Medieval 'Limoges' Altar Cross Mounts
Copper-alloy and gilt, 19.25/37.12/21.61/17.10/11.45 grams, 60.78/59.70/58.88/58.61/40.48 mm. 12th century AD. A complete set of cast plaques for a devotional cross. The four T-shaped plaques were designed to be fixed to an altar cross, each provided with four fixing holes, their surfaces bearing figural decoration in champ levé technique (the enamel no longer present). A fifth plaque is rectangular with two fixing holes, with the letters IHS in champ levé. Some gilding remains on the decorative surfaces. Reference: Gauthier, M-M. & François, G. Catalogue International de l’Œuvre de Limoges, Paris, 1987. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.