LOT 0412

Medieval Decorated 'He who loves from the heart, gives with a good heart' Posy Boxwood Comb

CIRCA 1490-1510 A.D.

5 7/8 in. (58 grams, 15 cm).

Central panel decorated with a heart pierced by two arrows and inscription: 'qui de bon [COER] eyme', and verso openwork carving of blind interlaces and inscription: 'de bon [COER] donne', translating to 'He who loves from the heart, gives with a good heart'; probably given as a love token. [No Reserve]

Private collection, USA.
Private collection, Suffolk.

Accompanied by a copy of an illustrated catalogue document.

Exhibited at Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, 3rd February-9th March 2024; accompanied by a copy of a photograph of the artefact on display.

Cf. PAS ref. SWYOR-11207 for a gold ring inscribed 'de bon ♥'; Christie's. 19 November 2009, no.85, for a French 15th century boxwood comb inscribed 'de bon ♥ le done' (I give it from a good heart); see the British Museum, accession no.B,10.1-23, for an example of a heart rebus.

Medieval specialist Dr Malcolm Jones writes: 'The same formula and use of the rebus heart-device can be found engraved on contemporary jewellery, e.g. on a 14th/15thC English gold ring recently on the French antique jewellery market which is inscribed in Black Letter script, ie. uous eme bien [I love you very much - de bon ♥ - from a good heart]. The familiar heart-symbol ♥ -- which nowadays we ‘read’ as love [I ♥ New York] -- makes its first appearance as a rebus in this late medieval era, engraved on rings, where it is to be read as the noun, coer/cuer, etc. One of its earliest appearances is on a bronze ring of 13th or 14thC date in the British Museum inscribed in Lombardic capitals: A VILA MON ♥ [Here is my heart GARDI LI MO[Y] keep it for me].