Post Medieval Bronze Watch Key Group

Carved in the round and standing on a small rectangular pedestal, wearing a pleated robe; hands clasped at the waist; stylised facial features with large eyes rimmed with dark colour, the eyebrows indicated in a similar fashion, bald head a long beard extending above the hands; after the antique. 3.73 grams, 49 mm



From the property of late Mr SM, London, UK, 1969-1999.

Carved in the half-round with prominent brow, nose and beard, lips parted and tongue visible within the mouth; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 6.95 kg total, 29.5 cm including stand



From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Leaf from a vellum manuscript with hand-coloured image: Mary, right, nimbate in red floor-length robe and blue mantle holding aloft a soul in yellow kilt, its neck seized by two crouching winged dark-skinned demons; a third demon, left, with protruding tongue seizing the upper body of another soul; foreground: two male figures seated on low stools, each with vellum page in one hand and quill in the other; panels of red Coptic text above the scribes, beside their souls; the right edge damaged, left edge folded and pierced for binding. 40 grams, 29.5 x 26 cm



Collection of David Buxton (1913-2003), author of 'Travels in Ethiopia', 1949.

The image is related to the tale of Virgin Mary and the two brothers who were scribes. In this tale, Mary rescues the souls of the scribes who had committed sins whilst they were engaged in writing a copy of the Book of the Miracles of the Virgin Mary.