Medieval Floral Limestone Capital

Displaying three lions passant guardant on a heater-shaped shield; occluded suspension loop. 4.5 grams, 31 mm



Found UK. Acquired on the UK art market after 2000. Ex Stratford collection, Suffolk, UK.

Rectangular block with high-relief carving to the upper face, comprising two fishes placed side-by-side, one with heavy scale detailing, the other with a bifurcated tail; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 24 kg total, 51 cm wide including stand



Discovered in part of a stone garden wall during demolition. Ex Stamford deceased estate, Lincolnshire, UK. Property of a Cambridgeshire, UK, gentleman.

The carving style bears similarities to the low-relief carvings on Pictish picture stones, although a close match for the subject matter is absent. A stone recorded at Dunnicaer, Scotland, is carved with a fish symbol but its execution is very sparse and linear in comparison with the heavy detailing of the present piece. See Noble, G., The Problem with the Picts, in Current Archaeology, issue 134, June 2020.

With a wide flat-section hoop and square bezel, chevron motifs to the shoulders, bezel with a stylised hourglass or X-motif flanked by two pairs of hatched triangles. 8.47 grams, 20.83 mm overall, 19.14 mm internal diameter (approximate size British S, USA 9, Europe 20, Japan 19)



UK private collection before 2000. On the UK art market. Property of a London gentleman.