Apothecary Items:

General

This chest was chosen as as the front cover illustration on Anne Young's definitive book "Antique Medicine Chests". It is a superb example of a cupboard style mahogany chest  C1860. A rod on the upper right of the front opens a hidden panel in the rear of the chest. Bottles labeled "Taylor Bros Cavendish Square London". 300 mm wide (closed) 370 mm wide (open)

A very rare apothecary "Searce" literally a sieve through which powder would be strained prior to making into a tablet paste or other formulation. The top semicircular bowl has a metal perforated sheet in its central lower section which allows the sieved contents to pass through into the base which is hollow and can be accessed by unscrewing the top. This lovely piece dates to the mid 18th century. There is no makers mark.

A superb Victorian pill roller made from brass and mahogany in excellent original condition. The brass has been lightly cleaned. The handle slides perfectly over its rail and the roller is fully functional. Made by S. Maw and Son  and Thomson, established makers of quality medical equipment.

A beautifully made 19th century three tier ivory pill container. Each stage including the lid is signed Coxeter. All the threads are firm and close tightly. The top tier contains 6 antique silvered pills

An uncommonly rare 19th century Dutch horn pill silverer complete with antique silvered pills. The horn is in very good condition throughout with just the slightest nibble on one of the lower rims and both hemispheres fit firmly together. This is much larger than most of the English boxwood pill silverers with a diameter of 10.5 cm. The horn has been carved with concentric lines and in conjunction with the rich background gold colouring (either the original colour, or possibly due to the earlier use of gold powder) contrasting with the blackened silver oxide the overall appearance is stunning.

An early 19th century boxwood pill silverer on a pedestal with a lovely patina. Apothecaries having fashioned their pills would coat them with silver by placing them in these containers with a silver powder. Gently rolling the pills within the sealed sphere with a gum resin would cover them, ready for bottling. This is an excellent example in remarkable condition. The thread is intact and the lid opens and closes smoothly. There is a similar example on plate X1V in Elisabeth Bennion's "Antique Medical Instruments".

A portable writing case from the late 19th or early 20th century with which a chemist, apothecary or doctor would have issued scripts. The case is made from high quality stitched leather. On the front the brass escutcheon holds the original key in a fully functioning lock mechanism. On the back there is a leather carrying handle. The inside is lined with cedar and has two storage compartments with lids and finger holes and a third container which holds a fitted ink jar with a brass screw on lid. The lid of the case is lined with fine leather and embossed in gold lettering "Allen and Hanburys London". Allen and Hanbury were in business in East London from 1715. They moved to Wigmore Street in 1870 and were taken over by Escham Bros and Walsh in the 1970s. Measurement 140 x 220 x 55 mm

A treen pill container which also dispenses pills. The top of the container unscrews to empty or fill the pill pot. The central bone rod is spring mounted. In its resting state there is a mid shaft semispherical defect which is filled by a single pill. When pushed with the thumb the rod descends below the bottom of the container and releases one pill at a time. When released the bone rod returns to its original state and is another pill fills the empty space and is dispensed at the next push. Early to mid 20th century. 70 x 28 mm

 A pressed brass pill container which dispensed Cachoux designed to sweeten the breath of what must have often been foul smelling Victorian dental caries ridden mouths. On one side it reads "H.R.H. Prince Albert's Cachou Aromatise Prepared by Thomas Jackson". On the other "Sweeten the breath freshen the mouth. Albert Gate 1869" and within a crown topped crest "Prince Albert's Cachoux. Thomas Jackson inventor and original proprietor". In  superb condition for it 140 years with no dings or scratches and the original sliding catch which would dispense the Cachoux. 42 x 42 mm in diameter.

An attractive Edwardian hand blown medicine glass in excellent condition along with its original material etui. Measures 100 x 42 x 28 mm

An early to mid 19th C unmarked example of Dr Mudge's pewter inhaler of 1778 (see links 1 and 2). It was used  for the inhalation of opium for in the treatment of "catarrhous cough". Opium placed in the small cup in the lid would infuse into the heated water in the inhaler. Suction applied to the spout, via a flexible tube would draw air through  the holes in the hollow handle and through a single hole at it's base (see pictures) which would bubble through the infusion. Covering some or all of the holes in the handle would decrease the amount of air drawn through the infusion, and increase the more heavily laden opium vapours via the perforated hole in the cup section. Dimensions: 145 mm high x 100 mm diameter.

A circa 1930s machined aluminium case containing bottles with pharmacologically active ingredients for hypodermic injection. These would have been administered by a WW2 physician in the field, when strychnine was still being used as a stimulant. They include tabloids of morphine sulphate, morphine tartrate, apomorphine, strychnine sulphate, cocaine hydrochloride, hyoscine, atropine and ergotamine. The labels are marked DDA Poison with the formulation and dose and read 'Burrows Wellcome & Co. The Wellcome foundation'.

Three enamel on copper apothecary bottle labels with silver chains, finely decorated with a floral design. The labels read "Witchazel", "Bicarbonate of Soda" and "Peroxide". They are made in the shape of a shield which is convex in two planes to accommodate the curve of a bottle. The back of each shield is marked "France" but they would have been made for an English customer around the late 19th century. They are unsigned. Similar earlier examples can be seen in Elizabeth Bennion's "Antique Medical Instruments" (plate XIV)

An attractive 18th century horn apothecary measure. It is graduated in two scales which have been etched by hand from 0 to 16 fluid ounces and another from 0 to 2 in a measure which may be the equivalent of tablespoons. There are a few small nibbles around the edge of the lip but it is otherwise in excellent condition. Dimensions: Height 86 mm Max circumference 46 mm

Apothecary Jars

A pair of antique apothecary jars rarely found in black amethyst. There is some wear to the circumference of the labels. The lids have a striking stellate linear design. There is a chip to one of the rims but they are otherwise in excellent condition.

 A pair of Mid 18th century Dutch wooden painted apothecary jars. They are labelled Pulv Ginae which was used as an antihelminth (against intestinal worms) and Pulv Tragacanth which is extracted from Astragalus gummifer and still in use today as a binding agent for various suspensions and mixtures as an excipient

A late 18th early 19th C Italian maiolica apothecary jar with a crest showing the arms of the Two-Sicilies noble house of Gaeta, counts of Sant'Angelo Limosano. See link to heraldic sites here and here. The lid is inscribed "Aethiopis Mineralis" which is the black sulphide of mercury, obtained by titrating mercury with sulphur. 'Aethiopic' usually meaning 'black'. Mercury was considered by alchemists to be the 'First Matter' from which all metals could be formed. It is name of the Roman messenger of the gods who is linked with the medical profession in the sign of Caduceus. Known to be toxic since the 1600s it has variably been prescribed for constipation, depression, child-bearing and toothaches. With thanks and credit for research to Stephen Plowman and Joseph McMillan (heraldry) and to Adam Mclean (alchemy). High 230 mm Wide 110 mm.

A fine late 18th early 19th C Italian maiolica apothecary jar with a crest showing 'Di rosso alla banda d’argento, con il capo d’oro, carico di un’aquila di nero armata di rosso' the arms of the Piemontese family of Pejla, counts of Avuglione. See link to heraldic site here. The lid is inscribed "En Veneris" which is Ens of Venus, a chemical prepared from a mixture of Colcothar (the brownish-red ferric oxide left over after heating Green Vitriol, that is Iron Sulphate) and Sal Ammoniac (Ammonium Chloride) sublimed until it became yellow. Possibly a mixture of ferrous and ferric chlorides. With thanks and credit for research to Stephen Plowman and Joseph McMillan (heraldry) and to Adam Mclean (alchemy).  High 230 mm Wide 110 mm.

A superb set of 8 matching French Apothecary Jars from the end of the 19th Century. The jars are large (standing 28.5 x11.5) and are made from yellow tinted glass which is in perfect condition with no cracks, chips or imperfections. They have matching gold labels with black and burgundy surrounds and are crowned with green tin caps with gilded margins. Complete with contents and the tablets have remarkably retained their original highly ornate embossed markings. They present beautifully and make a stunning display.

A rare Hungarian apothecary jar dating to the late 18th century labelled "Pulvis Antimoni Crudi". This fine example measuring 170 x 84 mm is in remarkably good condition for its age. Used as an eye cosmetic ("Kohl") as early as 3000 BC Antimony is chemically similar to arsenic and its poisonous salts have been advocated by physicians throughout the ages for the treatment of syphilis,  herpes, leprosy, mania and epilepsy. A common use was as an emetic and it was so potent that wine drunk from antimony cups was used as a purgative and the ensuing vomiting was thought to be a therapeutic process which would rid the body of illness. With thanks to Dr Bulpett of Brunel University for analysis and confirmation of the presence of Antimony (see report).

A mid 19th century French apothecary container for Artemisia Absinthium with gold leaf surrounds. A bitter herb, the oil of which is dark green/blue in colour and contains many active constituents. The extracts Absinthol, absinthic acid, and the bitter glucoside absinthin are used in the making of the absinthe liquor which was popular in late 19th century France among the Bohemian set of Parisian artists and writers. Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde were said to be devotees, and absinthe was also supposed to have been the undoing of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec ("art, alcohol and absinthe"). In addition to being alcoholic it was hallucinogenic, although the legendary psychoactive properties of the "Green Fairy" may have been exaggerated. Dimensions: height 200 mm max diameter 88 mm.

A mid 19th century French Apothecary container for Euphorbia Lathyris with gold leaf surrounds. The plant is, cathartic, emetic and purgative. The rubefacient action of the leaves was employed by beggars to raise unsightly sores on their skins to elicit pity and thereby obtain more money. French country folk  took it as a purgative. One seed capsule is said to cause catharsis, several to cause an abortion. It is a folk remedy for cancer, corns, diarrhea, gangrene, melanoma and skin ailments. The seeds have been used for erysipelas, paralysis, and rheumatism. The fresh seed actually has an antitumor action, effective against acute lymphocytic and granulocytic leukaemia. Overdose can result in dilated pupils and collapse, arrhythmias and delirium. Dimensions: height 200 mm max diameter 88 mm.

An exquisite set of five 19th century cut glass cobalt blue bottles of superior quality. The colour of the glass is dark blue verging on black. The bottle tops are octagonal and the shoulders of the bottles have matching faceted cut glass sides. The pontils are rounded and smooth. The labels include Ol: Absynthe, Ol: Caryophyll, Ol: Cajeputi, Ol: Cinnam:Chin Ol; Aur:Cort: Dimensions 90 x 37 x 30 mm.

A nicely turned early apothecary jar made from light well matured fruitwood which has developed a rich dark patina over the years. The style is characteristic of  late 17th early 18th Eastern European design. The lid fits securely. Remnants of original powdered contents are still present although short of chemical analysis it is impossible to say what this would have been. There is a hairline but full thickness crack on one side. Dimension height 180 mm max circumference 90 mm

An early 19th century blue and white porcelain apothecary jar with a gold label "Ex. Bellad". Extracted form the leaves of the poisonous Deadly Nightshade plant, the alkaloid Belladonna has been used since the 15th century in Europe as an antispasmodic and mydriatic (pupil dilator). The eyes become physiologically dilated during mating and sexual activity, and reproduction of this mechanism is thought to increase attractiveness in females, hence the literal translation "Beautiful lady".

A pair of delightful miniature ceramic containers housed in royal ebony jars with screw topped lids. These would have been used for holding an ointment or salve. They are hand made and of slightly different sizes but unquestionably a pair. The larger one measuring only 35 x 28 mm they are both exquisitely crafted to a very high standard. Each container has a hair line rack in the ebony in keeping with their 130 odd years. The shielded ceramic jars have remain is superb condition with a nice even craquelle and no fractures.

Lead Crystal Jar with Polyhedral Stopper

Mortars and Pestles

18th Century Brass Mortar and Pestle

Treen Mortar and Pestle

A brass mortar and pestle dating to the 18th century. A solid and heavy piece weighing 650 gm. The interior and exterior of the mortar is embossed with a concentric rings. In excellent condition with the smallest of dents on the lip. There is no makers mark. Mortar 111 x 70 mm. Pestle 160 x 25 mm.

A finely turned dark hardwood mortar and pestle. This is a very fetching piece in excellent condition. The base of the mortar is engraved with narrow concentric circles. The wood has a lovely patina and probably dates to the turn of the century. Mortar 95 x 35 mm. Pestle 110 x 20 mm

Ornate French Porcelain Mortar & Pestle

A delightful early 20th century French Porcelain mortar and pestle. Beautifully worked with a floral and geometrical design in purple, green and gold. The underside of the mortar has a distinctive makers mark and is stamped with two crossed arrows and "Porcelain de Paris Made in France". It is likely that this would have been more decorative than functional - and rightly so.

Feeding and Medicine Spoons

Silver Gibson Spoon (1829)

Pewter Gibson Spoon (c1835)

A rare silver Gibson spoon with crisp hallmarks on the body and the lid, dating to 1829 and signed by Charles Rawlins and William Summer. Gibson invented these feeding spoons in 1827 and this early example is very clean and in remarkably good condition with no knocks or dents. Any colouration on the photographs is artefactual and the spoon is blemish free.

A Gibson Spoon made of Pewter and inscribed "Gibson Inventor" on the lid. An identical spoon is pictured on page 250 of Elisabeth Bennion's "Antique Medical Instruments". An ingenious device which allowed the amount of fluid being administered to the patient to be controlled by partially occluding the lumen at the end of the spoon. 167x 35 mm. 

An increasingly hard to fine example of an English pewter baby feeder dating to the early 18th century, in excellent condition. The cap can be unscrewed to fill the bottle.

Modeled on the form of a mythical sea creature whose mouth opens to form the spout of the pap boat. A similar piece was sold at Christies in February 1996 and there is also an identical example in the Brussels medical museum. Made from pewter and dating to the mid 19th century.

An early Georgian solid silver pap or feeding bowl in excellent condition for its 250 years. Typically plain in design by comparison with the more ornately engraved examples found in the late 19th century. The "pap", a soft food for infants or the sick, was made from bread boiled or softened in milk or water, sometimes sweetened with sugar or honey. Just over 4 inches long, and 45 grams in weight. Hallmarked to the back of the bowl, for London 1758 with the makers mark for John Moore (only M clear).

Open or half covered boat-shaped vessels with a lip at one end were used to administer 'pap' to infants or invalids. Recipes for pap usually called for bread, flour and water, sometimes with butter or sugar added. They were first made in the late 18th century. More commonly from porcelain, this lovely example is made from solid hallmarked silver and originates form London. The makers mark and the date stamp are difficult to make out, but the finely embroidered surround would make this a mid

A stunning hand carved wooden pap boat for sick feeding. An intricate carving with a rich patina and grain typical of cherry wood makes for a very eye catching piece. The word Chamonix (presumably the origin of the boat) is carved on the lid. There is a small full thickness age related crack on the lip as shown which does not detract from the overall appearance. This is a very fine antique and a similar example is seen in the the Symons Collection. Dimensions 12 x3 5.5 cm.

A beautifully engraved folding horn medicine spoon with a lockable iron and brass hinge. This is difficult to date but judging by the style of the handle and the metal work this was probably of European origin and made in the late 17th or early 18th century. It would have been used to dispense medication.

A fetching little 19th century medicine spoon with a blue onion design. The handle is anchored with two leaves allowing the spoon to stand on a flat surface. Aside from some age related wear to the circumferential gilding it is in excellent condition. There are similar examples on page 252 of "Antique Medical Instruments" by Elizabeth Bennion.

An antique 19th century porcelain medicine spoon by Maw Son and Thomson. The spoon is graduated into measured for table, desert or teaspoon. The circumference of the spoon is gilded. The side of the spoon is marked "Graduated medicine spoon registered March 22 1973. S M aw Son & Thompson London". There is a similar spoon (without the gilding) on page 252 of "Antique Medical Instruments" by Elizabeth Bennion.

French Pewter Medical Spoon

Silver Plated Folding Medicine Spoon

A French medicine spoon in pewter. The hinged lid was to prevent spillage of the contents whilst they were being sipped from the bowl by the patient. The top of the lid is marked A CARON and also has two circled letter A and C. Bvt (Breveté) SGDG is a commonly seen patent mark on quality French products. The spoon is in excellent condition. 235 x 40 mm.

An attractive folding medicinal or apothecary spoon made from silver plate with an ornately engraves brass connecting bridge. These spoons were use for the administration of medicines. In perfect condition.

Antique Silver Plate Feeding Spoon

Antique Silver Bombilla

A silver plated and marked European feeding spoon dating to the early 20th century. Liquid feeds or medicine would be placed in the spoon which could then be sucked through the small opening by the patient.

An attractively hand carved antique silver Bombilla from South America. Hallmarked (600) and marked 'Garantida'. These were (and still are) used to drink the health giving tea "yerba maté". The maté is sucked through the small perforations in the end of the tube so that the infusion passes but not the dried leaves (yerba) - like a straw. The third world equivalent to a sick syphon. Difficult to date but probably turn of the 19th or early 20th Century. Measures 205 x 18 mm.