16TH CENTURY

Details

A UNIQUE AND IMPORTANT ENGLISH PEWTER PEAR-SHAPED FLAGON
16TH CENTURY
The slightly domed cover with a central boss and a twin ball and wedge thumbpiece, a copper medallion set under the cover stamped with a 'fleur-de-lys', a scratch date of 1620 under base, 40 fl.oz capacity
11in. (28cm.) high overall

Literature

Museum of London 1989, Pewter, A celebration of the craft, No.41.
Hornsby, Pewter of the Western World, No.701.
Grosvenor House Exhibition Catalogue 1988, England at the Time of the Armada, No.26.
Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition 2003-04, Gothic Art for England 1400-1547, No.196.
Journal of the Pewter Society, David Moulson, A review of known Pear-Shaped flagons, Autumn, 2002.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

View condition report

Lot Essay

This rare survival is one of four known examples of similar form. One was found in the Mary Rose, another missing lid is in the Letchworth Museum Herts, a further example with a different thumbpiece is in a Somerset church. The consistent English provenance of these pieces strongly implies an indigenous manufacture. The fluid ounce capacity confirms directly to a Half English Ale pottle.
See the footnote to lot 28 for a discussion of recorded flagons. The body shape can be compared with lots 148 and 27, and the handle, thumbpiece and cover with lot 76.

More from Important Early English Pewter The 'Little' Collection

View All