Pair of French Apothecary Bottles circa 1900 - 11""

This matched pair of French apothecary jars, dating to around 1900, features cylindrical clear-glass bodies with painted tin lids banded in gilt. Each jar retains its original paper label, set on the inside of the glass and framed within a gilt and charcoal border that complements the tones of the lids. The labels read _Feuilles de Séné_ (Senna Leaves) and _Racine de Gentiane_ (Gentian Root), both commonly used in traditional remedies. The glass presents bright and clean, with no cracks or chips observed. The labels show age-related wear, including fading and foxing, while the lids display scuffing and scattered oxidation, consistent with their history of use. Such glass pharmacy jars replaced earlier ceramic drug pots in the 19th century, allowing apothecaries to display and identify botanical simples at a glance. The black and gilt cartouche follows period shopfitting style, a sober classicism meant to read clearly across the room while lending order to long banks of shelves. Senna and gentian were staples of the European materia medica, and jars of this type would have stood within reach behind the counter during the Belle Époque and early modern era. These jars bring quiet authenticity to a kitchen, pantry, or bar, whether left empty as sculptural forms or filled with dried herbs, tea, or bath salts. They style beautifully on open shelving beside stoneware, wooden boards, and glass demijohns, or as a small vignette on a console with antique medical books and a mortar and pestle. Their tall, spare silhouette and graphic labels add a measured note of history without overwhelming a contemporary interior.