The Van Gelder Collection; Apothecary Ceramics from the Seventeenth to the Nineteenth Century, 2026

Description

This publication documents the Van Gelder Collection, an important and long-assembled group of apothecary vessels illustrating the material culture of pharmacy in the Netherlands from the seventeenth through the nineteenth century.

Comprising 355 illustrated objects, the catalogue brings together predominantly Delft tin-glazed earthenware alongside related pharmacy wares produced in Antwerp, Brussels, and other centres across the Low Countries. Conceived as a reference work, the book places these vessels within their historical, professional, and typological contexts. Detailed attention is given to forms, inscriptions, decorative schemes, and function, offering insight into the working environment of the apothecary and the scientific traditions it served.

At the same time, the publication stands as a tribute to a lifetime of collecting and to the enduring intersection of pharmacy, craftsmanship, and learned culture in the Low Countries.

English text
128 pages
Softcover