Drug jar with coat of arms, probably made in Deruta, 1530-50, tin-glazed earthenware

Albarello. Slightly waisted, flanged rim everted base. Covered in the outside with white tin-glaze, inside with transparent lead-glaze, foot left unglazed, Painted in blue, green and yellow. On the front an oval panel composed by a wreath of trefoils in the middle a broad empty label tied up with fluttering ribbons, above the label leafy stems alla porcellana style, below the label within the leafy stems a coat of arms charged Azure a fesse argent between in chief two mullets or and in base a rose of the second seeded gules and barbed ore.
On the front an oval panel enclosed by a wreath of loose trefoils tied with ribbons with an empty label. Unidentified armorial; Azure a fesse argent between in chief two mullets or and in base a rose of the second seeded gules and barbed or

Bought from Mons. Fulgence, Paris, for 18s 6d.

Not in Rackham; transferred to the Circulation collection in 1909

This jar was probably part of a large pharmacy series.
The empty scroll, (normally showing the name of the drug) means that this jar could have had more than one purpose. Jars with blank cartouches were occasionally produced; on such vessels the apothecary would arrange for the drug name to be written on a paper label or on the piece of parchment that sealed the jar.

The horizontal and vertical blue outlines painted on the body helped the painter to set out the design.

710-1894