TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL - photo 1
TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL - photo 2
TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL - photo 3
TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL - photo 4
TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL - photo 5

TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL

Lot 37
17.11.2021 14:00UTC +01:00
Classic
Starting price
€ 8 000
AuctioneerVAN HAM Kunstauktionen GmbH
Event locationGermany, Köln
Buyer Premium29%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 647761
Lot 37 | TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL
Estimate value
€ 8 000 – 10 000
TWO HEADS MADE OF METAL.

Probably Germany or France.
Date: 14./15.Jh.
Technique: Metal, silver-plated (?). Presentation stand.
Description: Each a hollow male head with short hair arranged in twisted curls along the forehead. The
facial features are quite stylised.
Measurement: Height (without stand) 7,5cm.


Literature:
Williamson, Paul: The Wyvern Collection: Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture and Metalwork, London 2018, p.30/56/88.

The exact function or use of the two quite similar heads cannot be determined with certainty. They could belong to the type of so-called head reliquaries that are preserved in large numbers in ecclesiastical treasuries and collections. However, these were usually made slightly or even considerably larger. For example, the head reliquary of St Vincent in the basilica of St Godehard in Hildesheim is 37 cm high. The example of the early head reliquary of Saint Oswald (c. 1185/1189) of the Hildesheim cathedral treasure shows how they were worked from silver or gold sheet in several individual parts and were mounted on a wooden core.
On the other hand, they could also be part of a sculptural ensemble. Paul Williamson assumes such a connection in the above-mentioned catalogue of the Wyvern Collection, in the case of a comparably large head, albeit made of gold (Cat. No. 10, p. 30). He states that it could come from a 'Sedes sapientiae' group, as they are known from Essen and Hildesheim. Following this lead, it would also be possible that the heads presented here are from a larger devotional group and that they, for example, were heads of angel figures. The angel reliquary from Saint Sulpice Les Feuilles, today in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Limoges, could be used as an example here.
But even without being able to clearly identify their original purpose, the reduced and yet so haunting design of the faces captivates the viewer with their calm introspection.
Auction house category:Early Works of Art
Address of auction VAN HAM Kunstauktionen GmbH
Hitzelerstr. 2
50968 Köln
Germany
Preview
12.11.2021 – 15.11.2021
Phone +49 221 92586215
Fax +49 221 92 58 62 4
Email
4FQ.4SU-3S1@Y3GR3F@
Buyer Premium 29%
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase
Business hoursBusiness hours
Mo 10:00 – 17:00   
Tu 10:00 – 17:00   
We 10:00 – 17:00   
Th 10:00 – 17:00   
Fr 10:00 – 17:00   
Sa 10:00 – 13:00   
Su closed

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>