illustration of Pierce’s 6-story “World Dispensary” in Buffalo.
Two of the booklets have local distributors listed: one from Clinton, OH, and the other from Naugatuck, MI.
Each 48-page memo book measures 5 5/8 x 3 3/8 inches, perfect for putting in a pocket.
The dates are wide ranging and include memo books from 1878, 1888, 1902, 1906, and 1924..
The company also made a pocket notebook for women, called “Ladies Notebook and Calendar.” It came out monthly. This one is from March, 1887. It is in great shape and the rarest of the bunch. I’ve only seen a few of these and they all had condition issues.
These six memo books give a good glimpse into the false advertising of over a 120 years ago that made some people rich.