Rare bottle with Nicholas of Bari Italy, probably Venice, 17th century. Grayish glass with high-cut bottom and tear-off. Vertically applied turquoise and colorless threads on the edges of the six-sided wall, each ending in a depressed hollow foot. In the fields polychrome cold enamel painting depicting the saint between figural representations, on the back additionally a sailing ship and a fountain. On conical widened neck circumferential thread support. H. 19 cm The bottle is a particularly well-preserved example of the so-called manna bottles of St. Nicholas of Bari. Robert Schmidt mentions the miraculous liquid ''Manna'' that flowed from the tomb of the saint in the Cathedral of Bari, where his bones were transferred in 1087. Formerly collection Helfried Krug, no. 82. Lit.: Anna-Elisabeth Theuerkauff-Liederwald, Venezianisches Glas der Veste Coburg, p. 473ff, with reference also to Nicholas as patron saint of sailors and glassblowers.