Byzantine Bronze Bread stamp - 28 mm
00
days
14
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07
minutes
35
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Current bid
€ 250
Reserve price met
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Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 380 - € 450
 | €250 | |
|---|---|---|
 | €57 |
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This Byzantine bronze bread stamp, dating to the 6th–7th century AD, has an engraved circular face and a handle depicting a kneeling male figure, and measures 28 mm in diameter.
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Description from the seller
Rare Byzantine Bronze Bread Stamp with Figural Handle
Culture: Byzantine, Levant, 6th–7th Century AD
Material: Cast bronze
Weight: 20.41 g
Dimensions: Diameter 28 mm; total height 28 mm
A rare Byzantine bronze bread stamp featuring a distinctive design, comprising a circular base deeply engraved with decorative motifs and a sculptural handle depicting a kneeling male figure wearing an anklet, surmounted by a hollow suspension loop.
The engraved face displays a central motif enclosed within two concentric circular borders, surrounded by geometric marks and triangular strokes resembling Greek lettering. The central motif may represent a stylized benediction symbol associated with life and fertility, possibly depicting three grains or a simplified Christogram.
An additional engraved mark appears on one of the stamp’s arms, identified as the maker’s signature, reflecting an aspect of Byzantine stamp-making traditions, in which craftsmen used distinctive marks to identify their work or workshops.
Bread stamps were used during the Byzantine period to mark ordinary or Eucharistic bread before baking, conveying religious symbolism, blessing, or ownership. The combination of a figural handle and an engraved circular face reflects the artistic and functional traditions of Byzantine material culture in the Levant and Egypt.
The bronze exhibits a patina ranging from dark brown to green, with surface encrustations, while retaining the details of its engraved face and sculptural handle. It represents a striking example of small bronze objects that combined practical use with religious symbolism in the Byzantine period.
Condition: Excellent.
Acquired in 2025 from NUMIMANICA PRADOS, Spain, at the Madrid Numismatic Fair held on 27 June 2025.
Provenance:
The piece was previously part of a private collection in Spain, where it had been acquired from an art gallery in 1987.
This rare piece is accompanied by the original purchase invoice, Certificate of Authenticity, and Spanish Export Certificate.
Rare Byzantine Bronze Bread Stamp with Figural Handle
Culture: Byzantine, Levant, 6th–7th Century AD
Material: Cast bronze
Weight: 20.41 g
Dimensions: Diameter 28 mm; total height 28 mm
A rare Byzantine bronze bread stamp featuring a distinctive design, comprising a circular base deeply engraved with decorative motifs and a sculptural handle depicting a kneeling male figure wearing an anklet, surmounted by a hollow suspension loop.
The engraved face displays a central motif enclosed within two concentric circular borders, surrounded by geometric marks and triangular strokes resembling Greek lettering. The central motif may represent a stylized benediction symbol associated with life and fertility, possibly depicting three grains or a simplified Christogram.
An additional engraved mark appears on one of the stamp’s arms, identified as the maker’s signature, reflecting an aspect of Byzantine stamp-making traditions, in which craftsmen used distinctive marks to identify their work or workshops.
Bread stamps were used during the Byzantine period to mark ordinary or Eucharistic bread before baking, conveying religious symbolism, blessing, or ownership. The combination of a figural handle and an engraved circular face reflects the artistic and functional traditions of Byzantine material culture in the Levant and Egypt.
The bronze exhibits a patina ranging from dark brown to green, with surface encrustations, while retaining the details of its engraved face and sculptural handle. It represents a striking example of small bronze objects that combined practical use with religious symbolism in the Byzantine period.
Condition: Excellent.
Acquired in 2025 from NUMIMANICA PRADOS, Spain, at the Madrid Numismatic Fair held on 27 June 2025.
Provenance:
The piece was previously part of a private collection in Spain, where it had been acquired from an art gallery in 1987.
This rare piece is accompanied by the original purchase invoice, Certificate of Authenticity, and Spanish Export Certificate.
Details
Culture
Byzantine
Century/timeframe
6th–7th Century AD
Name of object
Bread stamp
Acquired from
Auction house
Year acquired
2025
Material
Bronze
Country acquired from
Spain
Condition
Excellent
Previous owner acquired from
Dealer at a fair
Height
28 mm
Previous owner - year acquired
1987
Width
28 mm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Spain
Depth
15 mm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
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