Medieval 'Thames' Terracotta Pipkin

Square tile with cream-coloured image of a hound running past a tree. 388 grams, 10.5 x 10.5 cm



with Woolley & Wallis Salisbury, 8 October 2013, no.299. Ex central London gallery. Accompanied by a copy of a previous cataloguing document with references.

Hollow-formed vessel formed as a male bust; discoid body with chamfered shoulder bearing bands of running zigzag detailing and three splayed feet; the head with low-relief hair and rim of bosses with linear spirals, gracile facial features with lentoid eyes and slender nose, small pouting mouth; short spout to the forehead, filler-hole to top of the head with hinged cover; handle to the rear formed as a reptile with head and forepaws placed on the hair below the hinge and joining the base above one of the feet. 1.27 kg, 18 cm



Acquired on the UK art market in 2001. with Christie's, London, 6 December 2017. Private collection, Suffolk. Accompanied by copies of a previous illustrated cataloguing document with references. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12038-212152.

Aquamaniles in the form of a bust are a rarity compared to the quantity of zoomorphic forms known from the Middle Ages. The present piece was formed by lost-wax casting method, and is a very early example of such process for a vessel. Metallurgical analysis has shown that the piece is consistent with the suggested date.

Central panel decorated with a heart pierced by two arrows and inscription: 'qui de bon [COER] eyme', and verso openwork carving of blind interlaces and inscription: 'de bon [COER] donne', translating to 'He who loves from the heart, gives with a good heart'; probably given as a love token. 58 grams, 15 cm



Private collection, USA. Private collection, Suffolk. Accompanied by a copy of an illustrated catalogue document.

Medieval specialist Dr Malcolm Jones writes: 'The same formula and use of the rebus heart-device can be found engraved on contemporary jewellery, e.g. on a 14th/15thC English gold ring recently on the French antique jewellery market which is inscribed in Black Letter script, ie. uous eme bien [I love you very much - de bon ♥ - from a good heart]. The familiar heart-symbol ♥ -- which nowadays we ‘read’ as love [I ♥ New York] -- makes its first appearance as a rebus in this late medieval era, engraved on rings, where it is to be read as the noun, coer/cuer, etc. One of its earliest appearances is on a bronze ring of 13th or 14thC date in the British Museum inscribed in Lombardic capitals: A VILA MON ♥ [Here is my heart GARDI LI MO[Y] keep it for me].