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Dimensions: 14.5 by 44 by 14cm., 5 3/4 by 17 1/4 by 5 1/2 in.

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Notes: It is extremely rare to find two medieval leather caskets which are indubitably from the same workshop. The present casket and the smaller version (see lot 6) are on examination closely related. They share the same handle with zoomorphic terminals but more to the point the copper alloy badges of the crowned Queen and the Wildman astride a lion are cast from the same mould.

In shape, the caskets follow an earlier French style as can be seen in the gilt copper mounted ivory caskets of the fourteenth century. Indeed a casket in the Victoria and Albert Museum London, labelled French circa 1400 of wood covered with copper gilt sheeting, has the same crowned head of a queen and similar zoomorphic handle(Bernal Collection -Museum no. 2168-1855.) Cuir Ciselé caskets of this shape were indeed known to have been made in Northern France and Flanders but Cherry (1982 op.cit.) records no less than twelve leather-covered caskets of the late fourteenth to fifteenth century originating in England. What is significant in the present caskets is the presence of copper alloy, originally gilt, appliqués which serve to embellish the lightly incised leather ground. In England the use of Livery badges was widespread from the reign of Edward III (1327-77) to the early sixteenth century and these appliqués may well have originated from the same workshops. Most badges were made in a lead alloy but numerous examples are also recorded in copper and even silver-gilt. The recent Gothic Art exhibition catalogue records that no less than thirteen thousand of the Boar Badge of Richard III were ordered for distribution to followers. The badges were applied to costume as well as harness mounts.

The appliques on this casket and on lot 6 were made for secular use and were not intended as emblems of allegiance but they nevertheless bear striking resemblance to recorded Livery badges as illustrated by Mitchener. Note in particular the seated collared Talbot, a dog with hanging ears, powerful jaws and tail terminating in a full circle, badge of the Talbot family, later Earls of Shrewsbury, as illustrated in the Gothic exhibition catalogue and in Mitchener.

It is indeed possible that this casket was made for the Talbot family, who were of Norman origin. John Talbot, (circa 1384-1453) who was created 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Earl of Waterford in 1442/1446, is the most likely member of the family to have purchased this piece, he married Maud, the only child of Thomas Neville (before October 1404 according to The National Dictionary of Biography, Oxford University Press reprinted 1921-22) and fought in many battles in Northern France including the siege of Orléans. He was awarded the Garter in 1424.

RELATED LITERATURE
J.Cherry, "Leather" in English Medieval Industries ed. J.Blair and N. Ramsey, London 1991, pp.295-318
J.Cherry, " The Talbot Casket and Related Late Medieval Leather Caskets", Archaeologia cvii ( 1982) pp.131-140
Age Of Chivalry, exh. cat. Royal Academy of Art, London 1987
Gothic Art For England 1400-1547, exh. cat. Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2003, cat. no.68d.
M. Mitchener, Medieval Pilgrim & Secular Badges, London 1986, nos. 706-716