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LOT 1317
Published Medieval 'Thames' Saint Blaise of Canterbury Pilgrim's Badge
CIRCA 14TH-15TH CENTURY A.D.
1 1/8 in. (2.92 grams, 30 mm).
An openwork lead pilgrim's badge displaying the wool-combe emblem of St Blaise of Canterbury within a pelletted roundel; complete with pin. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFound on the Thames foreshore, London, UK.
Acquired on the UK antiques market between 1974-1985.
Albert Ward collection, Essex, UK.
Spencer, B., Pilgrim Souvenirs and Secular Badges, Medieval Finds from Excavations in London, London, 2010, p.176, item 198e.
FootnotesSt Blaise is believed to have been a bishop located somewhere in Asia Minor who was martyred in the early 4th century by beheading, following a period of torture with iron combs which later became his emblem. Canterbury, where his shrine stood behind the high altar and near to that of Saint Thomas Becket, claimed to have relics directly associated with Blaise, and miracles attributed to the saint continued to attract pilgrims into the 15th century.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1317
Published Medieval 'Thames' Saint Blaise of Canterbury Pilgrim's Badge
Sold for (Inc. bp): £546
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Cretan Icon of Saint Francis of Assisi
15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,170
An icon from a possible triptych of Veneto-Cretan School depicting nimbate Saint Francis of Assisi, wearing the brown habit of the Franciscan order, fitted with a hood, facing towards the right, a red book in his left hand with the inscription Vera S. Francisci effigies(true portrait of Saint Francis); mounted in a perspex display frame. 152 grams, 20 cm high
Property of a London lady, part of her family's collection.
With the conquest of Crete by the Venetians, Latin saints were introduced to Byzantine iconography. Saint Francis was one of the most beloved Latin saints among the Cretan faithful, depicted in the iconography of Cretan Orthodox churches, including the Panaghia Kera of Kritsa (13th-14th century A.D.). This figure was probably part of a triptych, having at the centre the image of the Mother of God with the Child, or a Desis. The placement of Francis in this icon would suggests the owner’s strong affiliation with the Franciscan order, which had a strong presence on Crete from the 13th century onwards. It was believed that Saint Francis himself stopped on the island on his way to the Holy Land in 1219. -
English Medieval Vesica-Shaped Seal Matrix with 'O Lamb of God, who takes away offences, have mercy upon me'
Early 14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £293
A bronze vesica-shaped seal matrix with loop to the reverse; central standing nimbate figure of St John the Baptist in loose robe supporting a figure of the Agnus Dei in one hand and pointing to it with the other; Lombardic script text between beaded borders '+ AGNE DEI MISERERE · MEI · QVI · CRIMINA · TOLL' (O Lamb of God who takes away offences, have mercy on me). 15.2 grams, 36 mm
The Matrix Collection, formed by David Morris since the late 1980s. Matrix Collection catalogue no.907. Many of the seals within the collection were published in a book titled 'The Matrix Collection', by David Morris in 2012. Accompanied by a copy of the illustrated collection notes.
The legend is a paraphrase of John 1:29 where 'peccatum' (sins) stands instead of 'crimina' (offences). -
Medieval Cupid Statuette and Key Group
Circa 15th-16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £78
A bronze group comprising: a bronze figure of Amor or Cupid with wings spread and arms extended; a key with lozengiform bow and hooked bit. 52 grams total, 48-56 mm
Found Cambridgeshire, UK, 2022.
