RS212P1 Schenk’s Mandrake Pills Medicine Stamp, Large Die Proof, ex Joyce

Joseph H. Schenck, MD, of Philadelphia originated Schenck’s Mandrake Pills in 1836, and later the same year he introduced Schenck’s Pulmonic Syrup and his Seaweed Tonic. The Syrup, for coughs, colds and consump­tion, consisted of wormwood, catnip, tansy, hyssop, horehound, hops, chamomile, senega, elecampane, licorice, gum arabic, brandy and lemon syrup. Joseph H. Schenck, Jr. joined the firm in 1872, and assumed full control of the business in 1875. The firm continued to operate out of Philadelphia as late as 1939.
(Holcombe, Henry w., Stamps and Cover Collector’s Review, 3: 7-11, January, 1939)

Morton Dean Joyce (1900–1989), of New York City, was a philatelist who specialized in the collection of United States revenue stamps and became known by his philatelic friends as the “Dean of United States revenue collectors.”

Models, Essays and Proofs of the Morton Dean Joyce Collection
The collection of Morton Dean Joyce contained a magnificent array of the models and large die proofs, including trial color and plate proofs. It seems that Morton Dean Joyce was able to obtain the majority, if not the complete holding, of the Butler and Carpenter Archives including the Order Book which contained the original models. Nearly all of the models that are listed in the Turner book are present in the Morton Dean Joyce Collection. From that point on Joyce researched the large dies according to company from Butler and Carpenter through the National and American Bank Note Companies to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Whenever there was a chance to show trial color proofs or additional information, Joyce did so and the results (were) his collection…The area of models, essays and proofs of the private die proprietary issues was quite possibly Morton Dean Joyce’s most outstanding accomplishment.
Richard Friedberg, Introduction to the Morton Dean Joyce Private Die Proprietary Collection Auction Catalog, Andrew Levitt, September 12-14, 1991