Late Gothic Flemish Leather and Iron-Bound Casket

A very fine and rare late Gothic leather and iron-bound box, rectangular in form with domed lid, the surfaces clad in tooled leather decorated with scrolling foliate and geometric designs. The whole is reinforced with iron strapwork terminating in tracery-shaped ends, the central lockplate cut and engraved with Gothic ornament. The interior retains its striking red finish, an unusual survival that accentuates the box’s status as both a secure container and a decorative object.
Such caskets were luxury items in the 15th century, used for storing valuables, documents, or devotional objects. The combination of tooled leather, robust ironwork, and vivid interior reflects the interplay of security and splendour prized in Flemish households. Surviving examples of this quality are extremely scarce, making this box a significant work of late medieval leather craftsmanship.