Details

LOT 1312

Medieval Bronze Inscribed Purse Frame

15TH-16TH CENTURY AD

8" (183 grams, 20.5 cm).

A purse frame, loop and bar with inscriptions; the bar with central D-shaped block pierced vertically by a stud surmounted by the suspension loop, with four pierced flanges to the underside; the frame in two sections, the larger a U-shaped rod with pivot for the bar, the smaller pivoting within the inner face, both pierced on the inner face; the block inscribed to one face with capital S and to the other with intersecting Vs; the bar inscribed to one face in capitals A DOMINI TECVM and to the other in coarsely incised capitals AVEMARIA GRAIAPLE; the smaller rod inscribed in capitals CREATOREN CELI ET TERRE ET INFERVN; the larger inscribed with a band of scrolled decoration and the text in Lombardic capitals SOLI DEO HONOR ET GLORIA.

Provenance

The 1847 letter describes the findspot as"found at Kirkleavington near Yarm in the sill of a brook" in the North Riding of Yorkshire; an accompanying label describes it as "found in constructing the Leeds and Thirsk Railway, near Kirkleavington, Co. York. Communicated by John Bourne, Esq. Engineer to the Company, Leeds".

Literature

Accompanied by a manuscript letter of September 17th 1847 from Mr. Histon Longstaffe discussing the text, with later amendments date 1854.

Footnotes

The accompanying letter discusses the texts (1) Ave Maria G[r]acia ple[n]a Dominus Tecum "Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord [is] with thee"; (2) Soli Deo Honor et Gloria "Honour and glory to God alone"; (3) Creatorem celi et terrae et inferum "creator of heaven and earth and the lower [place]". The intersecting Vs may form a monogram for A[ve] M[aria].

CONDITION