Fluted funnel

Clear glass funnel, cone-shaped, with tubular spout and apex, fluted channels inside head, possibly English, 1871-1920

Glass funnels like this were once a common sight in pharmacies, helping the apothecaries or pharmacists create and display their wares. They were part of the process used to extract medicinal properties from substances by heating ingredients, and then cooling the vapours produced into their purified, liquid form – a process called distillation.

Glass as a material is well suited to this use because it is durable, transparent, and non-reactive. The decorative nature of this funnel highlights the overlap between display and function in historic pharmacies.