Show Globes Page
Assorted Drugstore Show Globes
Drugstore Museum Show Globes
In the past, apothecary Show Globes were the symbol for pharmacy much like the barber pole was for the barber. From the early 1880's until the 1950's most pharmacies would hang or display a show globe to identify their drugstore.
Inside the show globe the pharmacist would add colored water by mixing chemicals together to give the globe great beauty. Back then, every pharmacist had his own special colaration formula to color the water inside the show globe. they took great pride in creating and showing off their ability to mix the perfect color.
Hand blown show globe circa 1880
Show Globe Mythology
It has been told on the web that pharmacists would color the show globe water red to warn if there was an epidemic and green if there wasn’t. Red color in the show globe was intended to warn people to stay away from the town. This story has been told over and over. It makes a great story but it is false.
Firstly, if an epidemic occurred the home of the sick would be quarantined. This quarantining event sometimes occurred to entire neighborhoods or even towns, but the warning was always placed on the door of the house, posted outside of town or printed in the newspaper.
Secondly, why would a businessperson put up such an unusual sign as a warning? Why wouldn’t the druggist just post a notice on the door to his pharmacy? You see the logic is just missing.
The only reason pharmacists used show globes was to display their chemical prowess. Often the globe contained layered colors so it looked striped. The druggist would use various liquids of differing densities to cause the layered effect. When show globes were in use drugs were extracted from plants more often than they were triturated with a mortar and pestle.
Most pharmacists would take the crude drug, like digitalis, and add cold, warm or hot water to the plants and let them steep. Often he would use alcohol for the extraction process. Once the extraction was done he would place the tincture or extract into bottles waiting to be mixed into a concoction of some type.
The Real Show Globe Meaning?
The ability to properly extract and mix was the sign of a competent druggist. Therefore, coloring the water of a show globe would display this ability. Remember that prior to the early 1900’s most states didn’t even require a college degree to be license as a pharmacist. That being said, prior to 1900 most states didn’t even require pharmacists to be licensed to practice medicine.
Many articles appear even into the 1930’s speaking of “two by four” drugstores being opened by unscrupulous practitioners. A man could come to town and basically go into the drugstore business without much inventory, knowledge or skill. The show globe was a way an educated and skilled druggist could be recognized by his community.
Drugstore Museum Show Globe II
Hanging show globe from the 1890's
Hanging show globe from the 1930's
Drugstore Museum Show Globe III
Standing show globe from the 1930's
Standing show globe from the 1930's
Standing glass show globe from the 1880's
Drugstore Museum Show Globe IV
Drugstore Museum glass show globes
Drugstore Museum glass show globe
Drugstore Museum glass show globe
Drugstore Museum Show Globe V
2 piece glass show globe
Miniature glass show globe from the 1940's
Miniature glass show globe from the 1920's
The 1st electrified show globes from the 1930's
Drugstore Museum Show Globe VI
These drugstore show globes are a matched set. They have a metal base with a 15-watt light bulb to illuminate the beautiful art deco show globes. These show globes were the first to be electrified and are the only type we are aware of that are.
Where to find the William & Joan Soderlund Pharmacy Museum
This pharmacy museum is provided to give a slightly different perspective about the history of the drugstore than found on most other Drugstore Museums websites. You can visit Drugstore Museum on line or in person.
The William & Joan Soderlund Pharmacy Museum is located at Soderlund Village Drug in downtown St. Peter, Minnesota. For more information about how to contact us click here.
Lighted Show Globe from 1916 with rotating red wheel inside
1890 hand blown show globe with hand blown final
It has been told on the web that pharmacists would color the show globe water red to warn if there was an epidemic and green if there wasn’t. Red color in the show globe was intended to warn people to stay away from the town. This story has been told over and over. It makes a great story but it is false. Firstly, if epidemic occurred the home of the sick would be quarantined. This quarantining event sometimes occurred to entire neighborhoods or even towns, but the warning was always placed on the door of the house, posted outside of town or printed in the newspaper.
Secondly, why would a businessperson put up such an unusual sign as a warning? Why wouldn’t the druggist just post a notice on the door to his pharmacy? You see the logic is just missing.
The only reason pharmacists used show globes was to display their chemical prowess. Often the globe contained layered colors so it looked striped. The druggist would use various liquids of differing densities to cause the layered effect. When show globes were in use drugs were extracted from plants more often than they were triturated with a mortar and pestle.
Most pharmacists would take the crude drug, like digitalis, and add cold, warm or hot water to the plants and let them steep. Often he would use alcohol for the extraction process. Once the extraction was done he would place the tincture or extract into bottles waiting to be mixed into a concoction of some type.
The ability to properly extract and mix was the sign of a competent druggist. Therefore, coloring the water of a show globe would display this ability. Remember that prior to the early 1900’s most states didn’t even require a college degree to be license as a pharmacist. That being said, prior to 1900 most states didn’t even require pharmacists to be licensed to practice medicine.
Many articles appear even into the 1930’s speaking of “two by four” drugstores being opened by unscrupulous practitioners. A man could come to town and basically go into the drugstore business without much inventory, knowledge or skill. The show globe was a way an educated and skilled druggist could be recognized by his community.