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LOT 2149
Tudor Period Lead 'Hornbook' Writing Aid
CIRCA 1500-1633 A.D.
3 in. (51 grams, 75 mm).
A Tudor or Stuart period lead-alloy 'hornbook': incomplete rectangular plaque with small rectangular handle; bearing raised, moulded text on the obverse with hatched forms between four registers, which frame the letters of the alphabet 'ABCDE/FG[reversed]HIKL/MNOPq/RST[VW]XYZ'; low-relief octofoil in centre to the reverse. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFound Yorkshire, UK.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Exhibited at the Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, 21st January-10th March 2025; accompanied by a copy of a photograph of the artefacts on display.
FootnotesThe letter 'U' has been omitted from the alphabet as is common with such objects, as has the letter 'J', suggesting that the book was produced prior to the publication of Charles Butler's English Grammar (1633) which first distinguished between I and J. The letter Z is reversed. Hornbooks were employed as learning aids and commonly made from paper mounted onto wood together with a transparent sheet of horn. Smaller, more portable lead-alloy examples such as this one are generally believed to have been mass produced, whilst still falling within the genre of 'hornbooks'. Interestingly, some scholars have argued that the mistakes and inconsistencies found on lead examples rendered them less effective learning tools, used as children's toys in families with low levels of literacy, or possibly serving as dolls' accessories.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
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Agate Bead Necklace
20th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
Comprising spherical carnelian and banded agate beads with interstitial seed beads. 132 grams, 98 cm long
From a London, UK, collection, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. -
Wooden Spoon with Cross
Circa 19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
With low rim to the ovoid bowl, balustered handle and ellipsoid finial with reserved cross motif. 10.7 grams, 13.5 cm
Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s. From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. -
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Renaissance Stained Glass Panel of Saint Leodegar Accompanied by the Arms of Dukedom of Alemannien
Switzerland, Lucerne, circa 1520-1540 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,600
Rectangular window glass in lead cames with painted image of St. Leodegar standing in a wooded landscape wearing his episcopal mitre and robes, heater shield at bottom; wooden frame; damaged, the glass elements conserved and available for restoration. 6 kg total, 97 cm high
Collection of Lord Sudeley, Toddington Manor, Gloucestershire. with Schweizer Glasmalereien Vorwiegend des XVI & XVII Jahrhunderts, Munich, Hugo Helbing, 4 October 1911, no.7. UK Trade, 2018. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12567-230649. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Leodegar of Poitiers (c. 615 – October 2, 679 AD) was a Burgundian noblemen and Bishop of Autun, son of Saint Sigrada and brother of Saint Warinus. He was an opponent of Ebroin, the Frankish Mayor of the Palace of Neustria, who arranged for him to be blinded and have his tongue cut out. He was later made a martyr and canonised. Lord Sudeley's collection at Toddington Manor, Gloucestershire, was a treasure trove of Gothic Revival architecture, art, and history, reflecting his deep involvement in the manor's design with over 580 architectural drawings. His collection boasted exquisite 17th-century tapestries, heraldic stained glass, and historical artefacts that chronicled the family's lineage, including links to significant English historical events. Financial difficulties led to the dispersal of these items through auctions, yet the legacy of Toddington Manor endures as a testament to one of Britain's cultural and architectural gems.
