Leather Bottles

Signora Sveva Lucciola (mka: Leila Jackson)

I have made several leather bottles and costrels and have also taught various workshops on the subject. The following links are provided to help you make your own. I will add more on the history of these bottles here when I get the chance. I will say that they are KNOWN to have been in exsistence during the reign of King Henry the VIII because both the 2 piece "gourd" shaped and the 3 piece costrel shaped were found on the wreck of the Mary Rose warship.

Link to How To Make a Leather Bottle or Costrel

Link to some Basic Patterns

Link to some Pictures of Student works

Link to the documentation for my Mary Rose Bottle

 

Other sources of how to:

A very nice IN PERSONA description on “ The Making of a bottle of Leather, for thy Pilgrimage” www.florilegium.org/files/MEDIEVAL-LIFE/Gram-Letter3-art.html

 

Making Medieval & Colonial American Leather Bottles, by Frank Zignon (contact Zignon Press)

 

Complete Anachronist: Leathercraft for Common Usage, Number 8, 1983 pp 21-31

 

Lord Gawain Kilgore’s website  www.medievallife.com/

 

Now that you have made your bottle or costrel, make a leather jack to drink from!

www2.kumc.edu/itc/staff/rknight/Jacks.htm

 

Other ideas and images:

If you have trouble making your own and want to just go out and purchase one, or you are interested in selling your bottles, and want to see what the competition looks like, you can visit:

 

Tuckahoe Trading Company…In addition to leather bottles, they also sell lots of leather fire buckets, Blackjack Mug,  www.tuckahoetradingco.com/jack.html

 

Phil Quallington- leather bottles, buckets & pouches www.geocities.com/thorvin.geo/phil_qualington.htm

 

Collection of bottles from 17th/18th c. England for $5,750.00!  www.burlsnuff.com/Pages/l_bottel_group.html

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