138 - A RARE AND ELABORATELY INLAID BONE BELT BUCKLE PLAQUE WITH AN EAGLE, MEROVINGIAN GAUL, 6TH CENTURY AD

A RARE AND ELABORATELY INLAID BONE BELT BUCKLE PLAQUE WITH AN EAGLE, MEROVINGIAN GAUL, 6TH CENTURY AD Frankish Kingdom. The slightly curved bone plaque finely carved and richly embellished with polychrome multi-material inlays, depicting a highly stylized eagle in profile. The bird is distinguished by its powerful hooked beak and prominent circular eye, the latter formed by a reddish-brown agate cabochon centered by a gold boss. The head and body are densely set with individually shaped inlays of agate, mother-of-pearl, colored glass, and other materials, creating a remarkably vivid polychrome effect. The elongated body is articulated by an intricate arrangement of overlapping, scale-like elements, while the wings are rendered by deeply carved parallel feathers interspersed with rows of blue glass inlays. Further circular and irregularly shaped cabochons enrich the composition, with three raised inlays forming a crest above the head. The reverse fitted with a curved metal element, once associated with the original fastening mechanism. Provenance: Collection of Paolo Bertuzzi, acquired from the above. A copy of the signed invoice from Bruno Cooper, dated 27 October 2002 and addressed to Paolo Bertuzzi, confirming the dating and attribution above, and stating a purchase price for the present lot of GBP 9,800 or approx. EUR 22,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was a fashion stylist from Bologna. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother’s business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than sixty years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, signs of prolonged burial, traces of weathering, encrustations, small chips, minor losses, and light warping. The bone with a fine, naturally grown patina with areas of malachite coloration, likely resulting from prolonged burial in contact with or in close proximity to copper or copper-alloy objects. Weight: 46.6 g Dimensions: Height 10 cm The heraldic eagle draws on the imagery of Roman imperial power, adopted by the kingdoms that emerged across Europe during the Migration period. Particularly favored by the Goths, eagle-shaped fibulae combined the practical function of fastening garments with conspicuous personal adornment. Their hooked beaks, emphatic eyes, and richly colored inlays transformed the bird into a striking emblem of authority and prestige. Elaborate examples formed part of the dress of high-ranking women, sometimes worn in pairs at the shoulders. Sixth-century Gaul was shaped by the expansion of the Frankish kingdom under the Merovingian dynasty. During the preceding century, the Visigoths had established a powerful kingdom centered on Toulouse, encompassing much of southwestern Gaul and extending into Spain. Clovis’s victory at Vouillé in AD 507 brought much of their territory in Gaul under Frankish rule, while the Visigoths retained Septimania along the Mediterranean coast. Merovingian art developed amid this meeting of Roman traditions and the cultures of the successor kingdoms. The Visigothic eagle fibula excavated at Cutry in northeastern Gaul illustrates the presence of these ornaments far beyond the kingdom of Toulouse. Against this background, the present example’s carved bone framework, contrasting colored inlays, and patterned breast panel offer a distinctive interpretation of the richly embellished eagle. Due to length restriction on Drouot this entry is shortened. For full description please visit www.zacke.at.