Historical information

This pot contained ointment made by Thomas Holloway. The ointment was invented and produced by the Englishman Thomas Holloway from 1837 on. This particular pot was produced about the 1920s. The ointment was popular for those suffering from variety of ailments including gout, rheumatism, ulcers and bruises. The sales of Thomas Holloway’s patent medicines made him a wealthy man and amongst his endowments is the Holloway College in Surrey, England, now part of London University.

Significance

This ointment pot has no known local provenance but is kept as an interesting example of patent medicines of the past. It will be useful for display.

Physical description

This is a white china pot with a lid fitting into a grooved top. The lid has a black and white image of the trade mark of the ointment firm – said to be the figure of the Muse, Hygeia and her brother Telesphorus. The child is holding a banner with the address of the Holloway business and the prices of the ointment jars. There is some slight chipping around the rim of the upper part of the pot.

Inscriptions & markings

‘113 Southwark Street London’
‘in Pots at 1/3, 3/-, 5/-, 12/-, 24/- & 36/- each’
‘Holloway’s Ointment Trade Mark 3s 0d.’