Antique silver and wooden mazer bowls

A mazer bowl is a type of drinking vessel that was popular in England during the medieval and Renaissance periods. They were usually made of wood, often carved from a single piece of maple, and was decorated with ornate designs and some were inlaid with precious metals such as silver or gold. The bowls were often used for communal drinking, particularly for serving ale or mead, and were passed around among guests at feasts and gatherings. They were sometimes inscribed with a motto or the name of the owner, and were considered a symbol of hospitality and generosity. Mazer bowls are rare and examples can be found in museums, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where there is a collection of mazer bowls dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.