Stumped

[Nick martin]

Good evening all.

I'm contemplating remaking this little beauty of a pendant.. If and when I can figure out how it's constructed!

It's a find I made last week, and it's an Anglo-Saxon gold pendant. As a gift I'd like to remake it in silver for the farmers wife as they've allowed me to keep this one myself.

It's easy to see how it's constructed as such but I'd like to ask all you experts your advice on a few points.

1. How would you form the bezel section as it appears that the suspension loop & bezel are in one part? The loop looks like it's simply been folded back over and shaped at the end, then soldered onto the back.

2. How would you suggest I make the corrugations / ridges on the suspension loop? Using a punch?

It's not a great design as it doesn't secure the cabochon at the top, but it's a typical design from this period, so for authenticity I'm hoping to replicate it as closely as possible.

Many thanks for any advice offered,

Nick

[Dennis]

Hi, Nick, obviously make it in copper first, because you will need several attempts to replicate it.

Make the bezel like an upside down capital T, using thin metal, say just 2.5mm.

Make the parallel striations on the leg of the T by gently tapping a blunt knife with a light hammer, on what is to be the inside of the loop. (A very unprofessional trick, for amateurs.) Professionals would chase it with a chasing punch. Do it on a softish pad, like plywood or a cutting mat. Mark out the lines with dividers first.

Then before the stone has been set, with the striations to face uppermost, the leg of the T can be bent back loosely and soldered. After setting the stone, the loop you have formed can be shaped more.

The back plate could have a random hammer texture. After trimming it guided by the soldered on bezel, carefully make the indented border using a blunt centre punch.

This would be my approach subject to a learning curve.

Congratulations on finding this interesting piece. Dennis

[Patstone]

I used to live on a farm that was originally the Bishop of Exeter's summer Palace back in the 1300's and I always dreamt of finding something of historical interest. We regularly had people digging up the fields around the ruins of the palace and around our house which dated back to the same period. part from a few coins which ended up in Exeter museum that was about it. Your pendant is lovely, are you a!lower to keep it or is it "treasure trove". What is the stone, must be something valuable I would think, Where did you find it, on a historical site or just a random find. Good luck with the replication, rather you than me.

[pearlescence]

Treasure Act 1996
Any individual (non-coin) find that is at least 300 years old and contains at least 10% gold or silver.
You have two weeks to report the find to the local coroner. An inquest led by the coroner then determines whether the find constitutes treasure or not. If it is declared to be treasure then the owner must offer the item for sale to a museum at a price set by an independent board of antiquities experts (Treasure Valuation Committee). Only if a museum expresses no interest in the item, or is unable to purchase it, can the owner retain it.

[Nick martin]

I used to live on a farm that was originally the Bishop of Exeter's summer Palace back in the 1300's and I always dreamt of finding something of historical interest. We regularly had people digging up the fields around the ruins of the palace and around our house which dated back to the same period. part from a few coins which ended up in Exeter museum that was about it. Your pendant is lovely, are you a!lower to keep it or is it "treasure trove". What is the stone, must be something valuable I would think, Where did you find it, on a historical site or just a random find. Good luck with the replication, rather you than me.

Your old home would be my dream place to live, wow! I'm a complete history fanatic and also get involved in amateur archaeology with groups in my area.

I found this in North Yorkshire where there has been lots of Roman / Saxon activity over the centuries.

Nick

[Nick martin]

All in hand, and all beig processed as we speak. Whilst this is a very nice item of historical interest, and of interest to the local area, I'm confident that the BM will return it to me as undeclared.

This is the 3rd similar pendant I've found over the years, and the others have also been returned as of no interest to the BM. They literally have dozens, if not hundreds of them as this was a very common design ( although high status ) throughout the Saxon period.

I provide the farmer and his family with all sorts of services for free, declare everything I find and in lots of instances give them to the family in display cases, and they are also good friends which is why they are more than happy for me to retain the pendant upon its return.

Nick

Treasure Act 1996
Any individual (non-coin) find that is at least 300 years old and contains at least 10% gold or silver.
You have two weeks to report the find to the local coroner. An inquest led by the coroner then determines whether the find constitutes treasure or not. If it is declared to be treasure then the owner must offer the item for sale to a museum at a price set by an independent board of antiquities experts (Treasure Valuation Committee). Only if a museum expresses no interest in the item, or is unable to purchase it, can the owner retain it.

[Nick martin]

Dennis.. you're a genuis, thank you!

Never considered forming the bezel as a T-shaped piece so many thanks for that. Incredibly useful. Will also take your advice on the striations and forming the piece in copper first.

Will post the results on here once done.


Thank you,

Nick

Hi, Nick, obviously make it in copper first, because you will need several attempts to replicate it.

Make the bezel like an upside down capital T, using thin metal, say just 2.5mm.

Make the parallel striations on the leg of the T by gently tapping a blunt knife with a light hammer, on what is to be the inside of the loop. (A very unprofessional trick, for amateurs.) Professionals would chase it with a chasing punch. Do it on a softish pad, like plywood or a cutting mat. Mark out the lines with dividers first.

Then before the stone has been set, with the striations to face uppermost, the leg of the T can be bent back loosely and soldered. After setting the stone, the loop you have formed can be shaped more.

The back plate could have a random hammer texture. After trimming it guided by the soldered on bezel, carefully make the indented border using a blunt centre punch.

This would be my approach subject to a learning curve.

Congratulations on finding this interesting piece. Dennis

[Dennis]

Thank you Nick.
Bending back the bail neatly is the only challenge I can foresee and being me, I would want it slightly swaged lengthwise as well.
The wider the strip, the more difficult it will become.

Interestingly I can only guess it was designed like that to avoid soldering and the other end is probably fused on. Dennis.

[Patstone]

The only trouble living in an old house is the wildlife that also inhabit the cob walls!!!!!!!!! they keep you awake at night. We had a resident ghost, don't normally believe in things like that. When my daughter was small she often said that an old lady used to tell her bedtime stories, which of course I put down to childish imagination. When my marriage fell apart after my daughter left home, ex hubby met someone else and got married. Among the guests was a male very
down-to-earth houseguest who was admiring some work my ex had done. In the lounge on his own when an elderly lady said to him "I don't like it", needless to say he ran out of the house and wouldn't go back in.