S/2394 Antique Treen 19th Century Boxwood Pill Silverer

An unusual boxwood pill silverer of traditional form, with an interlocking domed lid above a rounded and tapered body, having a beeded, concave and pedestal base.

Used by an apothecary for making pills - once the pill has dried, it was dampened with mucilage of acacia and using a rotary action coated in silver leaf. It was then transferred to a pill rounder to form the correct shape.

This item is unusual because it has a deep concave base, so we suggest it was used as a pill rounder.

The whole has a lovely rich honey colour and good patination.

Provenance: fragmented Shepherd Collection Label on the base, also Ex Charlton Collection Label CH82

Sold 4¾ in. (12 cm.) High
3 in. (7.5 cm.) Diameter English Circa 1850