Pair Of Apothecary Or Pharmacist Jars

Pair of Apothecary or Pharmacist's Jars: Hemlock and Mint. Beautiful hand-painted decorations from the late 19th century. The Mint jar is in perfect condition, with no chips or cracks. The Hemlock jar has a small chip and a crack (see last photo), but this is not included in the sale price. Dimensions: Height 26 cm and diameter 12 cm. Shipping available in France and Europe. From the Middle Ages onward, apothecaries ordered jars according to their needs for preserving and storing pharmaceutical products. Their complex and organic composition required protection from light, humidity, dust, and insects. Jars therefore play an essential role in preserving their pharmaceutical contents. The variety and remarkable nature of Mr. Jacques Bousquet's collection allow us to describe most of the jars that could be found and used in a Montpellier or southern French apothecary between the 16th and 18th centuries. The ornamentation of the jars has both an aesthetic and informative role: the painted decoration—very elaborate on some jars—is primarily intended to highlight the products displayed in the apothecary's window. The inscriptions, when also painted, provide very precise information about the nature of the contents. Intrinsic to the ornamentation of the jars, the manufacturing process (firing, glazing, etc.) is also crucial in ensuring the containers' preservative qualities.