French, circa 1680

The present bottle is engraved with the arms of the Murat de Lestang family. Originally from Auvergne, and divided into numerous branches, the Murats are among the oldest and most illustrious families from this region. The bottle was most likely made for Pierre de Murat, Marquis de Lestang, who was born in 1634 and died in September 1693. He was the son of Antoine de Murat (1608-1657), who was the first Marquis de Lestang, by title from 1643 and First Baron du Lyonnais. In 1673 Pierre de Murat married Anne de Messey, who died in 1699. They had no children. The arms of the Messey family, which originates in Burgundy and participated in the Crusades in 1240, also appear (quartered) on the present bottle.

For the general form of the pilgrim bottle, compare a silver-gilt pair bearing the arms and coronet of Evelyn Pierrepont (1665–1726), fifth Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no. 68.141.225-6).