Antique Advertising - Early 20th Century Dutch Pharmacy Gaper Yawner Head / Bust
An early 20th century plaster made pharmacy figurehead.
Hand painted.
Dutch
A gaper or yawner - Symbol of a pharmacy store
The gaper's gaping tongue could represent the intake of medicine and grimace represents the bitter taste of the medicine. The gaper takes on various appearances that are symbolic of the origin for the pharmacist’s practice or medicinal ingredients. There are stories of the gaper as a symbol of the pharmacist’s traveling "quack" or helper.
Height 32cm
19cm X 13cm
Condition - Good. Minor paintwork loss in places, the most obvious is the tip of the nose.
Item No. 6559
