A match for the containers? 16th-17th century ivory vases

[R. Sale]

The 'munificence' of the container conveys not only the value of its contents, but the portrayed 'authority' of the giver.

Melchizedek gave Abraham food and water.

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If it's going to be dealing with VMs herbs and spices, that needs to kick it up a notch. They are *hypothetical* vessels. They are illustrations that need no reality. Out of so many other illustrations with bogus interpretations, why is this one is supposed to be valid?

[JoJo_Jost]

I also wonder how these containers fits in there—whether they are completely different ones, or whether it has something to do with the other containers....

But it might be a clue that they were used the other way around. In that case, however, they would have nothing to do with any of the vessels shown here in this thread... that's VMS at its best...

You just don't know, you just don't know.

   

[gerrydelasel]

They are *hypothetical* vessels. They are illustrations that need no reality. Out of so many other illustrations with bogus interpretations, why is this one is supposed to be valid?

Exactly, we know the artist was highly imaginative and did not merely draw things that were sat in front of him, nor did he draw real things with good accuracy.
I maintain that they do not represent merely containers but tools for processing, whether heating, distilling, percolation, or something else. The one on You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view., in particular, appears to be trying to show a kind of double-walled vessel.
   

The presence of 'feet' is particularly suggestive of a heated device, although rippled feet are also a known feature of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view..
           

[Bluetoes101]

Somewhere, out there, there must be a perfect match for one of the VMS containers. Either that, or I'm on course for a monumental waste of time

My own research lead me to believe they exist in manuscript drawings and maybe partly in the drawers imagination. 
I believe they were most likely drawn as metal that mimicked pottery designs, or maybe some were pottery - either way pottery played a part for sure. Some decorative aspects were uniquely pottery, such as "thumbed" bases. 

I think glass is a complete red herring, and the "Egyptian bottles" were tourist trinkets for "the perfume used by Cleopatra" and such where any historical comparison from Egypt do not exist. 

From what I found, finding physical objects is maybe a "monumental waste of time". Even if they did exist, they were melted down, converted, or lost to time. The best examples of stuff like this, I think, is Jewish "Spice boxes" or a number of other terms, however they were not exactly common to start with, not many survived time (various reasons), and some photos exist but a lot were unfortunately subsequently lost after WWII.  

My opinion is that the best comparisons can be found in manuscripts, a lot of them have to do with herbs and spices, and the lowest hanging fruit is the "Three Wise Men" scenes. All that being said, I never found anything I'd be confident in saying "they were this!", so maybe they were in part imaginary, or hopefully the real answer is just yet to be found, whatever date it resides in.

[JustAnotherTheory]

I agree, however note that spice jars and herb containers were NOT depicted at all in such a manner in the early 15th century. Even the later Nuremberg prints of herbals and their uses contained depictions of very crudely drawn herb containers. None of them had the prominent feature of being multi-layered like in the VMS.

The only multi-layered, tripod (or multi-pod) objects that ressemble those of the VMS are decorative vessels in rich cabinets of curiosities, not unlike the ivory vases I showed in this thread.

I find it very unlikely that the 7-layer decorated vessel on one of the VMS folios for example, with a beautiful ornamental tripod base and a typical decorative ivory cap is merely a spice box.

[JoJo_Jost]

I agree, however note that spice jars and herb containers were NOT depicted at all in such a manner in the early 15th century. Even the later Nuremberg prints of herbals and their uses contained depictions of very crudely drawn herb containers. None of them had the prominent feature of being multi-layered like in the VMS.

The only multi-layered, tripod (or multi-pod) objects that ressemble those of the VMS are decorative vessels in rich cabinets of curiosities, not unlike the ivory vases I showed in this thread.

I find it very unlikely that the 7-layer decorated vessel on one of the VMS folios for example, with a beautiful ornamental tripod base and a typical decorative ivory cap is merely a spice box.

One last time: But they were... since I've already provided the evidence, I'm out of this discussion—it's seems to be useless ; )

People cling to their beliefs.

[DG97EEB]

They absolutely were depicted...as in the Anagni frescos