For sale is a vintage BOWKER’S PYROX POISON STONEWARE JAR made by the Bowker Insecticide Company. This crock has a striking company logo that reads “Combined Insecticide and Fungicide – Bowker’s PYROX – Registered U.S. Pat. Off. – BOWKER INSECTICIDE CO. – BOSTON – BALTIMORE – CINCINNATTI”. The crock’s shoulders have raised embossed text: “BOWKLER’S” and “POISON”. Jar has no chips and is in great shape. The wire handle is missing and the jar has some surface cracks that do extend through the jar. Jar stands 8 ” tall with a 5 1/2 diameter. A terrific advertising collectible.
Mr. Horace Bowker was born in 1877 and graduated from Harvard University. His family had a prosperous fertilizer business, the Bowker Fertilizer Company. Horace eventually became President of that company and also of Bowker Insecticide Company. Bowker Insecticide Company filed as a Foreign Business Corporation in the State of New York on March 27, 1907. Pyrox was a liquid that you sprayed on plants to kill bugs, invigorate foliage, prevent fungus growth & plant blights.
