Preloved vintage Italian leather-wrapped vinegar (aceto) cruet bottle
 
 
This is a vintage Italian leather-wrapped vinegar (aceto) cruet bottle, likely produced in the 1960s or 1970s during the height of the mid-century Italian decorative leatherware export boom. 
 
Key Characteristics:
 
The Style & Purpose: This is a specialty condiment bottle designed for balsamic or wine vinegar, indicated clearly by the red leather neck label stamped with "ACETO" (the Italian word for vinegar). It features a built-in green glass pouring spout and an oversized, sphere-shaped leather topper acting as the cork stopper. 
 
The Design Motif: The body is wrapped in textured, hand-applied leather printed with an Old World map cartography pattern, a highly popular design motif for mid-century Italian giftware and barware. 
 
Origin: These were typically artisan-crafted or factory-produced in regions like Florence, Italy. They were frequently sold as luxury decorative souvenirs for travellers or pre-filled with Italian wine/vinegar for import specialty shops. 
 
 
This bottle has a base diameter of 6cm, a maximum diameter of 8.4cm approx. , and a height of 23.5cm. The top has a cap. it has a diameter of 4.7cm approx.
 
It is in good vintage condition. The leather has some markings and knicks. See photos. The pattern is discoloured and marked. There is a cork broken off in the spout.