MID 17TH CENTURY, THE 'LONDON UNIDENTIFIED FOUNDRY'

In his book English Decorated Bronze Mortars', Michael Finlay writes 'An examination of an unworn example shows the head to be clearly that of a swan or goose. Whether the 'key' is such, or perhaps an implement such as a Scottish bannock spade remains open to question. This stamp started life as a heraldic motif but there are too many mortars still extant bearing this decoration for them all to have been made for the use of one family, and one is drawn to the conclusion that this and other motifs of heraldic form may have been adapted by the founder because of their decorative nature'