Pieter Groeneveld

If you’ve been searching for a unique solution for storage or displaying your serveware or decorative objects, might we prescribe an antique or vintage apothecary cabinet?

With the advent of the modern-day pharmacy, you can often go a long time without running into an apothecary . . . or even seeing the word. Popular in the 15th and 16th centuries, apothecary shops are the predecessors of today’s typical drug stores. An apothecary, in the person sense, was a medical professional, dispensing medicines and remedies for common ailments, but also preparing and mixing said medicines in-house. Too often these shops were quite small and, like most of us constantly seeking savvy storage solutions, apothecaries needed a cabinet to store supplies and medicinal ingredients.

Apothecary cabinets are case pieces similar in size to early dressers or commodes but with uniquely sized shelving and (often numerous) drawers. Indeed, these old-world furnishings — whether it's a small apothecary cabinet or a large version — offer seemingly endless ways to sort and display or just help tidy up a room while maintaining its charm.

Decorating with a vintage metal apothecary cabinet, or one made of solid wood, is a snap.

Pay tribute to the piece’s original purpose by displaying your very own collection of apothecary jars and bottles or decorative art glass. Elsewhere, introduce the cabinet to high-traffic areas such as your living room — two smaller Victorian-era apothecary cabinets could work as side tables — or your entryway much in the way you would a console table. These functional furnishings can work as storage in your home office or as nightstands in the bedroom, and in any interior an apothecary wall cabinet can keep your space orderly and clutter-free.

Browse a collection of antique and vintage apothecary cabinets and chests on 1stDibs today.