I ran across your question on the Archive first and answered it there. Here is my reply for those with the same question on this board (I don't normally cross post, but I thought the information useful enough to do so).

Hi Buran,
Costrels could be any of a number of different materials. They could be a dried out gourd, a wood canteen in the shape of a gourd, a leather barrel like canteen, a leather flask shaped canteen (There is a fellow in NY who makes copies of the Mary Rose flasks that would easily work up to 200 years earlier), a pewter footed canteen - doughnut shaped without a central hole, wood canteens shaped like the footed pewter ones - Robin Wood in the UK makes these turned on a pole lathe completely done in the traditional manner - for about $240 (they are a staggering amount of work to make).

Finally to the earthen & stoneware. I am working with a potter out of NH in researching 15th c. German stoneware, and amongst other items made and traded across Europe were indeed costrels. Problem is the only good photos and dimensions I have are for mid 16th c. ones sold as pilgrims souvenirs, and they are different to a degree from the Medieval ones proper. I would strongly recommend stoneware over earthenware as it is much more durable. Since it is a fairly complex item to produce, I don't imagine it will be cheap - I would think over $50, but I'm not the one making and pricing them.

Hope this is of value.

P.S. Your picture posted on the other board doesn't show up, so I can't give you a good answer.

The Medieval ones I've seen pictures of seem to mostly be footed, not just a circle. Show us a pic of one of the shops! Tin Drum canteens - straight sided - seem to have been used (and illustrated in Schilling being used by a couple of Burgundians), the primary difference from the ACW ones being that the spout is a tudge longer and flares out as it rises to the rim, sort of like a narrow cone. Identical in function - slight difference in aethstetics.

Mitake.

Robin supplies many fine works to museums, living historians, and re-enactors. Most if not all of his work has archaeological references. Those that he is not sure about he will let you know.

Thing about the costrel...if you want one, it is 250 pounds sterling and he does them in groups. I believe he has a group of them set for turning this month or in May. He usually waits until he has a few requests before turning them.

Cheers,

Ziad

oops - captain_lyerly@yahoo.com

[ 05-19-2001: Message edited by: allahuakbar ]

--------------------