Messages

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 31, 2015, 01:20:05 am »

Thanks for your kind words! I will defiantly get back to you!

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 30, 2015, 12:43:16 pm »

Thanks for your help everyone I really appreciate it! If I get any sort of confirmation I will share it!

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 29, 2015, 10:20:55 am »

Thank you all again for your thoughts. Personally I don't believe the patina to be applied, I don't know if any of you know much about antiques in France, but there really is no market for this sort of item. If I had bought it outside of France or somewhere there was tourist trade, I could agree. But why would any one go to the trouble of ageing this cross that has little value even if real. Also both antique dealers thought it was correct and both had other objects that they were quick to say were not old.  antiques are not hard to come by in France, and religious things are a dime a dozen.

I think I will take the cross to a local museum and see what they think. 

Thank you for all your time it is sincerely appreciated

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 29, 2015, 12:11:52 am »

Thank you once again for your thoughts!

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 28, 2015, 02:08:52 am »

Thank you all very much for taking the time to share your thoughts and knowledge. I have attempted to take several more photos in natural like and I hope they were what you were wanting. A close up shot of the cross is a little difficult because of its size, but i have done my best. Also it is a very gloomy week here in Paris so the natural light is not as vibrant as it could be. I think i will have to post the new photos in two lots of 3.

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 27, 2015, 05:44:21 am »

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I don't see the "mold" lines that your talking about and neither of the antique dealers mentioned it. One i was paying, but the other was giving a free evaluation, and both were certain of its age (i am just a sceptic and am looking for further confirmation from others who might collect these objects). I tested the cross at your suggestion with a magnet and it was not magnetic at all. Does this mean the cross is not iron?

Thank you for your time and attention it is greatly appreciated!

Jaymee

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 25, 2015, 02:47:03 pm »

This is the best I could get. Don't ask me why he scratched letters (BM). I also am including a photo of the back of the cross and one of a white "fissure" that might give more of a clue as to what the cross is made from/age.

Thank you for your help!

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Antique Questions Forum / Byzanthian cross 6th - 12 century

« on: October 25, 2015, 09:06:20 am »

Hello everyone and thank you for taking the time to read my post.

I live in France and brought this cross at an antique dealers (a hole in the wall affair nothing fancy but very cool) for 100 euro (he wanted 150). The seller said that it was Carolingian/ Charlemagne era (800s) but from looking on the internet I think it is Byzantine (800s). The seller thought it was made of iron, but another antique dealer thought it was made of Copper (he scratched it and it was reddish under the patina). The object doesn't come with provenance because it was purchased unknowingly with a job lot.

I would love to know if anyone has seen similar crosses, if they agree with the age, and what metal they think it is. Also how do these kinds of objects usually come to be found?

Thank you so much for your time, help and guidance

Jaymee

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Figure of Black Madonna, what metal is it? And Is that a makers mark do u think?

« on: May 16, 2012, 12:02:15 am »

Thanks everyone, the black coating was most definitely not meant to be there, non of the patterning on her robe was visible under the gunk.  I know that she is a souvenir piece as Douvres-Deliverande is a big pilgramage site, but I don't know from when.  Dourves was an important place during the 2 world war as well, have any of you got any suggestions on how to date her? I will be planing my own pilgramage to Dourves when i have a free weekend, and see if any of the souvenirs there match her.

Thank you so much for you time, and if you have any more insights, I would love to hear them. I am so happy to have found this board as I have a real love of antiques but no nothing about them.  I am really lucky to live in France as they have the best 'brocantes' here, got a big one again on sunday so hoping to dig up some more 'treasure'!  

Kind Regards
Billy

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Figure of Black Madonna, what metal is it? And Is that a makers mark do u think?

« on: May 15, 2012, 10:41:55 am »

Thanks Cogar, i scratched inside the base like you suggested and it made silver lines.  I just got a knife and rubbed the point back and forth, is that what I am supposed to do?

Regards

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Antique Questions Forum / Figure of Black Madonna, what metal is it? And Is that a makers mark do u think?

« on: May 15, 2012, 06:13:08 am »

Hello everyone,

I recently brought this tiny (2inch) tall figurine from a market in France. It was completely black when I brought it and I cleaned it with foil in boiling water and baking soda.  Written on the figurine is ND (Notre Dame) De La Delivrande.  On the back on the hem of her dress is marked VM and either two numbers (05, 66, 65, something like that) or letters OS.  I would like to continue cleaning her, but gold colour is coming through the 'copper' colour now. I am thinking maybe brass with a copper coating? (I have no idea). 
I have attached the pictures to see if you guys can hazard a guess to age, metal and to see if in your opinion the marking to the left is an eroded markers mark or just a scratch? The metal is not magnetic at all and is pretty heavy for its size. 





Thankyou so much for your time