C. Mid 15th century

A nice bronze purse bar decorated with niello inlay to the central boss and side bars, forming a lattice pattern. The circular sidebars leading from the central boss are gripped by zoomorphic heads; with each side featuring two pierced projections at the base for attachment to pouch.

Purses would have been worn at the waist, and were attached by a locking buckle.

Minor chips to pierced projections otherwise a has a nice patina with fine niello inlay still remaining.

Provenance: Graham Slater collection, Cambridge, collected in the 1980’s-1990’s.

Ref: Medieval Artefacts by N. Mills. Similar example to page 98

Size: 160mm length