FLEMISH BRONZE MORTAR, 17TH CENTURY

Flemish mortar. Bronze. 17th century. It features a brand. A mortar with a circular base and an outward-curving mouth formed by the two upper bands. The body exhibits a slight entasis and is decorated with figurative relief motifs. In addition to a series of moldings on its outer surface, two male protomes (heads with mustaches and non-human features) and a band with various elements (scrolls, leaves, quadrupedal monsters) are visible at the bottom. Note also a circular "seal" (or so it appears) with the letters (HLB / RA/TE) surrounding an emblem flanked by vegetal elements and placed on three oval objects. Compare the present example with those by P. van den Ghein in the Royal Carillon School Museum “Jef Denyn” in Mechelen (although earlier), a 17th-century example in the Pharmacy Museum of Berlin (Germany), another in the Pharmacy Museum of the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), etc. Weight: 4.6 kg.

· Size: 17x17x14 cms.