Not here to fill the gap, but I think the 14th century example you show is enough to suggest that we're looking at the same genre of vessels in the VM.
Here are a few, classy ones, that may help fill the gap ( more at bottom of page ) from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met Collection / Search Art / Apothecary jar (albarello)
Title: Apothecary jar (albarello)
Date: ca. 1480–1500
Culture: Italian, Naples
Medium: Maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware)
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As an aside, I've always fancied that the cylinder style tubes are for powders and the sphere style cylinders are for liquids.
Some examples of 15C apothecary jars.
The separated 1480 example is to show that this is about the time the designs start to change from the bands and busy designs, you start seeing people depicted more often and especially by 1500+. Most of these are Lusterware pottery which started to be made and imported/exported around Europe 1400(ish).
They are not exactly what I'm looking for, but thought I'd share them anyway.
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Just by pure coincidence, the attached logo of the sub-district Sai-Noi in the province Nonthaburi in Thailand passed my eyes two days ago. This is certainly a coincidence. This type of pottery is still produced here, but I don't know how long ago it started.
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Also, one may find imaginary ornaments in illuminated manuscripts like this:
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This is from the highly valuable Vat. Urb.Lat.2.
There's definitely a good chance they are imaginary, the Sforza hours borders for example are absolutely full of fantastical stacked up vessels.
Some examples
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Artistic amphorae and the vases and other storage vessels that later resulted from them have been around for several thousand years. And they were also used in ancient times for healing potions too, etc...
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What is much more interesting is the question of why they all look different in the Voynich manuscript. And why some of them bear similarities to the roots/plants next to them. And why they appear upside down (!!!) in one of the other images. ( f82.r )
(30-11-2025, 04:46 PM)JoJo_Jost Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.And why they appear upside down (!!!) in one of the other images. ( f82.r )
Intriguing observation... Is there a Pharma jar that you think is
particularly similar to the thing on f82r?
All the best, --stolfi
No, not exactly, but very similar. Here:
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(The first image is rotated 180 degrees.)
Keep in mind that cylindrical objects, no matter the material or function, tend to enable the same kinds of decorative elements: rings, bands, sections, patterns, tapered ends, finials... The lathe and the pottery wheel are the same. That is why a bossed arch and a pharmaceutical jar and a cannon and a microscope might look similar, especially when some artistic fancy is involved.
(01-12-2025, 08:42 AM)Koen G Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.artistic fancy is involved.
... by the artist and by the observer.