12th C. Medieval Leather / Bronze Attachments (3 Pcs) - Mar 02, 2017 | Artemis Gallery In Co
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12th C. Medieval Leather / Bronze Attachments (3 pcs)

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12th C. Medieval Leather / Bronze Attachments (3 pcs)
12th C. Medieval Leather / Bronze Attachments (3 pcs)
Item Details
Description
Northern Europe, Medieval Period, ca. 12th to 14th century CE. A trio of leather pieces that once were together and formed a single piece, studded with decorative small pieces of bronze. The leather appears to be cuir bouilli, hardened, boiled leather, in two strips over top of each other. Leather objects like belts were shaped into their correct position by molding. Both strips have been punched through by the bronze pieces, which have three shapes: a triskelion form with bulbous ends, an avian form that resembles two fleur-de-lis missing their central points, and two long, thing pieces with central holes that look like they may have originally been cast as toggles for something else given their long, slotted central holes. Size of largest: 4.6" L x 3.5" H (11.7 cm x 8.9 cm); Size of all laid out together: 12.85" L x 3.5" H (32.6 cm x 8.9 cm)

Intact leather from this period is extremely rare. What this piece when it was all together formed is not entirely clear - a leather sheath for a dagger? Decorative tack on a saddle? Something added to clothing, made to hang from a belt or possibly even part of a belt? For example, the bronze-studded leather resembles those from belts found with the Viking burial at Kneep on the Isle of Lewis (part of the Scottish Western Isles). However, the design of the cast bronze work here is more medieval in its motifs - the bronze studs from Kneep are round bosses. During the medieval period, clothing and horse harnesses often were decorated elaborately with bells, studs, bosses, pendants, and other metal objects; we know this from images in illuminated manuscripts and from descriptions in written works like the Canterbury Tales. All of this metal work served both to identify the owner -- with symbols or heraldic devices associated with their family -- and to act as amulets against "the evil eye".

Provenance: Ex-Private Orange County, CA collection

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#118543
Condition
Leather is extremely fragile and needs to be handled delicately - leather of this age is not often preserved! Bronze fittings all have patina, with some very slight degradation.
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12th C. Medieval Leather / Bronze Attachments (3 pcs)

Estimate $3,000 - $4,500
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Starting Price $1,400
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Artemis Gallery

Artemis Gallery

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