Loading, please wait...
LOT 1940
Medieval Bronze Ring with Cross
15TH-16TH CENTURY A.D.
1 in. (10.54 grams, 27.45 mm overall, 18.89 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R 1/2, USA 8 3/4, Europe 19.38, Japan 18)).
Comprising a thick hoop with stud to the underside, stepped shoulders, tiered bezel with reserved cross on a hatched field. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Medieval Gilt and Niello Hat Badge with Marriage of the Virgin
Italy, circa 1500 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,430
Niello plaque depicting the marriage ceremony between Mary and Joseph, set in a gilt brass mount with a rope twist border, four loops for attachment. 10.8 grams, 46 mm
Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the Belgian art market.
Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver and lead. It is used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. It is added as a powder or paste, then fired until it melts or at least softens and flows or is pushed into the engraved lines in the metal. Men began wearing hat ornaments on their caps from the late fifteenth century, which could be either purely decorative or symbolic. Symbolic examples are traditionally known as enseignes, as they conveyed the wearer’s personal intent or a visible message. These jewels trace their origins to the medieval pilgrim badge, usually mass-produced in base metal. It is believed that this fashion shift to a stylish male accessory began when French king Charles VIII entered Naples in February 1495, wearing a gold circular jewel on his cap, while his men had similar, though not gold, jewels on their caps or sleeves. Italians quickly adopted this trend, which then spread to most European courts. However, this fashion declined in the late sixteenth to early seventeenth century, giving way to the popularity of aigrettes. -
Medieval Bronze Clasped Hands Wedding Ring
15th-16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
D-section hoop with bezel formed as two clasped hands in 'mane in fede' motif. 2.38 grams, 19.49 mm overall, 16.13 mm internal diameter (approximate size British K, USA 5 1/4, Europe 9.95, Japan 9)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Celtic to Medieval Bronze Ring Collection
1st century B.C.-16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Comprising six rings with decorative bezels, one with a recessed cell to the centre. 30.32 grams total, 19-25 mm
Acquired on the UK and EU art market before 2000. From the private collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
The finger rings worn by merchants and tradesmen were made of different metals. The commonest were in brass or bronze. The merchants and tradesmen ordered various devices to be engraved on the bezels of their seal rings, and sometimes they gave the appearance of being heraldic blazons.
