Mortar and pestle - Solid copper pharmaceutical grinding mill - Copper

This solid copper herb grinder is an implement used for pulverizing medicinal ingredients within the context of traditional Chinese medicine during the mid-to-late 20th century. It features a boat-shaped grinding trough paired with a movable copper grinding wheel, and bears an inscription on the base.

Such grinders are iconic artifacts of traditional Chinese medicine culture; they serve equally well as decorative ornaments for TCM clinics, small paperweights for the scholar's studio, or tactile objects for handling and appreciation.