traveller, in 1845, from the Nuns of a Convent in Ascoli, for the sum of one dollar and a half; they supposed it to be an inconvenient old-fashioned sort of smoothing-iron.—A Niello, measuring 412 inches by 3, intended to be mounted as a Pax; it represents the Madonna enthroned, with the Infant Jesus: St. Peter Martyr and St. Dominick, who are kneeling, and the Infant presents a Rosary to the latter. A striking composition of the Venetian School, fifteenth century. Purchased at Otricoli by the same person, with a chalice (also exhibited) ornamented on the stem with six silver medallions of Saints, originally enamelled, and the makers' names, in niello. PAOLO DI GIOVANI ET JACOMO DI NICOLA DE SENA (or Siena) ME FECIT.—A Pax, consisting of nine nielli mounted in ivory: the principal subject in a pietá, the half-length figure of our Saviour, is represented supported by four Angels, and leaning against the cross: below is a sarcophagus with arabesques, and the pelican feeding her young, under which are the three nails, emblems of the Passion, and PAX TIBI. Above this piece is a lunette, in which is seen the Supreme Being extending his arms over the Saviour; seven nielli apparently of more modern execution surround these; some doubt has even been ex- pressed as to the genuine character of the central portion and lunette; they have been re-chased, but appear authentic. Dimensions 612 inches by 5. Purchased at Rome, in 1840.—A fine processional crucifix, richly enamelled, and decorated with the pelican and various sacred emblems. There are ten silver medallions, chased for transparent enamel, in the most graceful style of Florentine art, of the earlier part of the fifteenth century. Purchased at Florence, in 1839, of a person who stated that it was brought from Citta da Castello. This valuable example has since been added to the series of enamels in the Museum of Economic Geology.
February 2, 1849.
Michael Jones, Esq., F.S.A., communicated drawings representing several ancient relics, in the possession of Thomas Fitzherbert Brockholes, Esq., of Claughton Hall, Lancashire, near Garstang. He desired to call the attention of the Society to the striking resemblance between an ornament in that collection, and the remarkable fibula from Yorkshire, supposed to be of Danish origin, communicated by Mr. W. Hylton Longstaffe, of which a representation had been given in the last volume of the Journal.[1] In the year 1822, Mr. Brockholes constructed a new road near his mansion; the workmen, in cutting through a small hill or tumulus of sand, discovered, about two or three feet below the surface, the following antiquities:—Two large convex brooches, joined together and forming a kind of oval box. They are made of a white-coloured metal, perforated in an ornamental pattern, containing a small ornamented fibula (shown in the annexed representation), two beads, one of blue, the other of red-coloured paste, and a molar tooth. This brooch had been inclosed in a wooden case, of the same shape, and apparently lined with cloth. Also an iron axe and hammer, a stone axe or maul-head, an iron spear-head, and an iron sword. The whole of these remarkable remains were inclosed in a wooden case.
- ↑ Archaeol. Journal, vol. v. p. 220.
