Syr Papaver Er

18th century

This baluster shaped syrup jar has a white tin glazed background with two continuous bands of stylized blue, orange and red flowers. The spout resembles the stem of a plant. The handle has two applied brown stems that overlap and terminate with green leaves at the widest point of the jar. Historian George Urdang suggests this jar was made in or around the town of Niderville in the Lorraine region of eastern France. The jar would have contained Syrup of Papaver Erraticum, the juice of red poppy, which was used as an analgesic.