English medicine chest with pharmaceutical contents, 19th century

Made:
1850-1900 in England
maker:
Unknown
English medicine chest with pharmaceutical contents, 19th century

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Mahogany medicine chest with a recessed metal carrying handle to the top and double hinged front doors, a fitted interior lined in red textile and a central drawer with a removable compartmented lift-out tray. A fragment of a handwritten trade label survives on the back of the drawer, retaining the partial inscriptions ‘…burys’, ‘…mists,’ and ‘…mbard St.’. The medicine chest contains eight glass medicine bottles, including examples labelled “Carbonate of Soda”, “Ammoniated Quinine” and “Eye Lotion No. 95203”; a glass volumetric measure; two glass pestles; a glass confection jar with metal lid; and five brass apothecaries’ weights comprising two drachms, one drachm, half a drachm, two scruples and one scruple. English, c.1870.

Details

Category:
Materia Medica & Pharmacology
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A196732
Materials:
wood, brass (copper, zinc alloy), iron, metal plated (unknown), textile, glass and paper (fibre product)
Measurements:
height 239 mm
length 166 mm
width 209 mm
type:
medicine chest, materia medica, medicine bottles, graduated measure, pestles, jar, brass weight and weights
credit:
Wellcome Trust (Purchased from Stevens)

Parts

Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Bearing a handwritten paper label inscribed “Carbonate of Soda”. Containing traces of white powdered residue. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Medicine bottle for carbonate of soda, 19th century

Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Bearing a handwritten paper label inscribed “Carbonate of Soda”. Containing traces of white powdered residue. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 95 mm x 35 mm x 35 mm,
Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt1
type:
carbonate of soda , sodium carbonate , materia medica and medicine bottle
Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Bearing a handwritten paper label inscribed 'Ammoniated Quinine'. Empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Medicine bottle for ammoniated quinine, 19th century

Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Bearing a handwritten paper label inscribed 'Ammoniated Quinine'. Empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 96 mm x 35 mm x 23 mm,
Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt2
type:
ammoniated quinine , quinine , materia medica and medicine bottle
Conical glass volumetric measure on a circular foot with a pouring spout. Engraved with graduations in minims and fluid drachms, marked from 5 to 120 minims and from ½ to 2 fluid drachms. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Glass volumetric measure from a medicine chest, 19th century

Conical glass volumetric measure on a circular foot with a pouring spout. Engraved with graduations in minims and fluid drachms, marked from 5 to 120 minims and from ½ to 2 fluid drachms. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 61 mm 36 mm,
Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A196732 Pt3
type:
volumetric measures , graduated measure , measure - volume and glass measure
Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Bearing a handwritten paper label inscribed 'Eye Lotion, No. 95203'. Empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Medicine bottle for 'Eye Lotion No. 95203', 19th century

Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Bearing a handwritten paper label inscribed 'Eye Lotion, No. 95203'. Empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 109 mm x 63 mm x 39 mm,
Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt4
type:
eye lotion , materia medica and medicine bottle
Clear glass pestle with a bulbous grinding end, tapering shaft and rounded handle terminal. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Glass pestle from a medicine chest, 19th century

Clear glass pestle with a bulbous grinding end, tapering shaft and rounded handle terminal. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 71 mm 23 mm,
Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A196732 Pt5
type:
pestle
Clear glass pestle with a bulbous grinding end. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Glass pestle from a medicine chest, 19th century

Clear glass pestle with a bulbous grinding end. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 71 mm 23 mm,
Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A196732 Pt6
type:
pestle
Cylindrical glass confection jar with a fitted metal lid, possibly silver-plated brass. Empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Glass jar for medicinal confections, 19th century

Cylindrical glass confection jar with a fitted metal lid, possibly silver-plated brass. Empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 44 mm 31 mm,
Materials:
glass and metal plated (unknown)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt7
type:
jar
Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Empty and unlabelled. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Unlabelled rectangular glass medicine bottle, 19th century

Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Empty and unlabelled. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 46 mm x 33 mm x 27 mm,
Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A196732 Pt8
type:
materia medica and medicine bottle
Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped '2 DRAM'. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Brass apothecaries' weight of two drachms, 19th century

Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped '2 DRAM'. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 17 mm x 17 mm,
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt9
type:
brass weight and weights
Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘1 DRAM’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Brass apothecaries' weight of one drachm, 19th century

Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘1 DRAM’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 13 mm x 13 mm,
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt10
type:
brass weight and weights
Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘2 SCRUP’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Brass apothecaries' weight of two scruples, 19th century

Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘2 SCRUP’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 13 mm x 13 mm,
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt11
type:
weights and brass weight
Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘½ DRAM’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Brass apothecaries' weight of half a drachm, 19th century

Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘½ DRAM’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 11 mm x 11 mm,
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt12
type:
weights and brass weight
Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘1 SCRUP’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Brass apothecaries' weight of one scruple, 19th century

Square brass apothecaries' weight stamped ‘1 SCRUP’. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 11 mm x 11 mm,
Materials:
brass (copper, zinc alloy)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt13
type:
weights and brass weight
Mahogany medicine chest with a recessed metal carrying handle to the top, double hinged front doors and two brass escutcheons. The chest opens to reveal a fitted interior of bottle compartments arranged within the main body and both doors, lined in red textile. A central drawer with an ivory or bone pull contains a removable compartmented lift-out tray. A fragment of a handwritten trade label attached to the reverse of the drawer retains the partial inscriptions '…burys', '…mists,', '…mbard St.' and '...n'. English, c.1870.

Mahogany medicine chest, English, c.1870

Mahogany medicine chest with a recessed metal carrying handle to the top, double hinged front doors and two brass escutcheons. The chest opens to reveal a fitted interior of bottle compartments arranged within the main body and both doors, lined in red textile. A central drawer with an ivory or bone pull contains a removable compartmented lift-out tray. A fragment of a handwritten trade label attached to the reverse of the drawer retains the partial inscriptions '…burys', '…mists,', '…mbard St.' and '...n'. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
height 239 mm
length 166 mm
width 209 mm
Materials:
wood (unidentified) , brass (copper, zinc alloy) , iron and textile
Object Number:
A196732 Pt14
type:
medicine chests
Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Empty and unlabelled. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Unlabelled square glass medicine bottle, 19th century

Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Empty and unlabelled. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 95 mm x 35 mm x 35 mm,
Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt15
type:
materia medica and medicine bottle
Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Unlabelled, containing traces of white and light brown residue of unknown composition. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Unlabelled medicine bottle with white residue, 19th century

Clear square-section glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Unlabelled, containing traces of white and light brown residue of unknown composition. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 95 mm x 35 mm x 35 mm,
Materials:
glass and paper (fibre product)
Object Number:
A196732 Pt16
type:
materia medica and medicine bottle
Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Unlabelled, empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Unlabelled rectangular glass medicine bottle, 19th century

Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Unlabelled, empty. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 96 mm x 35 mm x 23 mm,
Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A196732 Pt17
type:
materia medica and medicine bottle
Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Empty and unlabelled. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Unlabelled rectangular glass medicine bottle, 19th century

Clear rectangular glass medicine bottle with rounded shoulders and a ground-glass stopper. Empty and unlabelled. From a mahogany medicine chest with double hinged front doors. English, c.1870.

Measurements:
overall: 96 mm x 35 mm x 23 mm,
Materials:
glass
Object Number:
A196732 Pt18
type:
materia medica and medicine bottle

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