Silver gilt, 4.20 grams, 28.71 mm. 6th century AD. A bird-shaped plate brooch of the popular Frankish 'Vogelfibel' type. The zoomorph comprises a convex-sided central panel with billeted surface, surmounted by a roundel cell for the eye and a hooked beak; to one side is the stylized claw; beneath is a transverse rectangular cell. Both cells are provided with a gold foil backing which would add sparkle to the cloison garnets which were originally set into the cells (both garnets subsequently lost). The heavy gilding is in excellent condition. The pin-lug and catchplate are in place on the reverse but the iron pin is missing; curiously, the catchplate is placed at the top of the brooch and the pin hinged from behind the tail, the reverse of normal practice. Bird-brooches were popular with high-status Frankish females in the earlier 6th century AD and the fashion was adopted by neighbouring peoples such as the Cantware in Kent. Reference: Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, p.464 item VII.10.24. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection. This antiquity is accompanied by an XRF metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.