Pen case and lid, Italy, 15th century
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
15th century
Pen case and lid in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number 8386-1863), made in Italy, dated 15th century. The museum's brief description reads: Pen case and lid, Italian, 1400-1500, embossed leather. Museum description: Pen case and lid of moulded leather (cuir bouilli). Of cylindrical form with an extending cavity at the top. The whole case cut and embossed with compartments of scrolling leaf pattern on a punched ground, divided by elongated narrow panels of thistle leaf. On the end of the lid is There are four loops integral to the case and cover, through which a cord (now missing) originally ran Notes on construction A stretched inner liner; the outer worked cover consists of a foot cover (stretch/shrink marks) and a wraparound section. The museum records it as Moulded leather, tooled, carved and stamped, measuring Height 15.5 cm; Width 4.7 cm; Depth 6.1 cm; Weight 60 g. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Described on acquisition as a case for pens and ink (aka a penner). The case incorporates an unusual fin near the opening, which presumably accomodated a narrow protrusion of some kind. Medieval illustrations of leather penners in use (by both scribes and noble men and women) tend to show the long penner (for a pen-knife, and presumably at least one quill pen, for convenience) attached by cords to an ink horn in its own moulded leather case. The combination could have been easily carried, either worn at the waist, or - in the case of scribes - worn around the neck as a badge of office. See: Writing implements and accessories : from the Roman stylus to the typewriter, Irene Whalley, 1975, pp. 187-8; Western writing implements in the age of the quill pen, Michael Finlay, 1935, pp.35-6, p.138 The Secular Spirit (Exhibition catalogue, New York, Metropolitan Museum 1975) P81 Etui in medieval inventories and accounts was a general term for storage or travel containers of various materials and sizes… A large leather case, ordered from a coffret-maker and referred to as an etui de cuir bouilli, was purchased to hold a painting by Jehan d'Orléans, painter to King Charles VI of France…References are also made to small etui of cuir bouilli which were designed specifically to be attached to one's costume. Used to carry quill pens, ink wells, books, cutlery, and other personal possessions, these objects are frequently depicted in 15th century paintings and manuscript illuminations. Notes…
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Leather
- Dimensions
- Height 15.5 cm; Width 4.7 cm; Depth 6.1 cm; Weight 60 g
Technical characteristics
- Technique
- Moulded leather, tooled, carved and stamped
- Place recorded
- Italy
Identification
- Museum object name
- Pen case and lid
- Museum object number
- 8386-1863
- Museum system number
- O133556
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: confirm the wider type, maker and catalogue references against a specialist reference.