Medieval Silver-Gilt Dress Hook

Socket finial to one end, waisted stem, heart-shaped plaque, bar of four rivet holes and shell or leaf-shaped finial, the body displaying Saint Christopher standing on a mound with a young boy on his shoulder and holding a staff in relief, Gothic letters 'ID' to the socket. 45 grams, 90 mm



Acquired early 1990s. From an East Anglian private collection.

The circular high-quality die bearing a central star/sun over crescent moon with concentric pelleted borders enclosing Latin legend in Lombardic script: 'S' IOh' D' LA POLE CANP'; probably the counterseal of John de la Pole, Second Duke of Suffolk, of facetted hexagonal-section stem with pellet trefoil to show orientation when in use, collar and pentagonal suspension loop; accompanied by an impression. 8.7 grams, 19 mm



Found whilst searching with a metal detector near Wantage, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, UK, between January and May 2011. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.BERK-749E31.

This seal has been designated of 'County / local importance' in the PAS record, which provides the following interpretation of the inscription: 'The second Duke of Suffolk was John de la Pole, born 27th September 1442. He was Constable of Wallingford Castle and High Steward of Oxford University. He also held the manors of Deddington and Ascot in Oxfordshire from 1477 A.D. He died c. 24th July 1492 (Richardson 2011:48-49). His mother, Alice Chaucer, was the granddaughter of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer (author of the Canterbury Tales). Alice, who died in 1475/76 A.D., is buried in her home village of Ewelme, where the de la Poles spent much of their time. John de la Pole's official seal is recorded in the British Museum Catalogue of Seals (1894:398), and is described as 'a lion rampant queue fourchée'. The matrix now offered is likely to be a personal seal, such as were often used for private correspondence or as a counterseal, when applying a seal of office.

The heater-shield pendant with integral suspension loop and traces of gilding, bearing device of a 'lion rampant queue fourchy or' (a golden lion rampant with a doubled tail). 5.4 grams, 34 mm



Found near Fakenham, Norfolk, UK, circa 2000. Property of a retired academic.

This device is associated with several families in the medieval period, including that of Havering (originating in Cornwall) and also with the Dukes of Limburg (of the house of Leuven, 1288-1406 AD), the family were also Dukes of Brabant and Lothier).