Display globes were once a universal symbol for pharmacies, but were replaced by the mortar and pestle in the 1950s. They originated in England in the 17th century and were used to demonstrate skill in compounding drugs. They were often ornate and could be hung or freestanding. The show globe was likely used as a visual symbol for illiterate patrons. Today, they are rare, but can be found in antique and auction shops.
A display globe is a glass jar filled with colored water and hung outside a pharmacy. Display globes were once the universal symbol for the practice of pharmacy in the English-speaking world, but were phased out in the 1950s and replaced by the mortar and pestle symbol. Today it is extremely rare to find a pharmacy that carries a display globe, although there are a number of display globes available at antique and auction shops for people who like to collect these interesting pieces of medical history.
The first documented examples of display globes emerged around the 17th century in England. Researchers have suggested that the entertainment world evolved when the professions of pharmacists, chemists and apothecaries began to merge in the 17th century. Prior to this period, these professions competed fiercely for clients and the training received differed markedly. As the professions began to merge, skill in compounding drugs began to matter, and the orbs displayed were used to demonstrate skill in compounding, as creating the chemical reactions needed to color the water in the globe could be tricky.
The display globes can be hung or freestanding, depending on personal taste. Most resembled oversized fancy perfume bottles, with rounded bases and elaborate necks, and some included etched glass and ornate metal frames. The color inside was chosen at the discretion of the individual pharmacist, and some pharmacists even created streaks and swirls in their display globes to showcase their skills.
Some people have suggested that show business was like a test of skills in the era before the practice of pharmacy was regulated. By displaying a display globe, a pharmacist could demonstrate skill in formulating medicines, increasing consumer confidence. However, pharmacists could easily use recipe books for their show globes, and drug compounding skill would not be useful without the accompanying medical knowledge, especially in an age where toxic materials such as arsenic and mercury were used in medicines.
Most likely, the show globe originated as a clear visual symbol that could easily be interpreted by illiterate patrons. Graphic signs were used by many businesses and professions up until the 1800s so that customers understood what service was being offered, and the tradition of visual representations for specific trades still endures. Barbershops, for example, are often decked out with barber poles, and many historic pubs and inns retain their graphic signs for cultural value, such as a number of pubs called “The Crown” in England which can be identified by the written wooden wreaths hanging on the doors.
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