English, second half 15th century

Excavated in 2007 in Great Gaddesden, Dacorum area, Hertfordshire

True to the nature of the soft metal and the plaquette being in the ground the object is slightly distorted and worn throughout. There are several bends, nicks and scratches, particularly around the edges. The back displays several nicks were there has been pressure on the metal. A larger scratch runs from the middle of the left side upwards. The main bending points are just right of the centre on the top edge, just below the centre of the right edge and in the centre of the lower edge. Part of the niello is lost but some of it still clearly picks out the borders. A trace of enamel is visible on the Lord's crown. There is a small ledge to the top of the plaquette.
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The present, exceedingly rare Medieval mount is engraved with the Holy Trinity and illustrates the seated figure of God the father holding the crucified Christ according to the iconographical type, known as the 'Throne of Mercy'.  Traces of the original enamel work remain in the recesses of the piece indicating that originally the entire mount was enameled. 

The engraving and iconography can be compared to the reverse of the Middleham Jewel now in the Victoria and Albert Museum and sold at Sotheby's on the 11 December 1986 for £1,300,000. The Cloisters, New York also holds and engraved English gold mount in their collection of an earlier date (circa 1485) with a Holy Trinity. The later date of the present mount accounts for its greater sophistication in both design and execution when compared to the Cloisters' cross.

The mount was discovered in Great Gaddesden, near Ashridge. It is recorded that Henry VIII and the young princess Elizabeth visited Ashridge, the latter passing through when she was called to court. Additionally, both the parish church and the medieval nunnery, St. Margaret's priory, were in the vicinity of the find in the 16^th century.

RELATED LITERATURE
P. Barnet and N. Wu, The Cloisters: Medieval Art and Architecture, New York, 2005, no. 100, p. 139