Medieval Bronze Steelyard Weight with Heraldic Shields

Composed of a range of mainly glazed vessels, including tripod pots, a stoneware jars and a footed pouring bowl; most with chips and cracks. 3.25 kg total, 10-21 cm



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

Ceramics from Dundee, Scotland, confirm that the most common vessel type represented was the tripod pipkin, with globular body, rounded base, three legs and a single handle.

Carved naturalistically in the round as a mature male figure with short wavy hair, full beard and moustache, his brow furrowed and mouth held slightly ajar; repaired. 3.8 kg, 18 cm



Acquired in Europe before 1996. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11809-206816.

The head was carved as an image of a saint, Apostle or a prophet. The accomplished and sophisticated style of carving on this head can be compared to some of the most celebrated Romanesque buildings of Southern France. The carving of the head resembles the representations of heads and faces of 12th century French Romanesque art, for example those of Saint Trophime in Arles. This imposing head once served as an important architectural part of a lavishly decorated church, possibly in western France. Its form and the size suggest that the head was not only decorative but that it would have been structurally important – perhaps part of a row of statues of apostles and prophet like those depicted on the Saint Trophime façade.

Composed of a carinated hoop with raised plaque and angled shoulders, circular bezel with fluting to the underside, the outer face engraved with a cross at centre, a flourish to each quarter. 3.73 grams, 21.89 mm overall, 14.84 mm internal diameter (approximate size British H, USA 3 3/4, Europe 6.18, Japan 6)



Ex old English collection. London art market, 1980s.