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Rare Georgian Black-Green Glass Square-Section Pontilled Medical Utility, c. 1810–1820s
A lovely early example of a Georgian medical bottle, dating from the early 1810s, possibly the 1820s.
A small (5.25-inch) English free-blown (dip-moulded) black-glass bottle, with a mid-olive-green hue, square-section body, flat, whittled base, and glass-chip pontil.
This bottle is associated with labelled variants from Georgian Reece’s Medical Hall. The bottle predates 1834.
Historical Background: Reece’s Medical Hall
Established by Dr Richard Reece (1775–1831), a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, prolific author, and physician, the Medical Hall became well known for its medical publications and Reece’s controversial involvement in evaluating the alleged pregnancy of the prophetess Joanna Southcott.
Location in the 1820s: The business originally operated in Covent Garden, at 25 and 35 Henrietta Street, before relocating to fashionable West End premises at 170–171 Piccadilly by the 1820s. The shop occupied a prominent commercial position on the south side of Piccadilly, near well-known museum and exhibition galleries.
Principal Offerings
- Family Medicine Chests: The Medical Hall was renowned for supplying portable mahogany medicine chests for family, naval, and colonial use. These high-quality kits often featured wing-front designs, multi-tiered drawers, and numbered glass bottles containing remedies for common ailments.
- Drug Distribution and Botanical Novelties: The Hall served as a central depot for distributing emerging botanical remedies. In 1821, Dr Reece used his publication, The Gazette of Health, to advertise the Hall as a principal English depot for the importation and trial of Cape of Good Hope buchu leaves for medicinal use.
- Proprietary Medicine Analysis: Reece and his associates also used their medical expertise and publications to scrutinise questionable remedies and challenge extravagant claims made by purveyors of patent medicines.
Condition and Measurements
Full chip, with a sharp pontil to the base. The bottle is otherwise in excellent condition, graded M-.
Height: 5.25 inches.
Any questions, please feel free to ask.
Overseas shipping is available.
