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Details
LOT 0341
Langobardic Gold Bishop's Ring Bezel with Large Amethyst
7TH-8TH CENTURY A.D.
1 3/8 in. (11.38 grams, 34.70 mm overall, 17.74 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M 1/2, USA 6 1/4, Europe 13.09, Japan 12)).
Square-section inverted pyramid bezel with ornamented faces, set with a polished amethyst pebble; restored hoop, flanked by outward-facing birds with hooked beaks and large ring-and-dot eyes; keeled decorative hoop with three integral collars at the base.
Provenance
Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s.
Private collection, UK.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12983-245992.
Literature
See a closely related ring in the Griffin Collection, currently on loan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object no. L.2015.72.36; see also a gold ring with similar bird motifs in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, accession no. 615-1871; see Musée d’Archéologie nationale, Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, inventory no.MAN87191, for a ring featuring a tall, square bezel set with a chrysoprase and having a similar shank, excavated from a 7th-century burial beneath the Basilica of Saint-Denis.
Footnotes
The Langobards (or Lombards) were a Germanic people who invaded and ruled much of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774 AD. Their kingdom, known for its fusion of Germanic and Byzantine artistic traditions, persisted until the Carolingian conquest under Charlemagne.
A Bishop’s ring is a large, often ornate ring worn by bishops as a symbol of their office and spiritual authority. Traditionally, it signifies the bishop’s commitment to the Church and is considered a mark of his episcopal dignity.
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LOT 0341
Langobardic Gold Bishop's Ring Bezel with Large Amethyst
Sold for (Inc. bp): £15,600
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Langobardic Gold Bishop's Ring Bezel with Large Amethyst
7th-8th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £15,600
Square-section inverted pyramid bezel with ornamented faces, set with a polished amethyst pebble; restored hoop, flanked by outward-facing birds with hooked beaks and large ring-and-dot eyes; keeled decorative hoop with three integral collars at the base. 11.38 grams, 34.70 mm overall, 17.74 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M 1/2, USA 6 1/4, Europe 13.09, Japan 12)
Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12983-245992.
The Langobards (or Lombards) were a Germanic people who invaded and ruled much of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774 AD. Their kingdom, known for its fusion of Germanic and Byzantine artistic traditions, persisted until the Carolingian conquest under Charlemagne. A Bishop’s ring is a large, often ornate ring worn by bishops as a symbol of their office and spiritual authority. Traditionally, it signifies the bishop’s commitment to the Church and is considered a mark of his episcopal dignity. -
Dark Age Silver Boar Bow Brooch
5th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,560
Comprising a circular headplate with pointillé tendril ornament, and three radiating lugs, each with a flared collar below; deep D-section bow with boar-head modelling including open mouth and tusks, bristles and pricked ears; parallel-sided chamfered edges, recurved finial with dog-head detailing and teardrop dangle in the mouth; spring and pin to the reverse. 28 grams, 65 mm
with Artemis Gallery, Münich, before 1998. Acquired by the present owner from the above in 2001. 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.12226-222179.
As the boar's mouth is modelled open, it is likely that it also had a dangle similar to that of the dog's head. The artistic effect of the brooch is to symbolise the chase, with the boar fleeing and the hound in close pursuit behind. This kind of fibula was used by the Romano-British people of Britannia, as attested by specimens found in Britain (BM inventory no.PRB 1954.12-6.1). -
Migration Period Bronze Fragment Group
6th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £39
Including the lobed headplate and bow from a brooch, pelta-shaped pendant, phallic belt stiffener and other items. 38.83 grams total, 30-43 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
