English Delftware Octagonal-Shaped Pill Tile with the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries Coat of Arms, 1680-1750

Description

This English Delftware Octagonal-Shaped Pill Tile is decorated with the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries Coat of Arms and motto ‘OPIFERQUE: PER: ORBEM: DICOR:’ and the City of London arms, surrounded by foliage.
The two holes at the top were used for hanging the tile. It was manufactured in London around 1680-1750.

Fact

The arms of the City of London are said to have been adopted in the 1300s. The arms consist of a shield bearing a cross, with an upright sword in the first quarter. They combine the emblems of the patron saints of England and London: the Cross of St. George and the symbol of the martyrdom of St. Paul.