The burr birch vessel with brass coopering band, the carved handle with a linear and chip carved pierced grip surmounted with a zoomorphic animal with piercing eyes, a mane and a long tail.

Črpáks, čerpoki, čerpaki or shepherd’s mugs have been made for centuries in the herding communities in Slovak villages. They were used as practical vessels for drinking sheep’s milk whey, milk, water, or as a measuring jug. The mugs have a deeper cultural and economic meaning as a symbol of Slovak sheep farms and shepherds and as a bartering item in exchange for livestock, household items and tools.

In 19th century Slovakia, such mugs were used mainly in the surroundings of Detva, Zvolen, Banská Bystrica, and the Upper Nitra region. The construction of this mug suggests it is of the Detva type and was made in central Slovakia where mugs were fashioned with the handle connected to the container by a 'tooth' at the top and by a ring at the bottom. The folk art motifs are generally only on the handle and usually feature geometric, zoomorphic, or anthropomorphic motifs related to sheep farming.

See also Vera Hasalova, 'Folk art of Czechoslovakia', 1974 p. 116 and fig. 105 and The Center for Traditional Folk Culture (CTĽK)'s entry about shepherd's mugs: https://www.ludovakultura.sk/en/list-ich/crpaks-shepherds-mugs/