Medieval Bronze Buckle Collection

Central panel decorated with a heart pierced by two arrows and inscription: 'qui de bon [COER] eyme', and verso openwork carving of blind interlaces and inscription: 'de bon [COER] donne', translating to 'He who loves from the heart, gives with a good heart'; probably given as a love token. 58 grams, 15 cm



Private collection, USA. Private collection, Suffolk. Accompanied by a copy of an illustrated catalogue document.

Medieval specialist Dr Malcolm Jones writes: 'The same formula and use of the rebus heart-device can be found engraved on contemporary jewellery, e.g. on a 14th/15thC English gold ring recently on the French antique jewellery market which is inscribed in Black Letter script, ie. uous eme bien [I love you very much - de bon ♥ - from a good heart]. The familiar heart-symbol ♥ -- which nowadays we ‘read’ as love [I ♥ New York] -- makes its first appearance as a rebus in this late medieval era, engraved on rings, where it is to be read as the noun, coer/cuer, etc. One of its earliest appearances is on a bronze ring of 13th or 14thC date in the British Museum inscribed in Lombardic capitals: A VILA MON ♥ [Here is my heart GARDI LI MO[Y] keep it for me].

Handwritten in five lines with two seals, reading: 'Know all me by this present writing that we John Gouter esquire and Elizabeth, who was late the wife of Richard Hungate, have made constituted and confirmed and put in our place our beloved in Christ John Rimpyngden as our true and lawful attorney in law to receive in our name of Thomas Tyrell. Thomas Covell, Arthur Ormesby esquire and William Godyng full and peaceful seisin in his possession of his manor of Knolle, with all its appurtenances, in the county of Somerset, to the true intent and meaning of a charter made to the said John Gouter and Elizabeth... it is ratified and consented that whatsoever our said attorney in our names shall do or have done in or about the premises shall be lawful. In witness whereof we have affixed our seal. Dated 3rd day of the month of January in the 17th year of the reign of king henry VI (1438/1439).' 19.20 grams, 33.5 cm



Acquired UK market. Property of a Kent collector. Accompanied by a full transcription and notes.

The same Arthur Ormesby, esquire, appears in a document of 06 October 1425 where Arthur and his wife Margaret, deforciants, have acknowledged the tenements to be the right of Andrew Sperlying, Thomas Chaucers, John Golafre and Eustace Valdrean, querents, and have remised and quitclaimed them from themselves and the heirs of Margaret to Thomas, John, Andrew and Eustace and the heirs of Andrew for ever.

An exceptional Romanesque buckle loop with two fantastical birds modelled in the round; the birds opposing and flanking a rhomboid heraldic plaque, each depicted with long tails curving along the edge of the loop, fine feather detailing and detailed talons. 20.3 grams, 37.9 mm



From an Essex, UK, collection, in the 1990s. Accompanied by a previous catalogue information slip.