Spanish Colonial Carved Coconut ‘bugbear’ Flask
A Fine Spanish Colonial Carved Coconut ‘bugbear’ Flask
With a turned bone stopper, eyes and belt hooks
Three vignettes carved to the sides, one a double portrait of a man and woman in profile, one of a young man with a lady at his side gesturing towards the sea, and another of a top hatted merchant’s return to his wife and child
18th Century
Size: 13.5cm high, 8.5cm dia. (approx) – 5¼ ins high, 3¼ ins dia. (approx)
With a turned bone stopper, eyes and belt hooks
Three vignettes carved to the sides, one a double portrait of a man and woman in profile, one of a young man with a lady at his side gesturing towards the sea, and another of a top hatted merchant’s return to his wife and child
18th Century
Size: 13.5cm high, 8.5cm dia. (approx) – 5¼ ins high, 3¼ ins dia. (approx)
The carving of this ‘bugbear’ coconut flask is of exceptional quality and probably depicts a sailor or captain’s quest to make his fortune from a long sea voyage. Coconut flasks were most often carved by sailors visiting the tropics and examples can be found originating from South America, Mexico and the Polynesian Islands.
Spanish Colonial Carved Coconut ‘bugbear’ Flask
SOLD
