Apothecary's Box – Early 19th Century

A wooden apothecary's chest filled with numerous original bottles, jars, and boxes, retaining their handwritten or printed pharmacist's labels. The collection contains various remedies and substances used in the early 19th century, a pivotal period in the history of pharmacy, still largely influenced by the practices of the Ancien Régime. At that time, the pharmacist, often called an apothecary, prepared his own medicines from plants, minerals, and animal substances, according to recipes codified in pharmacopoeias and adapted to each patient. Pharmacies were places of knowledge, handling, and storage, where each bottle had its precise place. This chest bears witness to this daily practice: rigorous organization, diversity of preparations (powders, syrups, tinctures, extracts), and care taken with labeling and presentation. A beautiful, cohesive collection of significant historical and decorative value, illustrating the world of early 19th-century French pharmacy. Note: incomplete, sold as is.