Medieval Toy Cauldrons. Circa 15th-16th century AD. Copper-alloy, 31.24mm 26.35 mm. These multiples are quite rare and toy cauldrons with three legs are more often seen as a single component. This rare example has been cast so that three cauldrons are positioned together each with a single handle lug on the outside. Each individual cauldron also has one single leg on the outside. The reason for creating a triplicate example is unclear; vessels known as ‘fuddling’ vessels have been recorded as full size ceramics and were produced from the 17th century in the ‘country pottery’ tradition as novelty or joke pieces – created to befuddle. These ‘fuddling cups’ were vessels with three or more small cups with interlinked handles and joined together through a small hole in the walls. The idea was to drink from one without spilling the contents of the others. It seems that this miniature is some sort of novelty piece, maybe a rural joke. Similar form to, Ref: Forsyth and Egan. Toys, Trifles & Trinkets, type 2.
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