Mortar and Pestle

Late Victorian

Circa late 19th to early 20th century | England

An antique late Victorian English mortar and pestle (see The Gen) of small proportions from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. The pestle has a turned beech wooden handle. As useful today and it was when it was first made.

DIMENSIONS: Mortar Width 10.5 cm, Height 6 cm, and Pestle Length 7.5 cm.

SIGNATURES, MARKINGS & INSCRIPTIONS: Impressed on base of mortar: Made in England, O, Warranted Acid Proof. Impressed on pestle O.

CONDITION: In very good condition, with wear commensurate with antique age and use of such a piece.

REFERENCES: For an example of a similar mortar and pestle see the engraving on page 202 of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Mrs Isabella Mary Beeton, 1836–1865, Chancellor Press, 1982.

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THE GEN

“Pestle and Mortar—No cookery can be perfectly performed without the aid of the useful instrument shown in the engraving. For pounding things sufficiently fine, they are invaluable, and the use of them will save a good deal of time, besides increasing the excellence of preparations. They are made of iron, and in that material, can be bought cheap; but these are not available for all purposes, we would recommend, as more economical in the end, those made of Wedgwood, although these are considerably more expensive than the former.” Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management, Mrs Isabella Mary Beeton, 1836–1865, Chancellor Press, 1982, p. 202.

“In the days when most foodstuffs reached the kitchen in recognizable form, the pestle and mortar was in constant use crushing something up. Victorian recipes for sauces (when sauce did not come in a bottle) commonly stated: ‘Pound to the finest powder …’”. (The Observer’s Book of Kitchen Antiques, John Woodforde, Fredrick Warne (Publishers) Ltd, 1982, p. 77)

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