Sixteenth-century book satchel

Described as follows at Christie's:

Probably North Italian, early 16th century.

130 x 100 x 50 mm. Black leather, hardened and cut, the case and lid decorated with a design of oak-leaf wreaths containing a gothic Y, the foliage and initials in relief against a punch-dotted ground, the sides with four raised lion heads forming slots for carrying (the strap is modern)...

Late-medieval cut-leather decoration on bindings and boxes without content or provenance is notoriously hard to localize and date. Many surviving examples are Germanic and Central European, while Italian or French work such as this satchel are rather rarer.

They call it "late-medieval."  Others would probably say this is early Renaissance item.   In either case it just fascinates me to ponder who might have used it and what might have been carried in it.  This item sold for $10,800. 

Via Uncertain Times.