Medieval Bishop's Gold Stirrup Ring

A group of two silver artefacts comprising: a possible finial formed as a bird seated on a domed base with suspension loop to reverse; a comma-shaped mount or fitting displaying an entwined motif and with four mounting claws to the underside. 12 grams total, 18-25 mm



Essex gallery, early 2000s.

A scale tanged knife with iron blade and single cutting edge, wooden scales, bronze pommel seemingly decorated with an incised veiled female figure to one face and a Mendicant beggar holding staff and pouch to the other. 37.4 grams, 21 cm long



Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

A silver-gilt fede ring composed of a flat-section hoop with expanded bottom section and quatrefoil bezel; the hoop engraved with alternating vertical and horizontal hatched panels with expanded central section crudely engraved with clasped hands; bezel engraved with a cross embellished with cross-hatching in each quarter of the field. 2.69 grams, 24.69 mm overall, 22.78 mm internal diameter (approximate size British X, USA 11 1/2, Europe 26.23, Japan 25)



Found near Brookland, Kent, UK, 2007. Property of a Kent gentleman. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no. KENT-299A33. Accompanied by a copy of two letters from the British Museum and report for HM Coroner for Treasure case T493. Accompanied by a valuation letter and another from Peter D Spencer. Accompanied by a provisional treasure valuation for the Treasure Valuation Committee.

The quatrefoil bezel is in the form of a truelove (paris quadrifolia) as the plant was called in Middle English. Two fifteenth-century wills include the bequest of rings in the shape of a truelove: in 1407 an anulum argenti operatum cum uno trewlove [silver ring fashioned with a truelove] and in 1464, unum anulum argenti et deauratum cum uno trew lofe [a silver and silver-gilt ring with a truelove] On seals the device is most often accompanied by the legend LEL AMI AVET [you have a true love] confirming its identification with faithful love, and on a matrix recently unearthed [PAS database SWYOR-B7EDA9] the characteristic four veined leaves are surrounded by the posy, IS SVI FLVRE/ DE FINN AMVVR [I am the flower of perfect love].