Gothic - Silver Gilt and Garnet- Hinged Plate Belt Buckle > Lot No. 844

Description:
Circa 5th century AD. A rare example of a complete Gothic silver-gilt hinged buckle with garnets inset both as cloisonné and as cabochons; the dished loop featuring cabochon garnets at the hinge and either side of the couch for the tongue, with panels of scrolled decoration between; the carinated tongue featuring rectangular panels of step decoration on the base and scrolled decoration on the forward lateral panels; the lozengiform plate filled with scrolled decoration on the main panel with opposed bird figures placed on the rear edges and a finial comprising addorsed bird-heads; cloisonné garnets being located in cells at the leading edge of the plate, at the lateral apices of the lozenge, centrally on the plate, at the apex of the finial and inset as the eyes of the birds and bird-heads; complete and in fine condition, one cabochon and two cloison garnets lost in antiquity.

Measurements:
44 grams, 110 mm.

Condition:
Very fine with the gilding almost complete.

References:
Cf. W. Menghin, The Merovingian Period – Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 (Kerch, Ukraine, p.306).

Provenance:
From an old English collection formed in the 1970's.

Low estimate: £4,000
High estimate: £6,000

Auction date: Thursday 9th September 2010 at The Swedenborg Hall 20-21 Bloomsbury Way
London WC1A 2TH