Medieval 'Published' Beehive Thimble Collection

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.

Vesica-shaped and fitted with attachment loop, legend in Latin script around a stylised bird, reading 'S. SARE FIL.SARE' i.e. 'SEAL OF SARE DAUGHTER OF SARE', a stylised flower to the reverse. 136 grams, 17 x 13 cm



From the collection of the famous author, writer and speaker, Gordon Bailey, Essex, UK; formed since 1968.

The lady of a wealthy family of merchants would have had her own small seal used for sealing her private letters, and the design of the matrix would have reflected this. On the vesica seals the legend around the border usually started at 12 o'clock position with a cross or a star (like here) and the word sigillum (seal) often indicated only by the letter S. Then, normally, the name of the owner and the one of the parent, after the letter F. (FILIUS or FILIA = son or daughter).