Extract of Mad Hatter Apothecary Label

Description

Have you ever heard the phrase, “mad as a hatter”? Possibly not, since it dates back to the 1800’s, but if you’re familiar with movie adaptations of Lewis Carroll’s novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (or if you’ve read the book yourself- props to you, you literary powerhouse!) you get the idea. 

At the time this phrase became popular, hat makers were using mercury nitrate (a highly toxic substance, but hey, the Victorians were using arsenic to dye fabric and opium as a medication, so what’s one more poison?) to turn animal fur into felt for hats. Well, long-term exposure to mercury led to symptoms such as the shakes, memory loss, speech problems, emotional instability, and hallucinations. It was such common knowledge that hatters were regularly experiencing these symptoms that the phrase “mad as a hatter” was born.

Lewis Carroll (whose real name was Charles Dodgeson)grew up in a town where hat making was the main trade, so he would have been very familiar with this phrase and its origins. But he actually never calls the character “the mad hatter”. He’s just called “Hatter.” The Cheshire Cat describes him as “mad”, and of course he acts like he’s bonkers, so that’s probably how he came to be known as the Mad Hatter. Carroll wasn’t taking pot shots at hatters, or trying to raise awareness about mercury poisoning though, he was just telling silly stories to the daughters of a work colleague, and really, everyone in that book is basically nuts.

This label’s artwork was inspired by Alice in Wonderland, but whether you have an Alice in Wonderland themed apothecary cabinet, or just a really cool mercury glass jar, or maybe a Halloween apothecary themed around insanity or insane asylums (pretty dark, but could be cool), it will look great, is easy to apply, and comes in translucent and opaque options. We also have waterproof and weather resistant/outdoor options coming soon!

Available types:

• White border, opaque label (for a classic sticker look)
• Clear border, translucent label (the border is almost invisible, and the label is slightly see-through)

Repositionable: Yes (but the tackiness will be reduced with each repositioning)

Waterproof: No

Care: Clean with a dry cloth and wipe gently from the center outward.