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Tincture Press, early 1900s

© 2021 Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Description

This enamelled metal single-screw tincture press was manufactured by S. Maw Son and Sons in the early 1900s.
Tincture presses were used by pharmacists to extract oils or juices from plants by compression.
On this example the handle at the top turned the internal screw device, compressing the plant matter within. The juice or oil, to be used in medicinal preparations, ran from the spout at the base of the press. The press is marked with the name of the manufacturer: ‘S MAW SON AND SON, LONDON’.

Fact

Expression is the physical act of applying pressure to squeeze out oils or juices from plants. This was normally achieved with a tincture press.