Apothecary Jars

About Apothecary Jars

Apothecary jars have been in existence for centuries, originally used to store herbs and medicinal concoctions. Today, these jars serve both decorative and functional purposes and are available in a wide range of shapes, textures, and materials. The clear glass type is the most common type of apothecary jar and is considered as the most versatile.

The History of Apothecary Jars

In the ancient times, the apothecary was the source or supplier of wine, spices and various other luxury items. By the 16th century, it began to take the shape of a modern pharmacy and the translucent or transparent glass jars that lined it were used to contain drugs and medicinal herbs.

Through centuries, the humble apothecary tools considerably evolved in function and nowadays, these are no longer placed behind pharmacy counters. Instead, the jars are seen as a valuable antique or a stylish accessory for the modern home.

Types of Apothecary Jars

The vintage apothecary jar varied in shape and size but the usual authentic antique jar is made of glass while still retaining the original label. In the old apothecaries, the jars had three main types of storage uses: for medications in pill, cream, or elixir forms; for herbs and various basic ingredients used for making medicines; and for botany.

Decorating Ideas

On its own, an apothecary jar can be used as a decorative piece. However, there are various creative ways the jar can be used to adorn or dress up a room or a particular area of the house.

• Dinner Party Centerpiece – You can fill up a set of jars with different objects to highlight a dinner party. For autumn celebrations, for example, you can add dried leaves, pine cones, or cranberries.
• Candle Holder – An apothecary jar makes a good candle holder because it is safer than a candle plate and it prevents wax from dripping down on furniture. It is also able to handle the heat of molten candles. You can place votives, pillar candles or tea lights for decorative or lighting purposes.
• Multi-purpose Container – The jar can also be used as a practical storage container where you can keep small beauty items like cotton balls or pads. You can also use it in the kitchen to store cookies, spices, flour, sugar, rice, pasta, and other similar kitchen cooking essentials, and put it on display. When using the apothecary jar to store food and edibles, however, make sure to thoroughly wash the jar first, then rinse in hot water. Let it dry completely before using.

Where to Buy

You can find apothecary jars in various physical and online sources. If you are looking to buy authentic and antique jars, the best place to look is in the stores of antique dealers both off and online. The price can be quite prohibitive, though. Plus, you have to make sure that you are getting the real thing, so you have to deal only with legitimate antique shops. Check our top 10  apothecary jars listing.

For cheaper alternatives, you can find them in department stores and home improvement shops. There are also a lot of sources online.

Apothecary JarsFact and Fiction about Apothecary Jars

Fiction: In an effort to sell at a high price, a lot of sellers advertise their products that come in various colors as “authentic apothecary jars.” These colored jars are not really apothecary in nature and are merely for decorative purposes.

Fact: The authentic apothecary jars of old were made basically for apothecaries or pharmacies for 2 purposes: for storage and for display. As such, they were intended to be translucent or opaque to clearly make the contents visible. No drugstore would display medications contained in blue, green, purple or any other colored “apothecary jars.”

There are cases when the jars were colored amber to protect the contents from sunlight, but still, they were transparent.

Advantages and Disadvantages

In terms of modern functional and decorative purposes, people who bought and have used apothecary jars mostly have good things to say about their purchase.

Pros: easy to clean, easy to use, creative and functional, affordable, durable, high quality materials, attractive finish, and generally worth the price.

Cons: breaks easily, insufficient capacity

Apothecary jars are no longer used the way they used to be in the olden days as they are now being used for functional and decorative home use. Still it is still significant to know what a real apothecary jar is and tell it apart from ordinary, colored, decorative jars.