Lot Essay
The frieze and handles can be found on two different mortars attributed by Wittop Koning cf. D.A. Wittop Koning Nederlandse Vijzels Weert, 1989, pp. 48, fig 32 and p. 50, fig 37. The mermaid frieze is also used by Willem Tolhuys, ibid. p. 47, fig 30, this mortar also has a comparable quality of casting and the same type of foot, but the date 1566 is not consistent with Tolhuys who died in 1541.