Medieval Girdle Pouch, 14th-16th Century Style - Black Leather, Jeans Button

Welcome to Pipe Collectors Encyclopedia, your premier destination for museum-quality estate pipes with comprehensive historical and technical documentation. This is a handcrafted leather girdle pouch in the style of 14th-16th century personal carry accessories. Executed in premium black vegetable-tanned leather with subtle texturing, the piece references the historical "poke" or "almoner" worn suspended from a belt. A functional companion to the estate pipe collector's arsenal, designed to echo pre-Victorian craftsmanship. HISTORICAL CONTEXT The girdle pouch represents one of mankind's earliest forms of personal carry. From the 14th through 17th centuries, these accessories hung from belts to secure currency, writing instruments, and personal seals. By the 16th-17th centuries, evolution brought the "swete bagge"-designed to carry valuable commodities including tobacco. This pouch directly descends from that functional lineage. Medieval almoner bags and modern pipe tobacco pouches share identical purposes: discrete, proximity-secured storage. The absence of locks or hardware is historically accurate; security relied on personal vigilance rather than mechanism. GRADING & MARKS - Closure: Single jeans-style button, subtle industrial-age detail - Leather Grade: Full-grain, vegetable-tanned, lightly textured finish - Stitching: Hand-reinforced at stress points, visible thread work - Patina Development: Leather will age naturally, darkening with use and exposure - Origin: Handcrafted reproduction, modern maker to be confirmed SHAPE ANALYSIS The form is a pure, unadorned rectangular pouch without lid, flap, or closure hardware save the button. The profile echoes the medieval almoner or alms bag, scaled to discrete proportions. Design emphasizes flat wear against the body or desk display, rejecting elaborate hardware in favor of essential geometry. BRIAR & FINISH This is vegetable-tanned black leather with intentional rough texturing to suggest age and wear. The full-grain surface will develop natural patina over time, darkening and acquiring creases that document the owner's handling. Finish is matte; the leather invites tactile engagement and will burnish gradually with use. CONDITION REPORT This piece is newly handcrafted and unused. Leather is supple and unmarked. Stitching is tight and even throughout. Button closure functions smoothly. No repairs, fills, or prior damage. Overall: mint condition. DIMENSIONS - Height: 5 inches - Width: 3.75 inches - Thickness: 1/8 inch at stitch points - Weight: To be confirmed - Capacity: Compact, suitable for tobacco, writing instruments, or personal items This handcrafted girdle pouch ships from the Faridunhill archive with worldwide delivery available. Each piece receives professional conditioning and is ready for immediate collection use or historical display. Vegetable-tanned leather will continue to develop character throughout its service life. SKU: SKU-048