Object Details
Description
This mortar has a straight body with a flared mouth and base. There is a raised horizontal band at the bottom of the waist which is marked "ALLEX ENNDORFFER GOS MCIH 1539 IAR". bottom of the waist. One detailed scaled fish handle at the waist. The pestle has rounded ends with three horizontal rings in its center.
Urdang give this mortar a German attribution. He goes on to say "the mortar was cast by Allex Enndorffer who was Imperial Master of Cannon under Maximilian and Charles V". Wittop Koning on the other hand believed this mortar to be from Innsbruck, Austria.
Testing with a X-Ray Fluorescence Spectometer reveals the metal content to have a hign zinc content of 14% and relatively low lead levels of 2%. All measurements are approximate.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of American Pharmaceutical Association and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
date made
1539
ID Number
1991.0664.0126
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-05679
1991.0664.0126.01
1991.0664.0126.02
collector/donor number
SAP 391
Object Name
mortar and pestle
mortar
Other Terms
mortar; mortar and pestle; MANUFACTURING & DISPENSING EQUIP.
Physical Description
molded (overall production method/technique)
brass (overall material)
Measurements
mortar: 15.2 cm x 5 cm; 6 in x 1 15/16 in
pestle: 25 cm x 5 cm; 9 13/16 in x 1 15/16 in
overall: 6 1/8 in x 5 7/8 in; 15.5575 cm x 14.9225 cm
Related Publication
Urdang, George and Ferdinand William Nitardy. The Squibb Ancient Pharmacy: A Catalogue of the Collection
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Medicine
European Apothecary
Art
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Subject
Pharmacy
Medicine
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_994092