Massive mortar and pain

Greetings

For 20 years I have been, with great effort, lugging this massive mortar and pestle around. My grandmother remembered when it was black or dark brown but her mother polished it.

Do you suppose its actually old or did they reproduce such massive immobile things.

thanks ever so much

 

A while back, I saw another massive mortar and pestle (albeit not as nicely decorated) at a German apothecary museum. It had to be at least 14 inches tall. I think they were indeed used in the past.

 

I think they were used as displays in apothecary shops. Maybe used, too - I'm not sure!

 

Thank you so much for your reply. it is 25cm tall and 30cm wide and weighs 60kg easy. I would fake something a normal human could carry. The first time I moved it there seemed to be dirt there from the renaissance but its Canada so that is not possible.

Thanks again. It looks like a Whitechapel mortar but I guess thats what you would fake

 

There are a few out there, like yours - I didn't see any results...

Bronze mortar and pestle, 17th c., with relief scroll banding, 4 3/8" h., 5 1/8" dia., together with another bronze mortar and pestle, 4 1/4" h., 5" dia.

About half the size of yours...

 

Here's mine, tiny as it is


Leaf blower time

 

Thanks all. I will post more pics. i hope i can take something of quality like your photos. I am embarrassed to let you see inside my mortar now that I have seen yours.

 

1/3 rd the size....

 

too nice to melt.........

 

i was quoted 163$ cdn. you are very generous.

 

OH YA.............!! well....

u can use it as a door stop.....
u can drill a hole in it , hang it upside down and use it as a bell....
u can put a plant in it..
u can use it for weight training...
u can put it on your head and wear it as a hat ...
u can use it as a spittoon......
& u can put it in the boot of your car in winter as a dead weight....!!

See ! ............ it's very versatile !!

 

It has broken my little toe twice or rather it has contributed to the breaking of the same toe twice.

 

That's one heavy mortar; drill a touch hole and fire shot out of it? The small ones were used to grind herbs and the like in the kitchen and medicines in a pharmacy. (same thing as often as not) The big boys may have been used too, but I wouldn't want to lug that monster around.

 

This is just my opinion but it doesn't look *that* old. Certainly not 17th century old, at any rate.

 

i thought at best it was something every drugstore had around 1880. i sort of remember seeing one when i was young at the local. the shinny base is from years on the concrete basement floor being punished for the toe.

thanks so much