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Last updated January 2005

At the turn of the century it was deemed necessary by various manufacturers to offer samples of their wares free-of-charge in the hope that the recipient / user would find the product acceptable and would become a frequent purchasing user.

By definition, a miniature is a bottle of which a larger size (or sizes) is available and not merely a "small" bottle. This scale is measured in centimetres.

 
Spirit / Brandy / Whiskey
A group of sample / travelling bottles containing alcoholic beverages. The airlines were 100 years late with their tot bottles!
 
Gin / Liqueur / Schnapps
A group including two classical items, Zara sealed liqueur and Kantorowicz aromatic bitters.
Lime Juice / Cordial

Left and right are Roses Lime Juice, the full size bottle is 353mm. The centre bottle is embossed Goldberg & Zeffertt, Johannesburg.
 
Stoneware / Boot Blacking / Ginger Beer
No miniature SA ginger-beers have ever been recorded.
 
Worcestershire, HP Sauce / Sauces / Coffee
From left to right, the ubiquitous Holbrook & Co; Mason's O.K. Sauce; Camp Coffee sample; an unuasual Holbrook & Co square bottle, WAW-WAW sauce, A Garton's HP sauce and Goodall, Backhouse & Co Yorkshire Relish.
 
Miscallaneous
A miniature Sweet-oil, Odol Mouthwash, 1/2 oz Bovril, Marking Ink, Red Ink and Hamilton.
 
Earthernware / Ceramic
A Lavender furniture polish, some very small dolls (fairly armless & legless!) and some printed wares.