Leather Tankard Jack

A jack (blackjack or bombard) is a drinking vessel made from leather and coated with wax, resin or pitch to waterproof the jack and prevent beer and ale from soaking into the leather.

Leather is worked while wet to shape it more easily and once it becomes dry is known as jack leather. During the medieval period, leather vessels therefore became known as jacks.

Leather drinking vessels and water carriers become popular in England during the medieval and Tudor period with extant leather jacks found in the wreck of the Mary Rose.

Jacks had advantages for travellers, soldiers and tavern keepers over pottery and glass. They were robust and made from easily available materials and could be repaired easily. For the soldier on campaign they were light in weight and could be packed and carried easily without the risk of cracking.

London alehouses tended to attract idle, lewd, young and potentially dangerous customers. For proprietors of London's alehouses, taverns and inns the jack could be dropped or thrown by patrons without breaking and if used in a bar fight was less likely to injure other patrons.

Made from sturdy cowhide and impregnated with beeswax, this tankard is sealed and perfect for cold drinks, beer and ale.

To ensure that the bees wax is not melted please ensure that only cold drinks are consumed. Acidic drinking such as soft drinks and spirts should also be avoided.

We do not recommend this item to customers with allergies to chrome tan leather or beeswax products.  

It is important to ensure that the tankard is cleaned and allowed to fully dry after use. High temperatures should also be avoided as this can melt the bees wax and damage the leather.

A nice talking piece for historical reenactors and for LARPers the tankard will meet the safety standards for events were glass and pottery is not allowed.

The leather tankard measures 16.5 in height and 19cm in width including the handle. The tankard holds approximately 425mls of liquid.