Byzantine Style Gold Ring with Inlaid Niello Cross

Rectangular vellum leaf with hand-coloured composite scene: top left, Mary in blue mantle holding infant Jesus on her knee, addressing a standing robed figure, red Coptic text above 'How the man with a club foot prayed to Our Lady Mary that she might heal him when he saw the bishop's chastisement'; below left, six standing male figures in colourful robes looking left and a seventh turned to the right with an oversized shoe, red Coptic text above the group 'these are the congregation and this is how he hid his foot with his clothing' and the rightmost figure 'this also is the man with the club foot'; right, seated cleric wearing a mitre beneath a canopy, addressing a group of five followers and pointing to a standing man raising his robe to show his leg, red Coptic text in three panels 'Here is the bishop who asked the Frank that his foot might be healed', 'These are the congregation' and 'How he was healed and how the stone fell from his foot'; mounted in a glazed wooden frame with reveal. 1.88 kg total, 47.2 x 44 cm



Collection of David Buxton (1913-2003), author of 'Travels in Ethiopia', 1949.

The image refers to the 'Miracle of the Lame Man' in which a man, who had been born lame, prayed before the shrine of the Virgin Mary and was healed. Here, the lame man shows the Archbishop his leg, and explains how he had been healed.

Comprising a slender hoop with acanthus-leaf detailing to the shoulders, discoid box bezel with engraved design to the upper face of IHS Christogram between scrolled tendrils and points. 3.15 grams, 21.73 mm overall, 19.88 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R, USA 8 1/2, Europe 18 3/4, Japan 18)



From an old UK collection. Acquired from Derek Content, UK, in the early 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12142-214824.

Comprising a trilobed plaque with three applied domes, granulation, sturdy hook to the reverse; Read's Class D Type 6; a high quality example in exceptional condition. 3.98 grams, 25 mm



Found whilst searching with a metal detector in Ryedale, North Yorkshire, UK, in 2022, by Matthew Lee-Smith. Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure with case tracking no.2023T221. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.YORYM-708E7A. Accompanied by a copy of the letter from the British Museum disclaiming the Crown's interest in the find.