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POST MEDIEVAL APOTHECARY WEIGHT
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A complete copper alloy apothecary's weight of post-medieval date. The weight is square in plan and rectangular in section and is engraved on both sides with the traditional symbol for the apothecary's unit of measure 1 drachms. The symbol can be described in its basic form as 3i.The metal has a dark reddish-brown patina and is worn. The weight is 13.4mm long, 12.3mm wide, 3.1mm thick and weighs 3.5g.Biggs (1994, p.9) discuses such weights stating that apothecaries broke away from the Grocers Company in 1617 and were granted a Royal Charter. They subsequently used a weight system which was based on the traditional sub-divisions but using the English Troy ounce which was 31.1g (8 drachms) according to the standards set in 1588.
| Artist / Maker | Anonymous, Troy |
|---|---|
| Date | 1617 |
| Culture / Origin | Troy, United Kingdom |
| Department | Troy |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: The Portable Antiquities Scheme via Europeana · Licence: BY 3.0.
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