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LOT 0335
Medieval Gold Ring Brooch with Garnets
13TH-14TH CENTURY A.D.
3/4 in. (1.74 grams, 18 mm).
An annular brooch set with decorative oak leaves, tall collet at the top set with a garnet cabochon, dagger-shaped pin.
ProvenancePrivate collection, UK.
FootnotesIn medieval jewellery, garnets were highly prized for their deep red hue and believed mystical properties. Associated with protection, vitality, and divine love, garnets were thought to ward off illness, protect against injury, and illuminate the darkness—both literal and spiritual. Their rich colour made them a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, and they frequently appeared in religious and funerary jewellery. Garnets were also connected to
concepts of faithfulness and truth, making them a popular choice in personal adornment and ecclesiastical pieces throughout the Middle Ages.
Oak trees were widely regarded as symbols of strength, stability, and endurance, owing to their longevity and robust nature. In jewellery, oak leaves could represent resilience, fortitude, and the ability to withstand adversity—virtues admired in both secular and religious life. Within Christian art and ornamentation, the oak also carried spiritual significance, evoking the Tree of Life and the strength of faith. It was often interpreted as a symbol of God’s protection, particularly in devotional objects or pieces with sacred motifs.
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AUCTIONS:
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Bronze Age to Post Medieval Artefact Group
1st millennium B.C.-20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Including lead weight, harness swivel, buckles and other items. 414 grams total, 14-51 mm
Found Suffolk, UK. -
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Medieval Pilgrim's Lead Holy Water Ampulla
Circa 14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
With rectangular body, elliptical-section mouth, lateral loops; low-relief hatched panel, three heater shields with cross to each face. 46 grams, 48 mm
From a late private Buckinghamshire, UK, collector, his collection established from the 1990s. -
Medieval Bas Relief Representing a Gentleman Illustrating an Allegory of Avarice
Netherlands, 16th century A.D.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £833
Carved in the half-round, clean-shaven male figure wearing a floppy chaperon hat, clutching a bulging sack of coins to his chest, with some stray coins on the surface of the table below; mounted on a velvet-covered board in a carved wooden frame. 694 grams, 33.2 x 27.1 cm
Private collection, Spain, until 2024. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12992-246434.
