Description:

Europe, probably northern Europe / Britain, High Medieval period, ca. 1200 to 1400 CE. A fascinating collection of cast bronze heraldic harness pendants. The largest has an iron, flower-shaped attachment and was once gilded. The second largest has blue and red enamel on its divided face, with a clear lion rampant on the left side. The stylized lion demonstrates how the animal depictions of the high medieval period were descendants of Viking art. The smallest has a simple design of bars and stripes. All have loops for suspension. Size: 1.45" W x 2.75" H (3.7 cm x 7 cm)

During the medieval period, the various straps used to harness horses were decorated elaborately with bells, studs, bosses, pendants, and other metal objects; we know this from images in illuminated manuscripts. Imagine what all of these together must have looked and sounded like - Chaucer, writing in the 1380s, wrote: "His bridle, when he rode, a man might hear jingling in a whistling wind as clear,/Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell, Where my lord Monk was Prior of the cell." All of these pendants served both to identify the owner - with heraldic devices - and to act as amulets against "the evil eye."

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection, acquired before 2000

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#122314

  • Condition: All have wear on their surfaces that partially obscure their motifs. The largest has remains of gilding and the second largest has the remains of enamel. Cord shown in photograph is not included.

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December 5, 2017 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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