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Drug Jar

1760 - 1765 (made)
Artist/Maker
Marieberg (made)
Place of origin
Marieberg (made)

This tin-glazed earthenware jar was made by the Marieberg factory in Sweden in about 1760-65. It used to hold powdered paeony root which was one of many drugs held by the pharmacy of the Serafimer hospital in Stockholm. Another jar from this same pharmacy is also in the V&A ceramic collections (museum number 247-1866).

Object details

Categories
Ceramics
Earthenware
Faience
Object type
Drug jar
Materials and techniques
Painted and tin-glazed earthenware
Earthenware
Tin-Glazed
Brief description
Drug jar of buff-coloured, tin-glazed and painted earthenware, Marieberg, 1760 - 1765
Physical description
Drug jar of buff-coloured earthenware, straight-sided and tapering in to form a mouth and waisted at the base to form a foot. Tin-glazed and painted in blue with the name of the drug for which it was made 'P:R: POCON:', the name of the pharmacist, and 'IHS' with a cross immediately above the 'H' below three crowns.
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.3cm
  • Diameter: 9cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'P:R: POCON:' above three crowns over 'IHS' monogram with a cross immediately over the 'H' (On front of jar. Björn Lindeke, Professor, Swedish Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Stockholm, and Chairman of the Society for the History of Pharmacy, considers that 'Pæon' has become 'Pocon' on this jar as this is the only possible drug name similar enough given in the official Swedish medical list from the period ('Catalogus et Valor Medicamentorum in Officinis Pharmaceuticis Regni Sveciæ Prostantium').)
    Translation
    Powdered paeony root
    Transliteration
    P(ulvis) R(adicis) Paeon
  • Three crowns over a line, under which are 'MB' in monogram and '= E', all above 'S' (Underneath jar, painted in blue)
  • 'Georgii' (On back of pot, painted in blue)
Credit line
Given by Mrs Judith Busby
Object history
Made for the pharmacy of the Serafimer hospital (Serafimerlasarett) in Stockholm. The inscription 'Georgii' refers to the name of John Christian Georgii, the druggist there from 1753.
Production
Made for the pharmacy of the Serafimer hospital, Stockholm, when J.E.L. Ehrenreich was in charge of the factory.
Summary
This tin-glazed earthenware jar was made by the Marieberg factory in Sweden in about 1760-65. It used to hold powdered paeony root which was one of many drugs held by the pharmacy of the Serafimer hospital in Stockholm. Another jar from this same pharmacy is also in the V&A ceramic collections (museum number 247-1866).
Associated object
247-1866
Bibliographic references
  • pl.87d Drey, Rudolf, 'Apothecary Jars', London, 1978
  • fig.47 Hernmarck, C., 'Marieberg', Stockholm, 1946
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
C.98-2011

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Record createdNovember 15, 2011
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1241553/drug-jar-marieberg/
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