There's no way that we're going to be sipping drinks out of apothecary jars when our mason jars inevitably go out of style. Why? Three words: 

But even though they are poor candidates to hold our vodka tonics this summer, apothecary jars have a fascinating history, which I'm happy to share with you. An apothecary was someone who used to mix up and sell "medicine." They also sometimes acted as primary care doctors and thoracic surgeons. I'm guessing that they said words like elixir, liniment and dropsy ad nauseam. Apothecaries had been at this for years, dating back to 2600 BC (Before Celebrex). Okay, this is confusing, but the stores that were owned by apothecaries were also called apothecaries. Interestingly, the U.S. Supreme Court applies this Apothecary Precedent as it continues to rule that corporations are the same as people. 

Then one time, after Old Man Gower, the apothecary in the film It's a Wonderful Life, boxed and bloodied young George Bailey's ears for not delivering cyanide to a super sick Bedford Falls resident, horrified Americans lost faith in these man/stores. And tout de suit a hysterical run on the bank ensued that led us all right to the Great Depression:

"You put something wrong in those capsules! It wasn't your fault, Mr. Gower!"

Now that you understand the history of apothecaries, you'll have some context for learning about the jars they used. Apothecary jars fell into two categories: 1) the practical kind that actually stored chemical compounds, and 2) the more decorative kind that were displayed in store fronts.

1) Apothecary Storage Jars

Like mason jars and French Kilners, these sturdy jars, with their industrial-chic flair, are great looking. They were often labeled in cool fonts and were required to be clear so the apothecary could verify their medicinal contents. If you go on eBay, you'll see that they are now highly collectible. But you wouldn't want to lick one, so again, bad drinkware. It's interesting to note that nowadays the storage of drugs is mostly the job of mason jars:

Mason, the world's busiest jar.

2) Apothecary Display Jars

Controversy surrounds display style, or show globe apothecary jars. This is because, when they were first introduced in 17th century England, they were mostly filled with different color liquids and people disagree about why that was. Some say it's because, since nobody except Shakespeare could read back then, apothecaries sent messages to the general public through the tints in their show globes: Red -- there is a plague in town, or Green -- ollie ollie out come free: 

The "Headeth F'r The Hills" Jar

Others say that the myriad colors found in show globes were formed from various tinctures that the apothecaries were making out back, and that by displaying them in their storefronts, they came off looking super busy, professional, and not a bit like warlocks. 

Next time: The Leyden Jar and then I promise I'm done.