I shall only indulge in a short preliminary canter on this course as there are few competitors, and the chances of gaining a prize in this field are rather remote. I was not long before I had bought several bronze mortars, all plain, as I did not know fancy ones existed.

No. 1.—When I found this and bought it, I sent a photograph to the editor of the Chemist and Druggist, telling him it had been dredged up from the Liverpool Docks. He submitted the photograph to an expert, and reproduced the photograph in his paper in 1908 with the following remarks:

“Here we have the new Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith in effigy, on a two or three century old mortar. The left projecting wing shows a profile very like that of Mr. Asquith. The firmly sealed lips probably represent the receptive condition of his mind when the suggestions of subjects for new taxation fall upon his ear, and the features between the profile may, perhaps, bear some resemblance to the horrified expression worn by brewery directors, and those interested in the ‘Trade’ generally, on the morning following the introduction of the Licensing Bill. The type is Portuguese or Spanish, and probably of the sixteenth or seventeenth century. The projections, which so resemble a human profile are a feature of this type of Mortar.”

Size 5 in. diameter, 3½ in. high, weight 4 lbs.

This was encouraging, but put me out of conceit with the plain ones with which I had stocked myself.

The Mortars illustrated are mostly of very uncommon types, and as such specimens are seldom met with I hope their inclusion will be found of interest to the reader whose fancies may run in other directions. For after all, rareness and scarcity are great factors to collectors.

No. 2.—Bronze. I had great difficulty in deciphering the lettering and figures on this owing to wear. They are in two lines, and read “W. aged 69. 74 years Mary and Thomas.” No doubt husband and wife, “W” being the initial letter of their surname. 4½ in. across the top, 4½ in. high, weight 4 lbs.

No. 3.—Bronze. This has upon it a fleur-de-lis, and mitre ornament and would no doubt be seventeenth century. 5½ in. across the top, 4½ in. high, weight 3 lbs.

No. 4.—Bronze. Is a very unusual type in that it has only one handle, while the ornament is artistic. I noticed, soon after I bought this, that an old one-handled metal mortar had been fished up from the Spanish Armada wreck, in Tobermory Bay. 5 in. across top, height 4 in., weight 3 lbs. 2 oz.

No. 5 is made of bright yellow metal. It is 5 in. in diameter, 4 in. high, weighs 3 lb., and has been well finished. Its decoration consists of “C.R.” repeated four times, crowned Tudor-rose, thistle, trefoil, and crowned heart, each divided by a small fleur-de-lis. It was no doubt made by a loyal workman at the restoration of Charles II., and is, I hope, unique. I had trouble when negotiating the purchase, as through a side-slip I divulged that the initials of Charles Rex were the same as my own. Further, the holder was convinced that this mortar had belonged to “the Royal Culinary Department, and was almost worth its weight in gold.” In the end he was converted and evidently satisfied, for he foraged around and gave me an old pestle after I had paid the money.

No. 6 is bronze, 5¼ in. in diameter at the top, 4 in. high, and weighs 4½ lb. When roaming about Kendal on an Easter Sunday I found this standing among “Roman” antiquities in a shop. I bought it on Easter Monday, and am still wondering how old it really is, and how many centuries the antiquary was out in his reckoning. Its appearance in every way indicates great age.

No. 7 is a bronze mortar 6 in. in diameter, 4½ in. high, No. 7 is a bronze mortar 6 in. in diameter, 4½ in. high, weighs 6¼ lb., bears the letters WHS also 1735, and is the only dated mortar I possess. It belonged to an old Lancashire family named Hartley. W and S “rang off” some time since, and their Christian names were not ascertained.

No. 8 is the largest and heaviest bronze mortar I have. It is 7 in. in diameter, 5½ in. high, and weighs 13 lb. The decoration is very crude, and I was puzzled as to the meaning until I turned it upside down, when a ram’s head and a shell were evident. In this position the shape takes the form of a bell, and indicates that the makers would use the same mould for bells as for mortars at the period about 1650. I found this just across the Welsh border in Flintshire and had a hard time.

No. 9.—This “Goblet” is a most unusual shape for a brass mortar, and the metal is quite yellow. I was pleased when I found it, and more so when the owner gladly gave it me in exchange for three plain ones of the usual pattern. 4½ in. across top, 5 in. high, weight 4 lbs. 4 ozs.

No. 10. is 7 in. in diameter by 4¼ in. high. After acquiring this I ascertained that the difference between alabaster and marble is that the former is of a softer nature, which accounts for the head of the old pestle being worn to 1½ in. One of the four lugs is grooved for convenience when pouring out fluid mixtures—no doubt the innovation of an up-to-date cash chemist of that go-ahead period.

I have another of an exactly similar character, but 12 inches in diameter, while it has no groove, and an old Waterford glass pestle is with it. The pestles belonging to the metal mortars are all of different patterns.