As well as medicines, high street pharmacies have a long history of selling products such as toiletries, cosmetics and perfumes. The scene depicted in this figurine by Royal Doulton became iconic after it was adopted by Yardley for advertising its lavender products.
The figurine is based on a series of paintings by the artist Francis Wheatley in the 1790s, known as the Cries of London, featuring a variety of street traders selling their products. Although better known now as lavender sellers through the power of advertising, the three figures were originally painted as carrying baskets of yellow primroses.
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