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Details
LOT 0334
Merovingian Bronze Belt Buckle with Gold and Garnet Inlays
5TH-6TH CENTURY A.D.
3 7/8 in. (147 grams, 98 mm).
Comprising: ellipsoid loop with hollowed underside; tongue with D-shaped shield bearing stylised facing mask among pellets, waisted and curved over the forward edge of the loop; rectangular plate with applied sheet-gold triangular panels bearing repoussé rings, waves, points and other motifs, gold cellwork and segmented frame with garnet cloisons, a central garnet cabochon, segmented rim; four pierced attachment lugs to the reverse.
Provenance
From the collection of Adolphe Stoclet, 1871-1949.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12137-217046.
Published
Georges A. Salles and Daisy Lion-Goldschmidt, Adolphe Stoclet Collection (part I), Brussels, 1956, p.137 (d).
Literature
Cf. Menghin, W., The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007, items IX.3.1 & 2 (Badajoz, Spain); Heynowski, R., Bestimmungsbuch Archaeologie: Gürtel, Munich, 2017, type 8.4; MacGregor, A. et al., A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997.
Footnotes
The buckle plate is large and impressive, while the loop is somewhat narrower and may have been replaced. The central cabochon is a feature of buckle plates from this period (e.g. Menghin, IX.3.1, IX.5.1). The tongue-shield is of an unusual type more often found in Frankish contexts (e.g. Menghin, VII.40.18, MacGregor 77.24, 77.25, 77.26) of the same period.
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LOT 0334
Merovingian Bronze Belt Buckle with Gold and Garnet Inlays
Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,800
RELATED LOTS
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Merovingian Bronze Belt Buckle with Gold and Garnet Inlays
5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £7,800
Comprising: ellipsoid loop with hollowed underside; tongue with D-shaped shield bearing stylised facing mask among pellets, waisted and curved over the forward edge of the loop; rectangular plate with applied sheet-gold triangular panels bearing repoussé rings, waves, points and other motifs, gold cellwork and segmented frame with garnet cloisons, a central garnet cabochon, segmented rim; four pierced attachment lugs to the reverse. 147 grams, 98 mm
From the collection of Adolphe Stoclet, 1871-1949. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12137-217046.
The buckle plate is large and impressive, while the loop is somewhat narrower and may have been replaced. The central cabochon is a feature of buckle plates from this period (e.g. Menghin, IX.3.1, IX.5.1). The tongue-shield is of an unusual type more often found in Frankish contexts (e.g. Menghin, VII.40.18, MacGregor 77.24, 77.25, 77.26) of the same period. -
Merovingian Gold Necklace Bead
6th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £143
Hollow-formed sheet gold with applied filigree collar to each mouth. 1.53 grams, 15 mm
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Merovingian Bronze Harness Buckle with Gold and Garnet Inlays
5th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,500
Comprising: ellipsoid loop with hollow reverse; tongue with discoid shield, curved over the forward edge of the loop; rectangular plate with five rectangular segments, each set with two triangular glass cloisons flanking a discoid cabochon, with roundel detailing to the end of each row and three more at the outer end of the plate; slightly domed disc with sheet-gold surface, to the outer edge a series of inset triangular garnet cloison, repoussé segmented band enclosing four roundels with interstitial gammadions, central stepped dome with banded agate cabochon to the centre, hinge knuckles to the outer edge. 169 grams, 17.5 cm
From the collection of Adolphe Stoclet, 1871-1949. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12138-217045.
The buckle plate is long and narrow and the loop is proportionate in size, but the inset glass elements have suffered from abrasion and usage wear. Normally, the buckle plate would have four pierced attachment lugs to the reverse, but the reverse of this plate is plain. The large gold-covered panel resembles a phalera or harness fitting rather than a belt-buckle fitting. On this basis, it is suggested that the item is likely a marriage of a belt-buckle with a harness fitting.
