MID 17TH CENTURY, PROBABLY FAENZA

Details

A SET OF THREE ITALIAN MAIOLICA BERETTINO GROUND DRUG JARS
MID 17TH CENTURY, PROBABLY FAENZA
Each painted in manganese and blue with a star radiating the inscription POMPOSIA below a cardinals hat, named for PHILON:ROMAN, EMP:PALM:GALEN: the smaller for EX:CROCEI on labels among insects, flowers, birds, a lion and a serpent, some minor chipping
The taller examples 6¾ in. (17.1 cm.) high, the small example 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) high (3)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The present jars were intended to store Philonium Romanum a prepartion made from opium and other ingredients intended for pain relief and to induce sleep. Its name derives from Philon of Tarsus a First Century BC physician.
The second is intended for Empiastro Palma di Galeno, a poultice of date, coconut or palm-oil tree, named after Galen of Pergamum, a celebrated surgeon physician.
The third smaller jar was intended to store an extract of the dried stigma of croci.

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