Leather flask. Glass bottle encased in decorated leather, Italian, 1530-50.

Glass bottle encased in decorated leather (also referred to as a 'costrel').
Flat, upright bottle of pilgrim-bottle form, made of clear olive-green glass, standing on an oval wood foot and wholly encased in a seamed cover of sewn and wrought leather, with decoration in smooth relief against a stippled ground.

The upper part of the neck of the cover appears to have been torn off at early date. This would probably have had eyes for a carrying thong. This has been later replaced in a crude fashion withi what appears to be a leather horse-harness strap, which partly remains.

The front of the leather cover features: a leafy medallion containing a bust of a lady, wearing a drawn-back veil and puffed and slashed sleeves; below, a scrolled oval blank for arms, flanked by cherubs on a scrolled border. The reverse of the leather cover features: a central circular medallion containing a dancing bear, within a surround of leafy stems containing compartments with birds; above the central medallion is a rectangular medallion containing a fish or sea dragon.

Bought (Bernal Collection) £14 10s.
Notes by W.A. Thorpe ca.1959:
2178-1855

COSTREL. Flat, upright bottle of pilgrim - bottle form, of clear olive-green glass, standing on an oval wood foot and wholly encased in a seamed cover of sewn and wrought leather, with decoration in smooth relief against a stippled ground. Leather now sable.

On the front of the cover, a leafy medallion containing a bust of a lady, wearing veil drawn back and puffed and slashed sleeves; below, a scrolled oval blank for arms, flanked by cherubs standing or gargoyles on a scrolled border. On the reverse of the cover, a circular medallion containing a dancing bear, within a surround of leafy stems containing compartments with birds

Bottle probably of footless 'spa water' form encased partly for stability. The upper part of the neck of the cover, torn off at early date, probably bore eyes for a carrying thong, later rudely replaced by a horse-harness strap, part remaining.

Presumably encased as a hunting-bottle for a servant of the lady portrayed.

This bottle may have been encased in leather in order to serve as a hunting-bottle for a servant of the lady portrayed in the decoration.

2178-1855