Hyoscy Apothecary Bottle
Unknown British, British
late 18th to early 19th century
Amethyst glass with gold leaf label
Overall: 16 × 10 in. (40.6 × 25.4 cm)
Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth: Gift of Marie-Elaine Tefft, Trustee, in memory of Thomas E. Tefft and his son, Stanton E. Tefft
2022.64
Geography
Place Made: England, Europe
Period
18th century
Object Name
Vessel
Research Area
Decorative Arts
On view
Label
Likely made and used in Britain, this large amethyst apothecary bottle was handblown by a glassmaker, an amazing feat given its size and remarkable evenness. Glass is made from sand that is melted in fires over 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. In this state, it looks like a gel-like liquid, which can be blown and shaped before hardening into glass. The goldleaf label on this bottle for Hyoscy, known today as hyoscyamine, is a medicine still used to treat digestive problems, but it can be poisonous if consumed in large doses. An apothecary shop keeper would have dispensed small amounts to customers from this large bottle.
From the 2023 exhibition Liquidity: Art, Commodities, and Water, curated by Michael Hartman, Jonathan Little Cohen Associate Curator of American Art
Course History
First Year Student Enrichment Program - Cultures, Identities and Belongings, Francine A'Ness, Summer 2023
Exhibition History
Liquidity: Art, Commodities, and Water, Israel Sack Gallery and the Rush Family Gallery, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, July 29, 2023-June 16, 2024.
Provenance
Thomas E. Tefft; to his son, Stanton E. Tefft and his wife Marie-Elaine Tefft, Bedford, New Hampshire; given to present collection, 2022.
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