A wonderfully sculptural example of early American painted treen, the substantial hand-turned wooden mortar retaining a remarkable timeworn blue-painted surface, with a deeply rounded barrel-form body rising from a bold flared pedestal foot and terminating in a heavy molded rim. Accompanied by its wonderfully worn turned wooden pestle with ball-form terminal, retaining remnants of the same blue surface along the handle while the working end has been beautifully worn to the natural wood through generations of use. The richly abraded blue paint, exposed warm wood, darkened recesses and honest working wear give the piece exceptional folk-art character. Particularly desirable for its generous scale, architectural silhouette and survival as a mortar-and-pestle ensemble. Expected age checking and shrinkage, including cracking to the underside of the mortar, all consistent with its considerable age and utilitarian history. Mortar 8” high × 5½” diameter. American, probably New England, first half of the 19th century.