Mortars and Pestles

The mortar, the symbol of the apothecary, is arguably the oldest of all pharmaceutical equipment. Mortars are made from a variety of materials, including bronze, marble, wood, brass, glass and stone. Apothecaries would have numerous mortars and pestles of various sizes and materials in their shops for different tasks: large mortars were used for bulk material, smaller mortars for grinding fine powders

The majority of the mortars in the Bristol-Myers Squibb European Apothecary collection are made from bronze, an alloy composed of copper and tin. Bronze is sometimes referred to as bell metal, as it was often used in the manufacture of bells for monasteries and churches. Heavy and highly ornamented bronze mortars were made as early as the 12th century, eventually falling out of favor with the introduction of porcelain mortars in 1779 by Josiah Wedgwood.

The earliest mortars in the collection resemble tankards with vertical Gothic ribs. Mortars from the 16th and 17th centuries are elaborately decorated with horizontal decorative bands of flowers and geometric-designs; inscriptions; heraldic shields; and figures of people, animals and insects.

Several of these early mortars have been analyzed with an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer in order to determine their composition. The results are recorded within the descriptions of the individual mortars.

In 1983 Dutch pharmaceutical historians Wolfgang-Hagen Hein and D. A. Wittop Koning visited the collection. After assessing the collection both Hein and Koning wrote letters to the curatorial staff commenting on issues regarding the provenance and the authenticity of mortars and drug jars. Their conclusions have been added to the catalogued descriptions, along with those of the original cataloguer George Urdang.

Wide mouth mortar with two dolphin handles applied at the waist. The body of the mortar has two bands of rosettes, leaves, vines and the profile of a mans face. The brass mortar has rounded ends. Urdang attributes this mortar to 17th century France.Currently not on view
Description
Wide mouth mortar with two dolphin handles applied at the waist. The body of the mortar has two bands of rosettes, leaves, vines and the profile of a mans face. The brass mortar has rounded ends. Urdang attributes this mortar to 17th century France.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1991.0664.0112.01
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-05665.01
collector/donor number
SAP 377
catalog number
1991.0664.0112.01
Beaker-shaped mortar with two knob handles. The body of the mortar has incised lines Marked "ANNO 1783". Based on the decoration of the mortar, Urdang felt this mortar was made within the in Germanic territory.Currently not on view
Description
Beaker-shaped mortar with two knob handles. The body of the mortar has incised lines Marked "ANNO 1783". Based on the decoration of the mortar, Urdang felt this mortar was made within the in Germanic territory.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1783
ID Number
1991.0664.0136
accession number
1991.0664
collector/donor number
SAP 401
catalog number
1991.0664.0136
M-05689
Mortar with applied molded insects, vase with flowers, a medallion and incised lines circling the body. The mortar has one dolphin handle applied at the waist. The insects include a grasshopper and a bee.
Description
Mortar with applied molded insects, vase with flowers, a medallion and incised lines circling the body. The mortar has one dolphin handle applied at the waist. The insects include a grasshopper and a bee. Two lion heads and a larger oval medallion depicting Christ on the cross are flanked by two figures. The mortar has two bulbous ends.
Urdang goes into detail about this mortar which he attributes to 17th century Germany. In the Squibb ancient Pharmacy Catalogue he writes, "Mortars of this kind with bas-relief decoration of crucifixion group, small animals, bees, grasshoppers, etc., originated in the workshops of Hans Daurnhauser and of Caspar Dietrich at Ingolstaedt.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1991.0664.0130
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-05683.01
collector/donor number
SAP 395
catalog number
1991.0664.0130
One of the larger mortars in the collection, this bronze cast crushing device sits on a turned wooden base. It has a wide flayed mouth and an elaborately molded body with raised horizontal rings and bands of flowers and vines.
Description
One of the larger mortars in the collection, this bronze cast crushing device sits on a turned wooden base. It has a wide flayed mouth and an elaborately molded body with raised horizontal rings and bands of flowers and vines. Marked in applied bands on the upper body, "LI DONNA TIDELL AQVILA . M AP I754". Urdang catalogued this mortar as Italian in origin.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1754
ID Number
1991.0664.0140
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-05693
collector/donor number
SAP 405
Cast mortar with two low relief ornamental bands of foliate scrollwork and two applied dolphin handles in the center of the body.
Description
Cast mortar with two low relief ornamental bands of foliate scrollwork and two applied dolphin handles in the center of the body. The rim is marked "LOF GODT VAN AL Ao 1609" which means Prasie God Above All.
Wittop Koning attributed this mortar to the Dutch trade city of Deventer on the river IJssel.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1609
ID Number
1991.0664.0118
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-05671
collector/donor number
383
catalog number
1991.0664.0118
Urn-shaped cast bronze mortar with a pestle and a lid to keep the contents from spilling onto the work surface. The pestle has an acron-shaped finial.Currently not on view
Description
Urn-shaped cast bronze mortar with a pestle and a lid to keep the contents from spilling onto the work surface. The pestle has an acron-shaped finial.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1800
ID Number
1991.0664.0141
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-05694
collector/donor number
SAP 406
A cast mortar with two applied square handles. The mouth of the vessel is flared and has a decorated band of alternating fleur-de-leis, gothic letters and leaves. Three raised rings are at the center of the body. The base of the mortar is formed by three graduated disks.
Description
A cast mortar with two applied square handles. The mouth of the vessel is flared and has a decorated band of alternating fleur-de-leis, gothic letters and leaves. Three raised rings are at the center of the body. The base of the mortar is formed by three graduated disks. A small circular copper disk has been placed in the bottom of the mortar to cover a hole. Marked "anno domini M CCCC L." Testing the metal content with an X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer concluded that the predominate material to be copper. The turned pestle has rounded ends.
Urdang and Nitardy catalogued this mortar as French. However, in a letter dated 13 April 1954 to George Urdang at the American Institute for the History of Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin, George Griffenhagen Associate Curator in the Division of Medicine writes that the Spanish historian of pharmacy G. Folch Jou believes this mortar to be of Dutch origin.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1474
ID Number
1991.0664.0097
accession number
1991.0664
catalog number
M-05650
collector/donor number
SAP 362
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.
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
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

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.