BROOCH

Large dragonesque brooch, complete apart from the end of the pin. Both head and foot are identical, each in the shape of a 'dragon' head. The eye is made from a bold ring-and-dot, and the curled-up snout ends in a circular lobe decorated with five punched dots (unclear on the foot due to corrosion). The ears are formed from an oval lobe divided into two by a tall ridge; either side of the ridge are champlevé cells for enamel. These have a keyed surface but all the enamel is now missing. The neck and foot curve in towards a widened body which is decorated with more champlevé cells, also now empty. A longitudinal cell wall follows the S curve of the body, with three transverse cell walls in the centre forming four square cells. The reverse of the body is slightly hollowed. A bar runs between the middle of the body and the chin of the head; this feature is found on other dragonesque brooches and probably gives greater strength. The copper-alloy pin survives; the loop is made by wrapping one flattened end into an elegant one-and-three-quarter coil spiral. The outside of the spiral is decorated with a pair of longitudinal grooves. The rest of the pin is bent into what is probably an original curve (to accommodate thick cloth) and about half is missing. Very dark green/brown patina. This is a native British type, most common in the north.