Medieval Buckle Plate with Facing Lion

An icon from a possible triptych of Veneto-Cretan School depicting nimbate Saint Francis of Assisi, wearing the brown habit of the Franciscan order, fitted with a hood, facing towards the right, a red book in his left hand with the inscription Vera S. Francisci effigies(true portrait of Saint Francis); mounted in a perspex display frame. 152 grams, 20 cm high



Property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.

With the conquest of Crete by the Venetians, Latin saints were introduced to Byzantine iconography. Saint Francis was one of the most beloved Latin saints among the Cretan faithful, depicted in the iconography of Cretan Orthodox churches, including the Panaghia Kera of Kritsa (13th-14th century A.D.). This figure was probably part of a triptych, having at the centre the image of the Mother of God with the Child, or a Desis. The placement of Francis in this icon would suggests the owner’s strong affiliation with the Franciscan order, which had a strong presence on Crete from the 13th century onwards. It was believed that Saint Francis himself stopped on the island on his way to the Holy Land in 1219.

A single leaf from an early (possibly 1492 A.D.) printed paper bible, book of Exodus (29:1) concerning consecration of priests; the text set in two columns of blackletter type with numerous rubrications (embellishments in red), foliation and other marks; square versals; printed by Johann Gruninger, Strasbourg with commentary by Nicholas de Lyra. 7 grams, 33 x 24.5 cm



Acquired 1990s. M. Cummings collection, Lincolnshire, UK.

A pewter tripod candlestick with a discoid body decorated with concentric roundels of ring-and-dot and hatched motifs, central 'cup' and three legs with trefoil feet; one leg restored. 15.3 grams, 56 mm wide



Found on the Thames foreshore, London, UK. Acquired on the UK antiques market between 1974-1985. Albert Ward collection, Essex, UK.