Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0428
Medieval Gold Signet Ring with 'Indeed' Inscription and Lion
CIRCA 15TH CENTURY A.D.
1 in. (23.16 grams, 26.37 mm overall, 20.88 mm internal diameter (approximate size British W 1/2, USA 11 1/4, Europe 25.66, Japan 24)).
Comprising a heavy D-section hoop and a thick round bezel, engraved facing lion to the centre with inscription 'yn : dede' above for 'in deed' or indeed'. [No Reserve]
Provenance
Ex D.S. Lavendar, London, UK.
Property of a North American gallery, acquired in 2012.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12121-214333.
Literature
Cf. The British Museum, London, inv.no.AF771, for a comparable ring.
Footnotes
The inscription, a means of expressing agreement, has not yet been matched to a particular family motto. However, the Anglo-Saxon words and the possible later date of the ring suggests that this is a motto descended from one of the Marcher Lords, or Knights Marchers. The latter occupied the border land between Wales and England, and were granted special privileges and status by William the Conqueror, and were virtually independent rulers.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0428
Medieval Gold Signet Ring with 'Indeed' Inscription and Lion
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20,800
RELATED LOTS
-
Medieval and Later Bronze Buckle Collection
Circa 14th-19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Mixed group of buckles and buckle-plates including D-shaped, double-loop, trapezoidal and other types. 414 grams total, 12-57 mm
Found Hertfordshire, UK. -
Medieval Gold Ring with Garnet
12th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £124
Slender hoop with disc bezel, inset garnet cloison. 0.60 grams, 17.91 mm overall, 15.37 mm internal diameter (approximate size British I, USA 4 1/4, Europe 7.44, Japan 7)
From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s. -
Medieval Romanesque Marble Head of a Saint
Late 12th-13th century A.D.Estimate: £3,500 - 4,500 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,750
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 prophets like those depicted on the Saint Trophime façade.
