A Medieval Green Glazed Whistle In The Form Of An Owl, 15th Century

A charming and rare owl whistle or call. The tail forms the whistle and the top of the head has a hole for air to escape. The bird has (the remains of) a green tail, head and breast and brown wings. This one was made locally or in the Saintonge region of France. It was used to attract birds for hunting. Small songbirds were often caught in nets and eaten in pâtés. Whistles of this type were a characteristic product of the 15th and 16th centuries. This one was found some time ago in the Thames. Others have been found particularly in the London area.

The whistle in our collection is comparable to one in the old John Horn collection dated to the 14th century. But we keep it from the late 15th century as an example that can be found in the London Museum.
Height 4.5 cm.