Large Mid‑18th‑Century Norwegian Antique Pegged Birchwood Tankard with Lion‑Form Thumb Grip

A superb mid‑18th‑century Norwegian pegged birchwood tankard, carved from solid timber and raised on three shaped feet. The cylindrical body is constructed in traditional Scandinavian pegged treen, with the staves secured by wooden pegs rather than metal fastenings — a hallmark of early Nordic craftsmanship.

The hinged domed lid is carved to the centre with a fanned-foliate design and concentric rings and fitted with a beautifully sculpted lion‑form thumb grip, a feature found on higher‑status tankards intended for ceremonial or festive use. The handle is boldly carved with scrolling detail, terminating in a stylised animal head, giving the piece a strong folk‑art presence.

The interior is clean, the hinge sound, and the whole tankard has developed a warm, tactile patina from centuries of handling. A classic example of Norwegian treen, rich in character and cultural identity.

Peg tankards receive their name from the pegs that are fixed to the interior of the body at regular intervals. This tankard has regular pegs, and such a tankard would have been filled with ale, cider or wine and then passed from person-to-person during a feast. Each guest would consume enough liquid until the next "peg" appeared.  

Edward H. Pinto comments that ‘wooden tankards were the commonest drinking vessels of North-west Europe over many centuries’. He describes the way in which they were manufactured: ‘They were made in three parts-the turned tankard or cup, the handle pegged on, which includes half the wood hinge, and the lid, which incorporates the ornamental thumb lift and the other half of the hinge’ ‘Treen and Other Wooden Bygones’ (Bell & Hyman Ltd., London, 1979), pp.57-58. He illustrates a number of such drinking vessels in plate 45. 

Provenance: 18thC, Norway. From a private Scandinavian collection.
Comparable examples appear in Nordic folk‑art collections and museum holdings. 

Material: Birchwood.

Condition: Wear consistent with age. Minor shrinkage lines, small losses and surface marks typical of 18th‑century treen. Hinge functioning. Stable and ready to display.

Size: Height: 24 cm (9.5 in) x Length (handle to front): approx. 25.5 cm (10 in)

A wonderfully sculptural example of Norwegian treen — richly carved, beautifully pegged, and crowned with its proud lion thumb grip, it embodies the spirit and craftsmanship of 18th‑century Nordic folk art.