Antique “NOT TO BE TAKEN” Poison Bottle – Amber Hexagonal AGM-Marked – c.1910-1920 Australian / British Commonwealth Poison Bottle
 
Description:
A classic early 20th-century amber poison bottle featuring the bold embossed warning “NOT TO BE TAKEN” down one full panel and the traditional ribbed hazard pattern across the remaining sides. This bottle represents the standardised poison-warning design used throughout Australia and the wider British Commonwealth from the late 1890s through the 1920s.
The base is clearly embossed “A G M”, identifying the maker as Australian Glass Manufacturers, founded in 1915 from the merger of several earlier Australian glassworks. Given the bottle’s early mould style and hand-finished lip, production almost certainly falls very close to AGM’s earliest operating years — approximately c.1910–1920, with 1910–1915 being the most likely window.
This is an excellent example of an early Commonwealth poison bottle: heavy glass, strong colour, and crisp embossing — a textbook piece for collectors.
 
Features:
• Era: c.1910–1920 (most likely 1910–1915)
• Maker: Australian Glass Manufacturers (AGM)
• Colour: Deep amber
• Embossing: “NOT TO BE TAKEN” across one main panel
• Hazard Pattern: Vertical ribbing on surrounding sides
• Shape: Hexagonal with tapering shoulders
• Height approx.: ~5.75 inches (see ruler in photos)
• Base Markings: “A G M” over “713”
• Lip: Early hand-finished / tooled style
• Excellent display character with strong embossing
 
Construction / Materials:
• Press-moulded amber glass with hand-finished lip
• Heavy walls typical of early poison bottle designs
• Embossed warning text for tactile identification
• Standardised hazard ribbing used in pre-WWI Commonwealth pharmaceuticals
 
Condition:
Very good antique condition. No cracks or major chips observed. Light scuffing and minor age wear consistent with bottles of this period. Embossing remains sharp and glass colour is strong. Displays beautifully.
 
Type:
Antique amber poison bottle – early Australian/Commonwealth “NOT TO BE TAKEN” pharmaceutical bottle.
 
A strong, early AGM-marked amber poison bottle with bold embossing and classic pre-WWI Commonwealth styling — a must-have example for serious poison bottle, apothecary, or Australian glass collectors.