A Book of Poison or Medieval Cures?

This ‘poisoner’s cabinet’ was offered for sale via the German auction house Hermann Historica in 2008. It was carved out of a real book dating from the 1600s and the pages have been replaced by eleven drawers, each with a small wooden and silver knob and a paper label identifying a plant, and a glass jar clasped into place. Many of the plants were reputed to have curative as well as toxic properties so it’s as likely to be a wise women’s or apothecary’s case as much as an assassin’s tool kit.

When not being used it could be tucked away on a bookshelf, giving no clue of its contents.

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