Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 1672
Visigothic Bronze Bird Brooch
6TH-8TH CENTURY A.D.
2 1/8 in. (10 grams, 55 mm).
Comprising: headplate formed as two addorsed bird-heads on arched necks, each with a discoid eye and hooked beak beneath; vrow bow with median band and chip-carved edges; bow-sided foot with chip-carved ornament, bird-head finial with eye and hooked beak; remains of ferrous pin to reverse, catchplate. [No Reserve]
Provenance
Ex European collection, 1990s.
Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.
Literature
Cf. Beck, H. et al., Fibel und Fibeltracht, Berlin, 2000, item 154 (1,2), for type.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine 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
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
RELATED LOTS
-
Migration Period Bronze Ring with Cross and Cabochon
Circa 6th-8th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
Slender hoop with cruciform bezel set with an amber-coloured glass cabochon. 4.57 grams, 26.26 mm overall, 18.43 mm internal diameter (approximate size British P 1/2, USA 7 3/4, Europe 16.86, Japan 16)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Merovingian Bronze Radiate Brooch
5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Miniature bow brooch with D-shaped headplate and thirteen radiating lobes cast in one piece, flat 'bow', trapezoidal footplate with mask finial, remains of pin-lug and catch to the reverse. 13.1 grams, 48 mm
Ex DRG Coins and Antiquities, Bishops Stortford, Essex, UK. From the private collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the early 2000s. Accompanied by a handwritten dealer's ticket. -
.jpg)
Langobardic Gold Bishop's Ring with Amethyst
7th-8th century AD.Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £7,500
A finely crafted ring featuring a prominent square bezel adorned with stylised crucifixes, flanked by outward-facing birds with hooked beaks and large ring-and-dot eyes, the bezel set with a polished amethyst pebble; keeled decorative hoop with three integral collars at the base. 11.38 grams, 34.70 mm overall, 17.74 mm internal diameter (approximate size British M 1/2, USA 6 1/4, Europe 13.09, Japan 12)
Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12983-245992.
The Langobards (or Lombards) were a Germanic people who invaded and ruled much of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774 AD. Their kingdom, known for its fusion of Germanic and Byzantine artistic traditions, persisted until the Carolingian conquest under Charlemagne. A Bishop’s ring is a large, often ornate ring worn by bishops as a symbol of their office and spiritual authority. Traditionally, it signifies the bishop’s commitment to the Church and is considered a mark of his episcopal dignity.
