Decorated Bronze Container

A mixed group of bronze trade and chemists' weights, many with a stamped value, verification marks (e.g. sword for City of London), heater shield and others. 438 grams total, 15-44 mm



Found Suffolk.

A painting on wood of the Virgin of Tenderness, copying an earlier work, depicting Mary dressed in blue robe ornamented with gold stars with an off-white veil delicately framing her face; gently supporting the Child dressed in red tunic; both figures nimbate and affectionately leaning towards each other with their cheeks touching; the scene enclosed in a gilt pseudo-Gothic crenelated frame, an inscription in new Gothic uncial style to the bottom reading 'AVE GRATIA PLENA' for 'hail full of grace'; mounted on a 19th century crenelated wooden pedestal fitted with candle holder to each side in the shape of a flower. 279 grams, 29.5 cm high



Property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.

The panel has many stylistic similarities with that of Icilio Federico Joni (1866-1946) assigned to the style of Sano di Pietro. Compared to that, the head of the Virgin has been realised in a more archaic Gothic style. With their faces gently pressed together, the interaction between the Virgin and the Child evokes a tender intimacy. This motif appears in numerous works by Sano di Pietro and his workshop (for example, in another painting in the Lehman Collection in MET, 975.1.39). The particular manner of concealing the Child’s right cheek behind the Virgin’s face was probably inspired by Madonna painted by the Sienese master Ambrogio Lorenzetti (Pinacoteca Nazionale, Siena).

An icon of Hodegetria with the Virgin wearing a red maphorion embroidered with gold, a dark veil and a dark chiton with double gold embroidery on the cuffs; holding the Child on her left arm and gesturing towards him with the right hand; the Child wearing a yellow brown, gold-woven chiton, holding a scroll in his left hand, while the right one is making the gesture of blessing; the angels Michael and Gabriel to the left and right of the Virgin; on each side of the head of the Virgin inscriptions 'ΜΡ' and 'ΘΥ' (Μήτηρ (τοῦ) Θεοῦ = Mother of God), inscription in Greek letters 'IC XC' (IHCOYC XPICTOC = Jesus Christ) above the child, three letters inside the nimbus of Christ representing the continuous divine self-existence of Christ as God ('O ѾN' = The Only One who always exists); the names of the angles inscribed next to each figure (Aghios Michail and Aghios Gavriil). 869 grams, 29.8 x 24 cm



Property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.

The painting is a copy of the famous replica of the Hodegetria of Constantinople, a Byzantine icon of 14th century, repainted by the icon painter Dionisi in 1482, and today preserved in State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. The original icon was destroyed by the Turks at the capture of Constantinople in 1453. The replica was venerated as an 'original' real Hodegetria in the Ascension Convent in Kremlin, Moscow. The icon led the liturgical processions on June 23, August 26, May 21 and October 22 in which the Patriarchs and the Russian Tsars took part.