Silver-gilt, 22.01 grams/21.45 grams, 81.71 mm/80.56 mm. 5th-6th century AD. An unusual pair of Merovingian bow brooches. The headplate is a discoid plate with cast, chip-carved decoration in the form of a pelta panel above a pair of everted scrolls. The knobs are D-shaped with collar detailing. The shallow bow is divided longitudinally into three segments: two thick outer ribs flanking a flat central panel bearing an inlaid guilloche design which extends the full length of the footplate. The outer ribs split and diverge into a fish-tail finial. Bow brooches with this split footplate finial are known from the Merovingian cemetery at Herpes (France) which shows strong stylistic links to early contemporary Anglo-Saxon metalwork. The catchplate and pin lug are complete on the reverse. Reference: the Herpes material in the Delamain Collection was purchased by the British Museum and published in Smith, A. The British Museum Guide to Anglo-Saxon Antiquities, London, 1923, pl.XIV. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection formed in the 1930's. This item is accompanied by an XRF ancient metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.