A Medieval Whistle In Green Glaze In The Form Of An Owl

A charming, rare owl-shaped whistle or bird call. The tail forms the whistle and the top of the head has a hole for air to escape. The bird has (the remnants of) a green tail, head and chest, 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 pies. 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 especially in the London area. The whistle in our collection is comparable to that in the old John Horn collection dating from the 14th century. But we keep it on the end of the 15th century as an example that can be found in the London Museum. Height 4.5cm.