Apothecary Jar
Author: Unknown
Origin: Rato Factory, Lisbon (?)
Dating: 18th century
Material: Clay
Dimensions (cm): 21,8 x Ø 10,4
Inv. no.: PD0155
In the 17th century – and sometimes in the following century – it was possible to see earthenware pieces with labels mentioning their contents. This practice – restrictive from the practical point of view of product management in a pharmacy associated with the advancement of medicine in the 18th century – led to the removal of certain materials and promoted the manufacture of pieces where the labels were unmarked. The identification of the contents was done by gluing sheets of paper in the space intended for the purpose or by placing numbers that allowed a concerted management between the product and a listing, which changed according to the pharmaceutical management of the pharmacy.
It is believed that this object comes from the Fábrica do Rato (Lisbon). This Royal Factory was created in 1767 for the production of ceramics in the Lisbon area of Rato, hence the name.
The creation of the factory originated from the Pombaline protectionist measures and, in a first phase, the Factory specialized in the production of luxurious models, some of which for the Marquis of Pombal himself.
In a second phase, it continued to produce high-end tableware, mostly in blue and white.
From 1818 onwards, the Royal Factory suffered from harmful management. Failing to recover from successive crises, it closed in 1835.
