Medieval Iron Horseshoe Group

Handwritten in five lines with two seals, reading: 'Know all me by this present writing that we John Gouter esquire and Elizabeth, who was late the wife of Richard Hungate, have made constituted and confirmed and put in our place our beloved in Christ John Rimpyngden as our true and lawful attorney in law to receive in our name of Thomas Tyrell. Thomas Covell, Arthur Ormesby esquire and William Godyng full and peaceful seisin in his possession of his manor of Knolle, with all its appurtenances, in the county of Somerset, to the true intent and meaning of a charter made to the said John Gouter and Elizabeth... it is ratified and consented that whatsoever our said attorney in our names shall do or have done in or about the premises shall be lawful. In witness whereof we have affixed our seal. Dated 3rd day of the month of January in the 17th year of the reign of king henry VI (1438/1439).' 19.20 grams, 33.5 cm



Acquired UK market. Property of a Kent collector. Accompanied by a full transcription and notes.

The same Arthur Ormesby, esquire, appears in a document of 06 October 1425 where Arthur and his wife Margaret, deforciants, have acknowledged the tenements to be the right of Andrew Sperlying, Thomas Chaucers, John Golafre and Eustace Valdrean, querents, and have remised and quitclaimed them from themselves and the heirs of Margaret to Thomas, John, Andrew and Eustace and the heirs of Andrew for ever.

Slightly domed in profile with low-relief detailing to the wings, with collar at the throat. 6.44 grams, 47 mm



Found on the Thames foreshore, London, UK. Ex Nigel Mills, London, UK.

The term 'popinjay' is an old word for 'parrot'. It is associated with the rhyme 'Popinjay, jolly May' this month being seen as the month of love.

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.