Six 19th-century glass pharmacy bottles with their original glass stoppers are the latest addition to my collection of French pharmacy items. I found them at Agape in Paris. The 19th-century chemists' cabinet itself is full, so these bottles, along with the coloured ones (below) have been regulated to the top of the hanging cabinet.
Part of the contents of the pharmacy cabinet. Remember the movie Practical Magic, based on Alice Hoffman's book? The set designer filled the aunts' house with antique pharmacy items for mixing and brewing strange concoctions. I've been enchanted ever since seeing the film (and I have the DVD). The late (and future; it's set to relaunch in November) Victoria magazine ran a feature story about the movie set and I'm slowly, but surely collecting many similar items. I am intrigued by the potent combination of history, science and magic associated with these old bottles, jars, funnels, etc. Hmm, maybe I should try creating a magic potion or two. Do you have any recipes? Happy Friday the 13th!
What a fun collection! I have the issue of Victoria (and many more....) that features Practical Magic. It was filmed in my corner of the world. I don't remember if this was mentioned in the article but the house was built just for the movie and then torn down. I loved the movie just for the sets!
Posted by: Deb G | 19 July 2007 at 04:09
must see this movie - LOVE these bottles - I did many an art camp with kids with a magical theme - especially in the early days of Harry Potter...
essential oil blends
runes
magical still lives
and now -
the magic of Paris Parfait!!!!!!!!
xox - eb.
Posted by: eb | 15 July 2007 at 23:11
I love that movie and of course, I covet these bottles. Practical Magic was on cable a couple weeks ago and I sat down to watch.
I'm sure your home is lovely and is eye candy for your guests.
Posted by: kristen | 14 July 2007 at 17:49
Such a wonderful thing to collect. There's such a complete and mysterious world in these bottles. If I were a collector as I used to be, I'd be right there with you, amassing colored glass jars ;D.
Posted by: Laura | 14 July 2007 at 17:39
Ooh! I am so envious of those bottles-sigh!!!! By the way, I have chandeliers hanging all over my house that are not wired up, they just look pretty and make rainbows!!
Posted by: Sophiehoneysuckle | 14 July 2007 at 16:50
Whoops! That was supposed to be "I'd have to consult my grimoire" - apparently Mercury's still having a little bit of an effect - or maybe I'm just too tired to be on the computer anymore tonight!
Posted by: tinker | 14 July 2007 at 09:48
Beautiful bottle collection, Tara - and what a fun post. The mystery of alchemy and magic potions is perfect for Friday the 13th.
As for "Practical Magic," I loved both the movie and the book (which is rare for me - usually I like one or the other). Alice Hoffman is one my favorite authors.
Hmm, as for the spell, I'd my grimoire - wouldmn't want to mix up any ingredients - that could spell trouble! :-)
Hope you had a happy Friday the 13th, Tara~ xox
Posted by: tinker | 14 July 2007 at 09:47
I, too, adore glass and have quite a few glass containers and ornaments in our home. The most exciting ones are those we dug up when beginning our garden for wildlife. Many years ago, there were no dustmen in this village where we live, no uplift service. So all rubbish was simply buried. As a result, we have found quite a few containers, Mt favourite is a tiny blue perfume bottle,
Posted by: A Wildlife Gardener | 14 July 2007 at 09:03
Thanks for letting us know about Victoria magazine being relaunched. Just went to their site to subscribe. I looooved that magazine.
Posted by: Patricia | 14 July 2007 at 03:01
Ha, we made it through the 13th! :-)
Interesting, you got bottle with the paper labels still attached! I wonder how one cleans those bottles without damaging the labels.
I don't know what witch's brew I must have drunk, to give away may glass bottle collection when I moved from Washington. Strange things one does sometimes when under pressure or when one has to make too many decisions all at once.
Never heard of the movie "Practical Magic", even though I know Alice Hoffmann. I shall have to look for the DVD.
I used to buy the Christmas issues of "Victoria" (and I kept those, like the mountain of other magazins, mostly foodie, that I collected). It's so nice to be kept up to date about this kind of news, thank you, Tara.
Posted by: Merisi's | 14 July 2007 at 01:16
Tara, your collection is enchanting! I've always been particularly fond of the colored bottles. We once attended a sale that had one of those wide, huge floor-to-ceiling pharm cabinets for $800...the only thing that kept us from buying it was that we would have had to build an addition to house it. It was gorgeous!
The mall where we purchased those planters was the old Robt E Lee Mall (Union at Cooper)....it could be a bit of a dicey one, but occasionally they would have something great. The large mall (Antique Mall of Midtown) at Central and Cooper recently closed. I think that the new management priced them out of the market. I really miss that one.
Hope that you're having a good start to your weekend!!
Posted by: Southern Heart | 13 July 2007 at 23:39
Oh, these I love. I'm trained as a Medical Technologist and this is right in my field, so I think these are neat-0, 2 the Max!Wonderful, just wonderful.
Posted by: Mary Timme | 13 July 2007 at 21:36
That's so funny... I loved that movie too.
Very cool pharmacy bottles, I have a few, meaning 3 that I filled with shells. Have a great weekend.
Posted by: robyn | 13 July 2007 at 21:18
I like your collection!!! You know what I always found amazing about that movie...was that the house was a shell that they built and then tore down. It seems like such a shame. Much like everything else now-a-days though! Thanks for sharing your collection.
Posted by: Kelley | 13 July 2007 at 20:40
My kids made watch that movie far too many times. Neat collection Tara! XXOO
Posted by: Tammy | 13 July 2007 at 19:36
beautiful bottles!! plenty of recipes but not to keep in a bottle. a message perhaps, send out into the water of the oceans! a bottle of time...
Posted by: marita | 13 July 2007 at 18:52
That's one of my favorite movies too. I wish they'd make more in the same vein.
My recipe:
3 kind thoughts
2 special wishes
A pinch of excitement
Put in container with stopper. Shake well. Open, and let waft out into the world.
Posted by: Colette | 13 July 2007 at 18:38
Sorry no recipes but in the UK all our chemist shops used to have fabulous big curvy bottle sin the window - no more though. I wonder where they all went. Have you got them?
Posted by: Di Overton | 13 July 2007 at 17:44
I love all this stuff too...and the lady in the movie had my name, Gillian!
I have a book of aromatherapy recipes, and I diffuse the air with scent according to how we feel in the spa...if we need calm, uplifting, etc...
Robyn is a girl who would know! She may have some recipes from her new witch classes.
Have a great weekend Tara.
xo
Blue
Posted by: Blue | 13 July 2007 at 17:14
Tara, your photographs make everything so beautiful and enticing.
I've passed those same items a million times in antique stores and never felt the smallest attraction till your photos.
Posted by: Rural Mississippian | 13 July 2007 at 16:56
PROTECTION POTION
* 2-4 Cups of Spring Water, as a base
* 1 Tble. Powdered Iron or Iron Shavings
* 1 tsp. Vervain
* 2 Tble. Sea Salt
* 2 Tble. of each frankincense & Myrrh
· A pinch of Wolf's hair from a live, shedding Wolf (ask a local Zoo keeper)
From a google search..........
I loved the movie Practical Magic.......
Love your bottles
Love you
A favorite quote from the movie:
Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, ...
Love you Jeanne
Posted by: Jeanne | 13 July 2007 at 16:51
Love the movie, Tara. LOVE your collection. I'm alway surprised at the beauty that emerges when one clusters together seemingly ordinary and utilitarian objects. The lines and colors of these bottles contain pure elegance.
Posted by: AnnieElf | 13 July 2007 at 16:09