Description

An exceptional and complete Georgian English Apothecary or Medicine Chest c.1820. The case is brass bound rosewood with a brass escutcheon and three recessed brass handles. The lid is red velvet lined and opens to reveal sixteen glass bottles, ten of which are labelled. The drawer in the base contains a top tray with brass hand scales and many weights of different sizes and types, underneath this is a recess containing enema items in both bone and ebony and on either side two metal containers with hinged lids. To the rear there are six small bottles with cut glass stoppers, five are labelled and detailed below. In the front section there is a china pestle and mortar, three glass jars, a glass bottle and a further amount of weights.

All the bottles are empty of content.

The labels on the small bottles read:

Edward Evans Chemist to His Majesty Antimon Powd’

Edward Evans Chemist to His Majesty Tartar Emetic

Edward Evans Chemist to His Majesty Calomel

Edward Evans Chemist to His Majesty Hyd . o . Cretie

Ipecahuhana Powder

The labels on the large bottles read:

George Anderson Chemist 12, Foregate Worcester Spirit of Lavender

George Anderson (late E. Evans) Chemist to the King Worcester Sulphate of Quinine

George Anderson Chemist to the late King Pil Aydany

Laudanum Poison Anderson & Virgo Dispensing Chemists The Foregate Worcester

Ipecacuanha Wine

George Anderson Chemist 12, Foregate Worcester Antimonial Wine

Sweet Spirit of Nitre

Paregoric

C. Ferneley Ipecacuanha Wine Family Dispensing Chemist 61, Tything Worcester

Carbonate of Magnesia Anderson & Virgo Dispensing Chemists, The Foregate, Worcester.

Here’s a little about the history of the Chemists supplying the contents of this case, allowing us to see how things evolved. John and Edward Evans established themselves as Chemists at 12 Foregate Street, Worcester in the early 1800’s. John Evans had wider ambitions and left Worcester for London to become a wholesale Chemist. Edward Evans continued as a chemist until the 1830’s when he sold his chemist shop to Mr George Anderson and eventually, the shop became Anderson and Virgo,.

The case measures  26.5 x 23.5 x 19cm (10.5″ x 9.25″ x 7.5″), (w x h x d) and weighs 6kg (13.23lbs).

This is a very early Georgian case and complete with original content making this a very rare example.