Antique 16th century Turkish Ottoman Military Leather Water Flask Matara

Antique 16th-century Turkish Ottoman leather water flask (Matara) from the time of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The bladder-shaped flask features two protuberances: one for carrying, one with a narrow spout for drinking, and a cylindrical neck for filling. It is made of thick leather, stitched together with a central seam and reinforced with three lines of stitching.
The Matara leather water flasks were very popular in Turkish Ottoman Army during the 16th century.
MEASUREMENTS: Height at highest point: 35 cm (13.78 inches). Across max. 18 cm (7.9 inches).
CONDITION: This Matara is in good condition for its age of over 500 years, showing signs of wear with minor splits in the leather at the base stitches. It is in its original condition, with no repairs or restorations.
REFERENCES: The related Matara flask is featured in the Bonhams catalog for the Islamic & Indian Art auction in London on April 19, 2007, as lot 181. The item is titled "An Ottoman Leather Water Flask (Matara)" and dates back to the 16th century. It is estimated to sell for between £2,000 and £3,000 (approximately US$3,200 - $4,700 or €2,300 - €3,500). Please see the link below for more details:
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/15257/lot/181/
This water flask is a prototype for a design that was later replicated in more elaborate and durable materials during the sixteenth century.
A renowned example of gem-set rock crystal can be found in the Topkapi Palace Collection (Atil, E.: The Age of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, exhibition catalog, Washington D.C., 1987, no. 60, p. 129).
Some water flasks were also made using Iznik pottery.
One example is published in "Iznik - the Pottery of Ottoman Turkey" by Atasoy and Raby, London, 1989, no. 634.
The other flask, painted in the 'Damascus' palette, is in a private collection.
For a metal prototype of a water flask at the Sadberk Hanim Museum, see Bodur, Fulya, The Art of Turkish Metalworking, Istanbul, 1987, p. 112, pl. A.55.
We will also provide the buyer with photocopies of the pages from the mentioned references together with a certificate of authenticity.