Ref: U948
Archive item - not for sale
Pair of Italian maiolica albarelli, Castel Durante, circa 1580, the waisted body decorated with the pharmaceutical inscriptions ‘Hiera picra’ and ‘Conf.s.Amech’ (Confezione Hamech) within a green rimmed scroll within a yellow ground cartouche surmounted by a crenelated tower within the letters ‘A. Q.’ , the body with a blue ground with sgraffito scrolls and trophies in ochre; height: 7 1/4 in. (18.5cm.) Hiera picra (from the Greek sacred and bitter) and Confezione Hamech (reputedly named after an Arab physician) are both purgatives, ‘Confectus’ was usually a sweetened syrup to which herbs were added; see Drey, Rudolf E. A, ‘Apothecary Jars’ for further details. Ornamental features associated with Castel Durante pharmaceutical pottery of this period include the ‘so-called trophies – medleys of weapons, shields, helmets, drums, music books, etc.’ as seen on this pair (Drey, p. 54). SOLD
