A Carved ‘Bugbear’ Coconut Flask (1800 to 1900 Europe)

10.00cm wide 15.00cm deep (3.94 inches wide5.91 inches deep)

cf Finch and Co catalogue no. 4, item no. 112, and catalogue no. 7, item no. 69 for other examples

‘Bugbear’ coconut flasks were often carved by sailors on long sea voyages who had visited the Tropics and collected the ‘green’ nuts. Easier to carve whilst still young and fresh ‘bugbears’ have been collected originating from Mexico, South and North America, the French Polynesian Islands and Europe. French prisoners of war would carve them with a depiction of the Emperor Napoleon. This example is carved with pastoral Spanish colonial scenes with vines, a lion mask terminal and bug bear spout. It was probably once used as a shot flask for a gun.

A Carved ‘Bugbear’ Coconut Flask with inset bone eyes and silver plated spout
Circa 1830

Size: 15cm deep, 10cm wide – 6 ins deep, 4 ins wide