Fish bladder - Germany - Around 18th Century - Real fish bladder.

We at the Rattopennugo understand that this collector's item might disgust the most sensitive eyes, but these macabre wonders rightfully belong to the world of ancient collectible curiosities. So it is better to leave prejudice aside and approach this type of antiquity with a curious attitude.

In fact, this real fish bladder (don't ask us which type of fish, certainly a rather large one!) comes from the beloved Wunderkammer which, with great satisfaction, Rattopennugo is slowly emptying.

If you do not know what a Wunderkammer (or Cabinet of Curiosities) is, in short, we can define it as a collection of objects from all over the world that had no other purpose than to amaze bystanders with curiosity and sometimes even shock them with macabre objects (fetuses in formaldehyde, for example, they became all the rage in Paris in the 1600s).

Consider that the European nobles in the courts were bored, that it was important to demonstrate their cultural superiority, and that the once unknown world was vast, still mostly unexplored and loaded with amazing wonders.

Germany, around 18th Century, perfect condition.