Spur 'from the field of Agincourt'
Spur
15th century (made), late 19th century or early 20th century (altered)
15th century (made), late 19th century or early 20th century (altered)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
An iron rowel spur embedded in a tree root setting with an applied brass plaque claiming it came from the battlefield of Agincourt. However, the root has been softened and bent around the spur, rather than growing naturally
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Spur 'from the field of Agincourt' (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | 15th century iron rowel spur embedded in a fake root setting with a brass plaque claiming it came from the battlefield of Agincourt |
| Physical description | An iron rowel spur embedded in a tree root setting with an applied brass plaque claiming it came from the battlefield of Agincourt. However, the root has been softened and bent around the spur, rather than growing naturally |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | English, on a brass plaque applied to the root:
'From the field of / Agincourt / Fought on the day / of / Crispin Crispianus / 25th Oct[ober] 1415 |
| Gallery label | SPUR
15th century in a 19th century setting
Said to have been found on the battlefield at Agincourt
Although the spur is genuine, the root in which it is lodged has not grown around it but has been softened in water and bent around the object. Other examples purportedly from sites of important English battles have similarly inscribed plaques. |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Major Victor Alexander Farquharson |
| Object history | Investigation of the wood in the 1960s established that it was probably spruce, not known to grow in the area of the Pas de Calais. A virtually identical spur, also set in a tree root with a similar plaque mentioning another famous battle was sold at auction in 1962. |
| Historical context | These interesting antiquities are likely to have been produced by an antique dealer specialising in arms and armour. In the 1920s spurs were relatively cheap and the dealer came up with an ingenious idea to boost the value of plain spurs. |
| Association | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.484-1927 |
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| Record created | June 14, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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