Medieval and Other Artefact Group

Wooden carved archway with high-relief image of St Veronica in floor-length robe standing on a domed base holding up the sudarium with the transferred image of the face of Christ with crown of thorns; raised edges and keyhole to the left edge with attachment holes for a lock mechanism, recess to the reverse. 810 grams, 32.5 cm high



Private collection, Bonn, Germany. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12057-217471.

The sudarium or 'veil of Veronica' (or Mandylion of Edessa) is alleged to bear the image of Christ's face. The story of the image's origin refers to the sixth Station of the Cross, where Saint Veronica met Jesus along the Via Dolorosa to Calvary and wiped the blood and sweat from his face with her veil. She later travelled to Rome to present the cloth to the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The veil has been said to have healing properties.

With a lozenge-section double-edged blade and short tang; lower-guard with vertical line decoration. 97 grams, 22.5 cm



UK private collection before 2000. On the UK art market. Property of a London gentleman.

Obverse with hatched cross and rings in the spandrels, reverse with crouching ape eating a fruit – as found on contemporary seal-matrices. 0.64 grams, 16 mm



Found Billingsgate spoil from the Thames foreshore, London, UK, circa 1984. Property of an Essex collector.