girdle;
jewellery
- Museum number
- 1978,1002.168
- Description
-
Silver and parcel-gilt girdle in the form of eighteen shields with heraldic devices, linked by ropework knots. In the centre is the figure of St Christopher carrying the infant Christ in a Gothic style niche, from this hangs a silver piece with four further shields terminating in another niche with the figure of St Thomas à Becket, and inscribed on the reverse. All the shields are inscribed on the reverse with the names of places along the 'Pilgrim's Way'.
- Production date
- 1926 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 35.50 centimetres (terminal pendant)
-
Length: 104.20 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
-
- Curator's comments
- Text from catalogue of the Hull Grundy Gift (Gere et al 1984) no 1005:
The place names inscribed on the reverses of the shields are all to be found more or less along the well-known route called the 'Pilgrim's Way' between Winchester and Canterbury. Hitchensoak is presumably a misrendering of the village of Itchen Stoke.
The form of this girdle, with its hanging section, is loosely based on medieval prototypes though it is most exceptional to find the hanging piece not gilded when the rest of the girdle has been gilded.
Ramsden's second wife , whom he married in 1926, had been closely associated with his workshop since the end of the First World War and consequently, there may be some foundation in the oral tradition that this was a personal gift from Omar Ramsden, as a souvenir of times spent on this famous walk in the years 1916-26. (Charlotte Gere)
See 'Omar Ramsden 1873-1939', Birmingham City Museum & Art Gallery, 1973, introduction:.
'Mrs Downes Butcher ..... was a formidable woman who could be seen striding down the streets of South Kensington clasping a tall cane and wearing a long silver chain decorated with scenes from the Canterbury Tales'. No source given by Peter Cannon-Brookes but information presumably from former workshop staff. (J. Rudoe)
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1978
- Acquisition notes
- Sold Sotheby's, 31 September 1975. Lot 226 (Ramsden belt). No price.
- Department
- Britain, Europe and Prehistory
- Registration number
- 1978,1002.168
- Additional IDs
-
Miscellaneous number: HG.168 (masterlist number)
