Silver-gilt, 3.53 grams, 35.81 mm. 6th century AD. Bird brooches are a Continental Frankish type found in high-status female graves in Kent. The bird’s eye is formed as a single circular garnet, set into a raised surround. The beak emerges from the top-right of the settings and curls downwards. Below the eye is a carinated collar decorated with punched pellets. The plain body area has two small circular loop on the right representing the hooked claws, and an elongated D-shaped field on the left containing a panel of diagonal bands for the wing. The tail is formed with a sub-rectangular panel containing three radiating facetted ribs, the outer two decorated with pellets. The catchplate is still intact; the spring lugs are obscured behind remains of the corroded iron pin. Reference: Hawkes, S.C. The Anglo-Saxon Cemetery at Bifrons in Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History, vol.11, Oxford, 2000, fig.24 items 1 and 2. Very fine condition. Ex Lord McAlpine collection.