Dispensing pot for white lead powder, Italy, 1771-1830

Italian pharmacy vase, early C19 polychrome maiolica Dispensing pot for white lead powder, Italy, 1771-1830

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

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

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

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

License

Italian pharmacy vase, early C19 polychrome maiolica
Science Museum Group

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Italian pharmacy vase, early C19 polychrome maiolica, perhaps Ligurian, used for white lead powder

Second on the left of this image is an earthenware jar labelled “Pul Ceruss”, Italian for “Powder of White Lead”. The powder was prepared by suspending lead over vinegar, which was then heated by horse dung for three weeks. The powder was used to cool and dry the skin. Some chemical compounds of lead are poisonous. The jar, one of four shown here, was presented as a gift to the Wellcome collection on the previous owner’s death in 1932.

Details

Category:
Medical Ceramic-ware
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A112519
Materials:
whole, pottery, polychrome maiolica
type:
dispensing pot
credit:
Canney, V.