A Queen Anne dated bronze mortar attributed to Ralph Ashton of Wigan

A Queen Anne dated bronze mortar attributed to Ralph Ashton of Wigan, the reeded body with owner's initials 'I H' and a heart stop, dated '1708', with a saltire scratch-mark and a pair of rope-twist handles, 14.4cm high, 18.3cm diameter.

See Michael Finlay, English Decorated Bronze Mortars and their Makers, pp.54-57 for discussion of Ralph Ashton and with illustrations of similar examples.

Provenance:

Sotheby's, 22nd April 1986, lot 317.

Woolley & Wallis, 3rd April 2012, lot 238.

A private collection.