Ryus Drug Co., Ketchikan, Alaska
This 100% pure beeswax candle is molded from an antique Ryus Drug Co. glass bottle.
A detailed essay about the Ryus family and Ryus Drug Co. can be found here.
Ryus Drug Co. was established in 1901 by Joseph Emmett Ryus. Ryus arrived in Ketchikan in 1901 after spending time in Nome, Alaska for the 1898 gold rush. Ryus Drug Co. was a staple on the famous downtown Ketchikan steamship dock until the late 1950s. Several fires afflicted the store throughout it's years of operation. The first fire hit the store in 1906, another in 1927, and a final fire in 1958. The store was never rebuilt.
The medium size glass bottle that is pictured was recovered by scuba diver Jared LaRow in Ketchikan, after it was likely lost in one of early fires that plagued the Ryus Drug Co. store. The large size glass bottle was recovered by scuba diver Annette G. E. Smith in Ketchikan, and it was also probably a surviving bottle of one of the early fires.
Please note that the bottle pictured is for reference purposes only and will not be included with your candle.
Approx. Bottle/Candle Size
*Medium
5 inches tall
1 3/4 inches wide
*Large
5 3/4 Inches Tall
1 3/4 inches wide