Title

Fibula. Possible provenance Castiltierra

Anonimous

Generic classification

Object

Date

Century

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Inventory Number in Current Collection

Object history

From the late 1920s and early 1930s, numerous objects from the Visigothic necropolis of Castiltierra (Fresno de Cantespino, Segovia) began to appear on the market. The plundering was perpetrated mainly by some Castilterranians eager to make a fortune with the pieces, by the owner of the land and by Juan García Sánchez, who claimed to have discovered the site (Arias and Balmaseda, 2015). It is difficult to specify who was responsible for this piece leaving the country. Therefore, we put forward several hypotheses: first, we know that Félix Moreno, administrator of the estate, sent pieces to the owner of the land, who lived in Madrid. He was looking to make a lot of money from the find, so he contacted some dealers and antique dealers in Madrid to sell them the objects. On the other hand, we find a multifaceted figure such as Juan García Sánchez. Despite the apparent collaboration he gave to the Junta Superior de Excavaciones y Antigüedades (Superior Board of Excavations and Antiquities) by delivering some pieces from the site that he had bought from the Castilterranos, he also traded with them. The money he obtained from the National Archaeological Museum of Madrid seemed scarce, so he looked for other buyers who were willing to pay a higher amount.

Emilio Camps (1934) pointed out that they were appearing "in the antiquities market of Madrid abundant Visigothic specimens that were given as coming from Castiltierra". Therefore, if we consider Camps' words and the proximity of Madrid, it is most likely that the piece was found there before being sold abroad. In the early 1940s it was in the hands of Tomás Harris, son of Lionel Harris and Enriqueta Rodríguez y León. His father had founded in 1898 The Spanish Art Gallery, a firm dedicated to the sale of works of art. When Tomás started in the paternal business he was engaged in the diamond and jewelry trade (Martínez Ruiz, 2018). His interest in goldsmithing guided many of his acquisitions, something that can be seen in this piece. Tomás traveled on numerous occasions in Spain, so it is possible that he acquired it in the capital.

Later, on November 5, 1945, the owner of the Brummer Gallery, Joseph Brummer, bought from The Spanish Art Gallery the following pieces from Castiltierra: "14 fibulae, 7 belt broaches, 2 small eagles, 1 small deer, 1 beed necklace, 3 pottery jars, 5 rings, 35 fragments and various nails etc" (The Brummer Gallery Records, P16076). Brummer died in 1947, at which time his estate was put up for sale. Thereafter the collection was dispersed.

Parke-Bernet Galleries acquired most of the pieces and auctioned them in May 1949 in lot 341: "Collection of Visigothic bronze ornaments, from Castilnueva. Comprising fourteen chased bronze fibulae with segmental heads; seven belt buckles; seven small rings ornamented with bosses; four plaquettes, of which two are inlaid with colored glass paste; twelve penannular bracelets; and fourteen small buckles, beads and other fragments" (Parke-Benet Galleries, 1949).

Could these two fibulae have been part of the Parke-Bernet Galleries auction in 1949? We do not know what collections they were in during those years. However, in 1966 the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts used part of the Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams collection for their acquisition.

Description

The item consists of two bow fibulae with semicircular heads adorned at their edges with five protrusions, each originally designed to hold cabochons intended to secure glass inlays. One fibula has retained all its glass inlays, while the other preserves only three. The body, fusiform in profile, features six circular protrusions along the sides and an additional one at the end, also intended to house glass inlays. The decoration consists of incised geometric motifs covering its entire surface. Such pieces were used in attire as brooches or pins to fasten garments.

Locations

• Mid VI^th c. - Second quarter of the XX^th c.

  archeological site

  Visigothic Necropolis of Castiltierra, Castiltierra (Spain)

• Second quarter of the XX^th c.

  dealer/antiquarian

  Art market, Madrid, Madrid (Spain) *

• ca. 1940 - 1945

  dealer/antiquarian

  The Spanish Art Gallery, London, London (United Kingdom) *

• 1945 - 1947

  dealer/antiquarian

  Joseph Brummer, New York (United States) *

• Third quarter of the XX^th c.

  private collection

  Adolph D. y Wilkins C. Williams, Richmond (United States) *

• ca. 1966 - present

  museum

  Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond (United States)