MEDIEVAL PURSE

1450

A Type A1 late medieval purse bar made of copper-alloy with inlaid niello. This purse bar dates to the late 15th century. Only one arm of the bar survives. The arm has a circular section and has partly been decorated with double criss-cross engraving filled with niello. This design terminates on each end with an oblique line of the usual kind (engraved and infilled with niello). Surviving next to the central block is a very stylised animals head with open mouth, from which the arm emerges. The first half of the arm (from the block) is undecorated. After this is where the arm has been decorated with double strand criss-cross engravings, this decoration extends to the opposite terminal of the bar. Beneath the area with criss-cross lines there is an integral plate, drilled with two holes. At the terminal proper the section of the bar gets narrower, in order to allow the purse frame in sit inside the aperture, unfortunately due to a break and heavy wear this part of the terminal is badly damaged. Instead a stump (indicating the beginnings of the narrower section of the bar) remains. The metal is a mid greyish-green colour. The niello is a lighter green colour. The metal is slightly worn and pitted. A similar purse bar can be seen in the London Museum – Medieval Catalogue, plate XXXIII (see full reference below).