Alfred Jewel.

Sold for £4,000

Alfred Jewel. A late 19th century replica of the Alfred Jewel, in silver-gilt, with polychrome enameled image of a standing male with rock crystal cover, the edge with text +AELFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN e), with pelleted border above, the finial formed as a beast-head with suspension emerging from mouth, the base engraved with a foliate decoration, 7cm long, together with a related silver and enamel pendant by Marples & Beasley, Birmingham 1962 plus a souvenir spoon, Sydney & Co, Birmingham 1920

(Qty: 3)

Provenance: Collection of Jack Webb (1923-2019), London.

The Alfred Jewel is an Anglo-Saxon pendant dating to the late 9th century and was made during the reign of Alfred the Great. Is made of gold with enamel and quartz decoration and was discovered in North Petherton, Somerset in 1693.

It is now on display at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The inscription reads "aelfred mec heht gewyrcan", which means "Alfred ordered me to be made". After decades of scholarly discussion, it is now "generally accepted" that the jewel's function was to be the handle for a pointer stick for following words when reading a book.

There were a number of silver-gilt replicas of the Alfred Jewel produced during the reign of Queen Victoria and were commissioned and distributed by Elliot Stock (a London bookseller and publisher).