This silver cornerpiece from an Anglo-Saxon binding sold for £7000 at Bloomsbury Auctions.
Depicting the evangelist John (‘Iohannis’) pointing to a copy of his Gospel, this is a silver cornerpiece from an Anglo-Saxon binding thought to date from the 9th century.
In the roundel itself John’s attribute of an eagle can be seen over his shoulder, while three animal masks, which the cataloguer suggests are probably a pair of roaring boars and, pointing downwards from the roundel as seen here, a snake with bulging eyes.
Just over an inch (3cm) square, this little piece of Anglo-Saxon metalwork sold at £7000.
