Collection of Six Small Medieval Finial Figures
A Collection of Six Small Medieval Finial Figures
Four of Gilded Cast Bronze and Two of Solid Cast Gilded Silver
Probably from Reliquaries Shrines or Book Covers
Size: max: 7.5cm high - 3 ins high / 12.5cm high - 5 ins high (with base)
min: 3cm high - 1¼ ins high / 6cm high - 2¼ ins high (with base)
A. A German Medieval Gilded Bronze Figure of Saint Peter Standing Enrobed Wearing a Bishop’s Mitre Holding a Crozier and a Book
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
B. A Spanish Medieval Gilt Bronze Relief of the Mourning Virgin her Hands in a Gesture of Sorrow her Head Covered by a Veil
Part of a Crucifixion Group
Later mounted with a pin to function as a brooch
14th - 15th Century
C. A Very Small German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint Simon Holding his Attributes of a Saw and a Book
Probably from a Monstrance or Reliquary
15th - 16th Century
D. A German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint John Holding a Chalice
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
E. A Small Italian Medieval Cast Silver Figure of Saint John with Gilded Flowing Hair his Arms Outstretched
14th - 15th Century
F. A Fine French Solid Cast Silver Gilt Three-Dimensional Finial Figure of Saint Martin of Tours Cutting his Cloak in Two with his Sword to Clothe the Shivering Half Naked Beggar He Found Outside the City Walls of Amiens
Mid 16th Century
Four of Gilded Cast Bronze and Two of Solid Cast Gilded Silver
Probably from Reliquaries Shrines or Book Covers
Size: max: 7.5cm high - 3 ins high / 12.5cm high - 5 ins high (with base)
min: 3cm high - 1¼ ins high / 6cm high - 2¼ ins high (with base)
A. A German Medieval Gilded Bronze Figure of Saint Peter Standing Enrobed Wearing a Bishop’s Mitre Holding a Crozier and a Book
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
B. A Spanish Medieval Gilt Bronze Relief of the Mourning Virgin her Hands in a Gesture of Sorrow her Head Covered by a Veil
Part of a Crucifixion Group
Later mounted with a pin to function as a brooch
14th - 15th Century
C. A Very Small German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint Simon Holding his Attributes of a Saw and a Book
Probably from a Monstrance or Reliquary
15th - 16th Century
D. A German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint John Holding a Chalice
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
E. A Small Italian Medieval Cast Silver Figure of Saint John with Gilded Flowing Hair his Arms Outstretched
14th - 15th Century
F. A Fine French Solid Cast Silver Gilt Three-Dimensional Finial Figure of Saint Martin of Tours Cutting his Cloak in Two with his Sword to Clothe the Shivering Half Naked Beggar He Found Outside the City Walls of Amiens
Mid 16th Century
A Collection of Six Small Medieval Finial Figures
Four of Gilded Cast Bronze and Two of Solid Cast Gilded Silver
Probably from Reliquaries Shrines or Book Covers
Size: max: 7.5cm high - 3 ins high / 12.5cm high - 5 ins high (with base)
min: 3cm high - 1¼ ins high / 6cm high - 2¼ ins high (with base)
A. A German Medieval Gilded Bronze Figure of Saint Peter Standing Enrobed Wearing a Bishop’s Mitre Holding a Crozier and a Book
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
B. A Spanish Medieval Gilt Bronze Relief of the Mourning Virgin her Hands in a Gesture of Sorrow her Head Covered by a Veil
Part of a Crucifixion Group
Later mounted with a pin to function as a brooch
14th - 15th Century
C. A Very Small German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint Simon Holding his Attributes of a Saw and a Book
Probably from a Monstrance or Reliquary
15th - 16th Century
D. A German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint John Holding a Chalice
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
E. A Small Italian Medieval Cast Silver Figure of Saint John with Gilded Flowing Hair his Arms Outstretched
14th - 15th Century
F. A Fine French Solid Cast Silver Gilt Three-Dimensional Finial Figure of Saint Martin of Tours Cutting his Cloak in Two with his Sword to Clothe the Shivering Half Naked Beggar He Found Outside the City Walls of Amiens
Mid 16th Century
Four of Gilded Cast Bronze and Two of Solid Cast Gilded Silver
Probably from Reliquaries Shrines or Book Covers
Size: max: 7.5cm high - 3 ins high / 12.5cm high - 5 ins high (with base)
min: 3cm high - 1¼ ins high / 6cm high - 2¼ ins high (with base)
A. A German Medieval Gilded Bronze Figure of Saint Peter Standing Enrobed Wearing a Bishop’s Mitre Holding a Crozier and a Book
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
B. A Spanish Medieval Gilt Bronze Relief of the Mourning Virgin her Hands in a Gesture of Sorrow her Head Covered by a Veil
Part of a Crucifixion Group
Later mounted with a pin to function as a brooch
14th - 15th Century
C. A Very Small German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint Simon Holding his Attributes of a Saw and a Book
Probably from a Monstrance or Reliquary
15th - 16th Century
D. A German Medieval Gilt Bronze Finial Figure of Saint John Holding a Chalice
The back open with attachment loops
14th - 15th Century
E. A Small Italian Medieval Cast Silver Figure of Saint John with Gilded Flowing Hair his Arms Outstretched
14th - 15th Century
F. A Fine French Solid Cast Silver Gilt Three-Dimensional Finial Figure of Saint Martin of Tours Cutting his Cloak in Two with his Sword to Clothe the Shivering Half Naked Beggar He Found Outside the City Walls of Amiens
Mid 16th Century
The ravages of war, revolution and religion with their associated acts of iconoclastic vandalism have left only partial remains of a rich medieval European past. Of particular interest to the iconoclasts of the 16th century, especially in Britain, were the well endowed churches and monasteries many of which were the focus of pilgrimage and home to shrines and treasuries of immense wealth. These small figures escaped destruction as it was easier to break up metal objects to transport them to be melted down. Originally they were part of a much larger elaborate object from which they were wrenched and then lost in transit. They most probably came from the architectural canopies of reliquaries and shrines, croziers, monstrances and book covers. The figures have a quality and refinement that is difficult to achieve on such a small scale.
The collection of Six Figures from the Private Belgian collection of the late Mr Guy Onghena
Thence by descent
cf: A set of four small finial figures in silver gilt in the Ashmolean Museum Oxford Inv. no’s: WA 1888, CDEF 540, 41, 42, 43
Thence by descent
cf: A set of four small finial figures in silver gilt in the Ashmolean Museum Oxford Inv. no’s: WA 1888, CDEF 540, 41, 42, 43
Collection of Six Small Medieval Finial Figures
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