Decorated Polish medicine chest with contents, 1701-1850

Made:
1701-1850 in Europe
maker:
Unknown
Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered
Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Medicine chest, wooden, iron-bound and brass covered
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Wooden medicine chest clad in embossed and studded iron sheeting, with a hinged lid, carrying handle and fall-front opening section concealing three drawers. The fitted interior is decorated with tooled leather, marbled paper and printed engravings, including a plan of Cracow (Kraków). Containing three pewter-capped glass medicine bottles and one glass medicine bottle labelled 'Powder Rhubarb'. European, 1701–1850.

This highly decorated medicine chest most probably belonged to a wealthy family based in the Polish town of Cracow. A range of medical treatments were stored in the glass bottles and wooden drawers and the internal surfaces are highly decorated. The inside cover has religious imagery, which can be moved forward to reveal an illustration of a woman with her hands in a fountain.

The front flap of the chest opens out to reveal a detailed map of Cracow, with many of the important buildings identified using a key.

Details

Category:
Materia Medica & Pharmacology
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A86127
Materials:
wood (unidentified), brass (copper, zinc alloy), iron, leather, glass, paper (fibre product) and pewter (tin, antimony, copper alloy)
Measurements:
overall: 250 mm x 432 mm x 310 mm, 10.84kg
type:
medicine chest, materia medica and medicine bottles
credit:
Lewis, C.A.

Parts

Wooden medicine chest clad in embossed and studded iron sheeting, with a hinged lid, carrying handle and fall-front opening section concealing three drawers. The fitted interior contains tooled leather-covered pull-out compartments of varying sizes, including one with a perforated metal insert and another forming a small container fitted with a cork stopper. The interior is decorated with marbled paper, a tooled leather panel bearing two religious images, and printed engravings, including a plan of Cracow (Kraków). Possibly Polish, 1701–1850.

Iron-bound medicine chest with plan of Cracow, 1701-1850

Wooden medicine chest clad in embossed and studded iron sheeting, with a hinged lid, carrying handle and fall-front opening section concealing three drawers. The fitted interior contains tooled leather-covered pull-out compartments of varying sizes, including one with a perforated metal insert and another forming a small container fitted with a cork stopper. The interior is decorated with marbled paper, a tooled leather panel bearing two religious images, and printed engravings, including a plan of Cracow (Kraków). Possibly Polish, 1701–1850.

More

This highly decorated medicine chest most probably belonged to a wealthy family based in the Polish town of Cracow. A range of medical treatments were stored in the glass bottles and wooden drawers and the internal surfaces are highly decorated. The inside cover has religious imagery, which can be moved forward to reveal an illustration of a woman with her hands in a fountain.

The front flap of the chest opens out to reveal a detailed map of Cracow, with many of the important buildings identified using a key.

Measurements:
overall: 250 mm x 432 mm x 310 mm,
Materials:
wood (unidentified) , brass (copper, zinc alloy) , iron , leather and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A86127/1
type:
medicine chest
Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a short neck, fitted with a pewter collar and screw cap bearing a stamped shield-shaped maker's mark. Empty. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Glass medicine bottle with pewter cap, Polish, 1701-1850

Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a short neck, fitted with a pewter collar and screw cap bearing a stamped shield-shaped maker's mark. Empty. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Measurements:
overall: 81 mm x 73 mm x 73 mm,
Materials:
glass and pewter (tin, antimony, copper alloy)
Object Number:
A86127/2
type:
medicine bottle
Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a short neck, fitted with a pewter collar and screw cap with a stamped shield-shaped maker's mark. Decorated with a gilt floral pattern around the shoulders. Empty. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Glass medicine bottle with pewter cap, Polish, 1701-1850

Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a short neck, fitted with a pewter collar and screw cap with a stamped shield-shaped maker's mark. Decorated with a gilt floral pattern around the shoulders. Empty. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Measurements:
overall: 81 mm x 73 mm x 73 mm,
Materials:
glass and pewter (tin, antimony, copper alloy)
Object Number:
A86127/3
type:
medicine bottle
Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a short neck, fitted with a pewter collar and screw cap bearing a stamped shield-shaped maker's mark. The shoulders bear traces of gilt decoration. Empty. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Glass medicine bottle with pewter cap, Polish, 1701-1850

Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a short neck, fitted with a pewter collar and screw cap bearing a stamped shield-shaped maker's mark. The shoulders bear traces of gilt decoration. Empty. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Measurements:
overall: 81 mm x 73 mm x 73 mm,
Materials:
glass and pewter (tin, antimony, copper alloy)
Object Number:
A86127/4
type:
medicine bottle
Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders, fitted with a ground-glass stopper. Containing an orange-brown powder and bearing a printed paper label reading 'Powder Rhubarb'. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Glass medicine bottle of 'Powder Rhubarb', 1701-1850

Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders, fitted with a ground-glass stopper. Containing an orange-brown powder and bearing a printed paper label reading 'Powder Rhubarb'. From an iron-bound medicine chest with a plan of Cracow, probably Polish, 1701–1850.

Measurements:
overall: 116 mm x 31 mm x 18 mm,
Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A86127/5
type:
powder rhubarb , materia medica and medicine bottle

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