This is a larger antique apothecary display vessel, or I think the grammatically correct term is "INVERTED SHOW GLOBE", that was used to display medicines, herbs, powders, flowers, minerals and mining specimens, organics etc., and would sit on the counter, in an old cabinet, in a museum, or, as most people think of when they think of a "show globe", in the window of an old apothecary shop. In this instance I think the contents consists of heads of grain that either were on display or were studied in a lab setting. In definition, show globes are typically clear glass vessels filled with colored liquid and were displayed in an apothecary's front window. Although many sizes were made with respect to the position in the window display, the typical show globe is one-quart to two gallons in size. Originally, the show globe served a practical purpose, a sign of distinction between an apothecary's shop and other businesses. Much like road signs today, which show pictures rather than words, to communicate with folks of all languages, back in the day when show globes were popular, the general public was typically illiterate and required a simple picture or symbol rather than a name to recognize a business. Thus, the show globe was a well-recognized symbol of not only a place to obtain pharmaceutical supplies or remedies but also of the pharmacy profession itself. In 1931, the American Pharmaceutical Association adopted a resolution to legally make the show globe a sign solely of pharmacists and prohibited the use of show globes, the "recognized symbol of pharmacy," by any other business. The style of globe we offer here would sit with the cork end down and the large glass base up so the contents within would be totally view able. These 'inverted' show globes were also used by exhibitors at local fairs to display examples of seeds, grains, wheat stalks, etc., that they would enter into competition. These are rarely found for sale (especially in this LARGE size) as they weren't discarded but were used over and over again until they broke. Also they are blown in very thin glass so that the displayed items inside would not be distorted but clearly visible and as a result they are extremely light and fragile. Though some of the ones we've seen we're claimed to have been 'free blown' and have been called everything from footed specimen jars to show globes, they aren't free blown. These were hand blown into a mold, then spun in the mold to thin out the glass and make it very uniform. In the process the mold seams are obliterated and thus have the mistaken appearance of 'free blown' glass. Anyway, this is one that still has FULL CONTENTS and traces of a PAPER LABEL, things that are not commonly found on them, check it out!
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