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LOT 1868
Medieval Inscribed Silver-Gilt Ring Section
14TH CENTURY A.D.
3/4 in. (0.76 grams, 19 mm).
A fragment of an inscribed finger ring; flattened rectangle in cross-section, expanding at one end to form the inner edge of a setting for a stone with residue inside; outer face inscribed ‘…RMARIE’ in Lombardic script. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFound Somersham, Suffolk, UK.
Declared as treasure under the Treasure Act with reference no.2020T285 and subsequently disclaimed by the Crown.
Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.SF-E260EB.
Accompanied by a copy of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Treasure Act receipt dated 19 February 2020.
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Medieval and Later Bronze Key Group
15th-20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Comprising six keys with looped handles, one fragmentary. 31.2 grams total, 35-44 mm
From a Dunmow, UK, collection; formed from 1970. -
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Medieval Terracotta Jar
Circa 13th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £40
Biconvex in profile with low neck and rolled rim; old inked inscription to the sidewall with three signatures and '1920-1927'; feint pencilled inscription to base including the word 'Polish'. 1.11 kg, 16 cm
Believed to have been in the collection of George Adolphus Gray (c.1850), Captain of a merchant vessel and avid collector. Acquired by the present owner circa 15 years ago, reportedly recovered from a skip. -
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Medieval Gold Ring Brooch with Sapphires
France, 14th century A.D. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £1,950
An annular brooch set with six cabochon sapphires, the spaces in between engraved with annulets, diamonds and a fleur-de-lis at the centre, a flower motif on each side of the pin. 6.11 grams, 20 mm
Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, UK.
In medieval jewellery, sapphires were revered not only for their beauty but for their rich symbolic and spiritual meaning. Associated with the heavens, they embodied divine wisdom, purity, and truth, often worn by clergy and royalty as signs of piety and authority. Believed to protect against envy, poison, and deceit, sapphires were also thought to reveal dishonesty by losing their brilliance, making them symbols of fidelity and integrity. Frequently gifted as tokens of loyal love, they were valued for their supposed healing properties, particularly for ailments of the eyes and mind. In 14th-century jewellery, the fleur-de-lis symbolised a blend of royal allegiance, religious devotion, and noble identity. As the emblem of the French monarchy, it signified loyalty to the crown and noble lineage, while its association with the Virgin Mary evoked purity and spiritual grace. Common in courtly and devotional contexts, it also reflected chivalric ideals such as honour, fidelity, and moral virtue.
