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Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
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  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
  • Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
Early New England Red-Painted Mortar & Pestle Circa 1800–1830
$650.00 USD

A handsome early American turned wooden mortar and pestle, attributed to New England, circa 1800–1830, retaining a rich original deep burgundy-red painted surface with beautifully developed age and wear.

The substantial mortar has a bold pedestal form with swollen foot, narrow waist, heavy rolled rim, and restrained incised concentric decoration. The original paint has mellowed to shades of deep wine red and oxblood, with natural wear revealing warm golden-brown wood at the rim and other points of repeated handling.

Accompanied by its substantial turned wooden pestle with oversized working end, tapered handle, and broad mushroom-form terminal. Generations of use have worn the working end to a warm honey-brown, contrasting beautifully with the remaining burgundy-red surface.

The interior shows extensive period grinding and abrasion, while the underside retains strong turning marks, oxidation, and old shrinkage checking.

A particularly appealing piece of early New England painted treen, distinguished by its sculptural form, rich original surface, and wonderfully honest evidence of generations of use.

Dimensions: Mortar: 7 1/2” H × 6” diameter. Pestle: 9 3/4” L × 2 1/2” diameter.

Condition: Very good untouched antique condition with expected wear, paint loss, age-darkening, abrasions, and old shrinkage checks consistent with age and prolonged use. No restoration noted from visual examination.