Georgian Bronze Spoon with Maker's Mark

With incuse motif to the underside, a heart pierced by two arrows. 10 grams, 44.7 mm



Found Gloucestershire, UK. Acquired from the early 1980s. From the private collection of a late Gloucestershire, UK, gentleman; thence by descent.

Oil and tempera, depicting the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus on a plain gold field; Mary wearing a red maphorion mantle over a blue robe, with golden brocade to the hem, in the style of Hodegetria (She who shows the way); the Virgin pointing at Jesus with her right hand, while looking towards the spectator; the infant facing left, resting on Mary's left arm, dressed in white tunic, wrapped in a red-orange shawl, right hand blessing the mother, left hand extended holding a scroll of the Holy Scriptures, while crossing his legs to reveal the naked sole of one of his feet; very effaced Greek inscriptions in red lettering 'ΜΡ ΘΥ (Μήτηρ (τοῦ) Θεοῦ = Mother of God)' flanking Mary's head; inscription in Greek 'ΙϹ ΧϹ' (ΙΗϹΟΥϹ ΧΡΙϹΤΟϹ = Jesus Christ) above the infant; rectangular wooden board with mounting bars to reverse and old collector's label 'Vierge Hodigitria, type Tikhvin, Icone russe du 16eme siècle, achetée á Constantinople…chez Monsieur Captain…peinture transmise sur nouvelle planche [Virgin Hodigitria, Tikhvin type, Russian icon from the 16th century, purchased in Constantinople...from Monsieur Captain...painting moved on a new board]'; border with pointillé lozenges and other detailing. 4.7 kg, 70.3 x 52.5 cm



Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no. 19929-246334.

According to the legend, this particular icon of the Mother of God appeared in Rus' in 1383 near Veliky Novgorod over Lake Ladoga, and travelled through the air to the Tikhvin River, stopping at several points along the way and performing miracles. On Tikhvin, where the icon came to rest, a stone Dormition Cathedral was built by order of Grand Prince of Moscow Vasil III in 1515, and in 1560, Ivan the Terrible founded the Tikhvin Dormition Monastery near this cathedral. In 1613, the Dormition Monastery withstood the Swedish invasion, and in 1617, the Treaty of Stolbovo was concluded with Sweden. These events were associated with the miraculous intercession of the icon. Until 1936, the icon was kept in the Dormition Cathedral. In 1936, services in the cathedral were discontinued, and the icon was housed in various churches in Tikhvin. In November 1941, Tikhvin was occupied by German troops. The icon was taken abroad and remained in Chicago since the 1950s. In 2004, the icon was again ceremoniously transferred to the Dormition Cathedral of the Tikhvin Monastery.

With carinated profile, running tendrils to outer face; inner face with legend in seriffed capitals 'x PAR x MELIO x SPERO' (I hope for the best). 2.42 grams, 19.66 mm overall, 17.76 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)



Found whilst searching with a metal detector in Suffolk, UK, on 1st March 2020. Declared as Treasure and disclaimed by the crown with Treasure reference no.2020 T424; and recorded by the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) with report no.SF-0DE329. Accompanied by a copy of the report on find of Potential Treasure for HM Coroner.