Western Asiatic Style Silver Inlaid Bronze Bracelet Pair

Janiform, carved with the head of Christ to one side and to the other a skull, from a Rosary; with a turned bronze display stand. 100 grams total, 48 mm includin stand



Private collection, Europe. Acquired on the English art market.

Originally part of a rosary; the head of Christ acting as an object of personal devotion, the skull as a reminder of his great sacrifice for our sins and of our own mortality. The gentle wear and warm patination are a testament to the years of devoted veneration by its previous owners.

D-section hoop and disc bezel with 'I' (or 'H') between fronds. 6.69 grams, 27.09 mm overall, 21.77 mm internal diameter (approximate size British X, USA 11 1/2, Europe 26.29, Japan 25)



From the collection of Dame Joan Evans (1893-1977), thence gifted during her lifetime to a gentleman collector friend from South East England.

Dame Joan Evans, DBE, FSA, FRHistS, enjoyed a long and distinguished career as an author and historian. She was appointed the president of the Society of Antiquaries in 1959, the first woman to hold this position, serving until 1964. From 1948 to 1951, Joan Evans served as President of the Royal Archaeological Institute. She received the Society’s gold medal in 1973. Joan Evans was honoured with a host of honorary degrees and fellowships, as well as fellowships of the Royal Historical Society and the Royal Society of Literature. She was a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur, and was appointed a Dame of the British Empire in 1976. She served as a trustee of both the London and the British museums, and as a member of the advisory council of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Intaglio profile bust with short hair and laurel wreath; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 3.01 grams, 21 mm



Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, London, UK.