Apothecary Cabinet

Apothecary Cabinet, Late 18th century, Southeast Pennsylvania or Northern Delaware, Rockwood Park & Museum
Maker Unknown
Date of Creation Late 18th century
Location Southeast Pennsylvania or Northern Delaware
Materials Mahogany, pine, poplar
Institution Rockwood Park & Museum
Credit Line Gift of Hanna and Sarah Wick
Accession Number 2020.10.067
Photo Credit Ryan Grover

While several important 18th-century spice or valuables chests have been found in southeast Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, few have been outfitted with an apothecary cabinet and fewer still have a known provenance. In 18th-century America, apothecaries were medical professionals who sold drugs, made and prescribed medicines, and treated patients. They were similar to modern-day pharmacists, but also practiced medicine like a doctor. This cabinet was owned by Joseph Bringhurst (1767–1834), who moved his medical practice from Philadelphia to Wilmington during the 1793 outbreak of yellow fever. He opened an apothecary that his family operated until the 20th century. The chest’s constructions shows evidence that it was enlarged from a set of drawers to include a bottle case beneath its hinged lid, a symbol of his adaptability to shifting priorities. This chest has passed through the Bringhurst family, owners of Rockwood Park & Museum.