Apothecary Jar, SAL VOL:LUM BRIC

Object Details

Description: The baked enamel label inside the round cartouche is marked SAL: VOL: LUM BRIC, which translates to Sal Volatile Lumbricrum or Volatile Salt of Earthworms.; This blown and molded square-shaped bottle was made for the Moor Apthecary in Mainz, Germany in the Rhine River Valley. The round white painted wooden lid has a rounded finial. The first letter of each word is red and the remaining letters are painted black. The cartouche is embellished with stylized acanthus leaves painted yellow and white. There is a red crown at the top above a wheel and sword. According to George Urdang, author of The Squibb ancient Pharmacy Catalogue the initials "CR" within the blue medallion at the bottom of the jar stand for the shop’s owner Casper Ritter. The small black figure to the left of the medallion is a moor, the symbol of the Moor Apothecary. The Deutches-Apotheken Museum in Heidelberg, Germany has containers from the Moor Apothecary in Mainz.
Location: Currently not on view

Credit Line: Gift of American Pharmaceutical Association and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

18th century

about 1750

Physical Description: glass (overall material); paint (overall material); wood (overall material)
Measurements: overall: 11 cm x 6 cm x 5.8 cm; 4 5/16 in x 2 3/8 in x 2 5/16 in; overall: 4 1/4 in x 2 1/4 in x 2 3/8 in; 10.795 cm x 5.715 cm x 6.0325 cm

Related Publication: Urdang, George and Ferdinand William Nitardy. The Squibb Ancient Pharmacy: A Catalogue of the Collection; Elisabeth Huwer. Das Deutsche Apotheken-Museum

National Museum of American History

GUID (Link to Original Record): https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a8-772a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa