One comes across a fair number of old apothecary jars, but one also comes to realize not all old apothecary jars are the same! This one, which my photos don't do justice, I believe dates to the early to mid 19th century—hand-blown, with a huge pontil on the underside and a fabulously irregular form, especially wavy around the top. Then this beautiful gold “ferri subcarb” label with fraktur-style lettering, and some of the powder substance still inside--an iron carbonate used extensively in the early to mid 19th century for treating everything from anemia to hemorrhages to yellow fever (typically dissolved in acid and mixed with alcohol form what I can tell.)

Though the stopper appears to be in perfect condition I have not been able to remove it (it seems very tightly stuck) which rather makes me like it all the more, thinking about the powder and air inside having been trapped there together for many many years with no release.

Dimensions: 8 3/4" t x 3 7/8" in. diameter. Apart from the stuck stopper, excellent condition, with lovely irregularities indigenous to the blown glass but no chips, cracks or other issues.