Medieval Knight's Bronze Royal Heraldic Horse Harness Pendant with the Arms of England

Including glazed vessels of various types: tripod pots, dishes, platters, together with a decorated fragment; chipped and cracked. 4.15 kg total, 14.5-33.5 cm



Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. East Anglian private collection.

The majority of ceramics here presented are kitchen wares. Usually cooking pots are the most numerous forms in the majority of medieval contexts. They are mostly related to domestic functions, cooking pots being used to boil food or fry it. They come in different sizes and have globular bodies, everted rims and one or two handles. Ceramics from Dundee, Scotland, and Southampton, confirm that one of the most common vessel types employed among 1490-1510 A.D. was the tripod pipkin, with globular body, rounded base, three legs and a single or double handle, like the specimen here visible. These specimens were very often redware pottery imported from the Low Countries.

With round-section shank and dished bezel, inset glass cabochon displaying a youthful male bust in three-quarter view, possibly Apollo. 20.22 grams, 28.60 mm overall, 18.96 mm internal diameter (approximate size British R 1/2, USA 8 3/4, Europe 19.38, Japan 18)



Acquired in the 1980s on the London art market. Ex Walsh collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11906-207091.

Heavy with a lead core, spherical in form with pierced flange for suspension above and hatched band to the shoulder; an unusal unofficial copy with three heater shields with raised heraldic arms spaced equally around the body, etched geometric band of chevrons above. 615 grams, 56 mm



Ex Simmons Gallery, London E11, UK, in the 1990s. From a North London collection.

These heraldic steelyard weights were originally made under the official sanction of Richard (brother of King Henry III) or Edmund, Duke of Cornwall on behalf of the King; Edmund died in 1300 A.D. and such weights were banned in 1350. This example would most likely have been made unofficially towards the end of the period 1260-1300 A.D. The Hanseatic League was created in Germany to protect the interests and privileges of merchants in the medieval period, starting in Europe and with influence spreading to England from the 13th century.