Overview

Brian Spencer, former Keeper of the Museum of London, was a major scholar of medieval popular culture. He almost single-handedly established the study of pilgrim souvenirs and secular badges. He defined what these objects were and ascertained their function, manufacture, style, and iconography with a careful use of primary documents and intricate stylistic analysis. He identified every major souvenir and badge discovered in Great Britain during the last few decades. He also made prominent contributions to the field of seal matrices, gaming pieces, and horse paraphernalia. What bound all of these interests together was his understanding that the study of these artefacts could shed light on the beliefs and practices of a large number of people. This is reflected in the frequency with which his work is cited. This volume is a collection of essays written by those who worked with Brian directly and those with whom he corresponded.

Full Product Details

Author:   Sarah Blick
Publisher:   Oxbow Books
Imprint:   Oxbow Books
Dimensions:   Width: 17.00cm , Height: 2.00cm , Length: 24.20cm
Weight:   0.689kg
ISBN:  

9781842172353

ISBN 10:   1842172352
Pages:   208
Publication Date:   08 July 2007
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements Preface A Select List of Brian Spencer's Publications Geoff Egan Obituary 1. Brian Spencer: Born April 18th 1928. Died April 3rd 2003 Richard Spencer 2. The Expert and the Collector Brian North Lee 3. Brian Watson Spencer's Good Work H. J. E. van Beuningen 4. The Depiction of St James Compostela on Seals John Cherry 5. Pilgrim Ampullae of York Minster and the Healing Oil of the Shrine of St William Katja Boertjes 6. A Pilgrims' Badge and Ampullae Possibly from the Chartreuse of Champmol Jos Koldweij 7. Crossing the Pilgrimage Landscape: Some Thoughts on a Holy Rood Reliquary from the River Tay at Carpow, Perth and Kinross, Scotland Mark A. Hall 8. Amulets: Prescriptions and Surviving Objects from Late Medieval England Peter Murray Jones 9. Imaging Sant Magi: Souvenirs of a Catalan Pilgrimage Graham Jones 10. The Portable Pilgrim: Possible Links Between the Iconography of Early Romanesque Tablesmen and Church Sculptures, and a Review of Some Elements of the Gloucester Tables Set Malcolm J. Watkins 11. The Cat in the Badge - the Iconography of Late Medieval Bicaudal and Other Felines... Malcolm Jones 12. Pilgrimage and Protest: Badges at the British Museum Relating to Thomas of Lancaster and Isabella, Queen of Edward II James Robinson 13. King and Cleric: Richard II and the Iconography of St Thomas Becket and St Edward the Confessor at Our Lady of Undercroft, Canterbury Cathedral Sarah Blick

Reviews

This volume comes at an important time. Not only does it commemorate Brian Spencers seminal work in bringing pilgrims souvenirs and other similar small objects to serious scholarly attention, but it also signifies a next step in the study of these items. -- Medieval Review Medieval Review The book is a fitting tribute to a great curator and friend to so many. -- Minerva Minerva

This volume comes at an important time. Not only does it commemorate Brian Spencers seminal work in bringing pilgrims souvenirs and other similar small objects to serious scholarly attention, but it also signifies a next step in the study of these items.' -- Jennifer Lee Medieval Review 2008 The book is a fitting tribute to a great curator and friend to so many.' -- Nigel Mills Minerva 2008

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edited by Sarah Blick

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