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LOT 1808
Anglo-Saxon Lead Beast Facing Back Brooch
CIRCA 6TH CENTURY A.D.
1 in. (10.3 grams, 27 mm).
Discoid brooch with bilinear frame and a low-relief motif of a beast facing back; catchplate and remains of pin lugs and base of loop for a swag of beads to the reverse. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFound near North Kelsey, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK.
Acquired on the UK art market.
Property of a Lancashire, UK, collector.
Cf. Heynowski, R., Bestimmungsbuch Archaeologie: Fibeln, Munich, 2012, no.3.26 for type; MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E., A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, item 4.67 for lead-alloy brooches.
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Large Anglo-Saxon Cruciform Brooch Section
Circa 6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £195
Comprising the rectangular headplate from a cruciform brooch (Group IV(dii)) with raised central panel bearing horseshoe stamps on the lateral edges, trapezoidal wings and three integrally-cast waisted lugs each with a D-shaped panel to the outer edge; deep bow of curved section with central square-section knop and spandrels at each end; portion of footplate with lateral lappets each formed as a Style I profile bird-head; portion of catch to reverse and ferrous mass marking the remains of the iron pin. 54.3 grams, 81 mm
From the private collection of the late collection of Mr M., Waterlooville, Hampshire, UK, formed from the late 1980s to early 1990s. -
Large Anglo-Saxon Bronze Florid Cruciform Brooch
Late 5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
With highly decorative openwork border of Style I ornament to the headplate formed as a rectangular median plate with lateral wings, enhanced with punched-pellet detail to the sides and top edge of each; raised central square panel with incised rosette; to the middle of each edge a Style I human mask in plan, formed as a T-shaped brow-and-nasal with two pellet eyes, with pairs of Style I profile bird-heads with curved beaks; the bow deep with facetting at each end; the footplate rectangular with Style I lappets; transverse collar above a finial Style I human mask with complex beard below; pin-lugs and scar for catchplate to reverse. 52 grams, 12.3 cm
Found Seaham, Co Durham, UK. Property of a Durham private collector.
The florid cruciform brooch presents a headplate as a rectangle above the bow, with wings visible to either side. The top and side-knobs show stylised human faces with prominent eyes. The decoration is in style 1. The finial also has the prominent eyes found on the headplate surrounds, with the nose formed by an extension of the footplate and curly moustaches forming at the same time as the part of the flanking animals. -
Anglo-Saxon Bronze Florid Brooch Terminal with Moustached Face
Circa 500-550 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Finial from the headplate of a cruciform brooch with plano-convex mask in conical brimmed hat, crescent below with bird-head terminals; remains of attachment loops to reverse. 2.3 grams, 21 mm
Found near Gunthorpe, North Norfolk, UK, on Friday 22nd October 2021. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.NMS-43286D.
