Medieval Bronze Round Seal Matrix with I am a Seal of Love

Formed with a slightly curved profile and with suspension loops; buff-coloured. 298 grams, 26.5 cm



Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection.

Apart from badges as souvenirs of visits to various saints’ shrines, pilgrims might also bear away with them various noise-making items such as horns, whistles, rattles and bells. The miniature horn-shaped lead whistles known from London and Salisbury bear various inscriptions including bla me [blow me] and ave maria. In the contemporary ‘morality’ play Mankind (c.1465-70) of East Anglian provenance, the character Nought says I kan pype in a Walsyngham wystyll, which suggests that such souvenir whistles were available from the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham too, and that already such ‘tourist’ trinkets were regarded as a proverbial type of worthlessness, ‘not worth a whistle’, indeed.

Lozengiform biconvex garnet in a gold setting with beaded wire rim to each face, tubular bale above. 0.57 grams, 11.45 mm



From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.

With carved detailing and remains of gesso and paint, hollow to the reverse; slender male merchant in floor-length robe gathered at the waist with a narrow girdle, turned collar and three domed buttons, draped mantle to the left shoulder; bonnet with turned brim and two securing tapes with tassels draped to the shoulders; left hand raised supporting a casket or base for a figure (absent); mounted on an octagonal wooden base. 2.7 kg, 64.5 cm high



Acquired UK art market, 1980s-1990s. Property of a Suffolk, UK, gentleman collector.