SOLD

A 13th Century Limoge Reliquary Casket.

It is exciting for me to be able to handle this extremely rare 13th century French Limoge champlevé enamelled and partially-gilt copper Reliquary-Casket.

The front and back panels both have a row of lozenges with central eight petal flower heads ,engraved and gilt decorated background in blue green and white ,the ends in champleve of lapis with a standing gilt and engraved Figure of a Saint with enameled red and white halo,the top having four enameled poupees with inset eyes of blue lapis coloured beads,engraved and gilt decorated background set with various colored round and oval cabochon pastes.

Condition is very good it has lost its oak inner lining and crest from the top and has been professionally soldered together to form the standing casket you see now.

Limoges became the premier center of production of polychrome enamels. Originally art forms with Limoges enamel were reserved for liturgical works of art. These reliquary containers (or in French, chasses) were sacred repositories for the holiest of objects, often the physical remains such as saint's bones, pieces of cloth, etc. They were usually modeled in the form of a church with a pitched roof such as this one. Very few of these rare treasures survive in private hands. Today most examples now reside in museum collections. This represents an extremely rare opportunity to acquire one of these genuine treasures.

4"    (10cm) Wide

2"    (5cm)   Deep

4.5" (12cm) High

For a similar casket see Sothebys 09/07/2009 sale of Old Master Sculpture and Works Of Art.

The State Hermitage Museum also has a similar example.

Please get in touch for further images or information that may be required.

Price On Application.