This item is a Venetian Wet Drug jar, A very large one in ovoid form and maybe unique with the seamonster handles. This would have loosened up the glaze over time and then the owners before me wiped it as if it were glass thereby causing the loss and explaining why that area does not look too aged as opposed to the other more common areas of loss such as the foot or the lip where the exposed areas have aged nicely. | eBay!