Medieval and Later Buckle Collection

With lateral loops and low-profile cross to obverse, reverse with 'W' on a hatched field for Walsingham shrine. 33 grams, 51 mm



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

An annular brooch set with decorative oak leaves, tall collet at the top set with a garnet cabochon, dagger-shaped pin. 1.74 grams, 18 mm



Private collection, UK.

In medieval jewellery, garnets were highly prized for their deep red hue and believed mystical properties. Associated with protection, vitality, and divine love, garnets were thought to ward off illness, protect against injury, and illuminate the darkness—both literal and spiritual. Their rich colour made them a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, and they frequently appeared in religious and funerary jewellery. Garnets were also connected to concepts of faithfulness and truth, making them a popular choice in personal adornment and ecclesiastical pieces throughout the Middle Ages. Oak trees were widely regarded as symbols of strength, stability, and endurance, owing to their longevity and robust nature. In jewellery, oak leaves could represent resilience, fortitude, and the ability to withstand adversity—virtues admired in both secular and religious life. Within Christian art and ornamentation, the oak also carried spiritual significance, evoking the Tree of Life and the strength of faith. It was often interpreted as a symbol of God’s protection, particularly in devotional objects or pieces with sacred motifs.

The obverse depicting the busts of St Peter and St Paul each within a compartment defined by pellets; cross pattee supported on a staff between the busts; at the top of the bulla in the centre, legend 'SPASPE' (abbreviations for St Paul and St Peter); reverse inscribed in Lombardic script in three lines 'GRE/GORIVS./PP. X', with an omega above the letters 'PP' and curlicue after 'X'; both obverse and reverse faces with a pelletted perimeter. 34.4 grams, 37 mm



Found Norfolk, UK. Accompanied by an illustrated report from Andy Flowers KLMD dated November 2013.

Pope Gregory IX, born Ugolino di Conti, was the 178th Pope of the Catholic Church, reigning from 1227 to 1241. He is known for his strong defence of papal authority, his role in the Crusades, and his establishment of the Papal Inquisition.