Lot Archive

Lot

№ 721

.

29 November 2001

Hammer Price:
£60

South Africa, Zululand, c.1900, a bronze religious medal, half-length figure of Christ facing, rev. standing figure of the Virgin Mary facing, otatshatwe unganindiweyo sikulekele, 40mm. Very fine; with ring and loop for suspension (£70-80)

The Zulu legend translates ‘Hail Mary, the Chosen One, the Undefiled, pray for us’. Extremely unusual and the first medal of this kind seen by the cataloguer. The Marian imagery and inscription suggest it was made for a Roman Catholic mission