Kentish small square-headed brooch

Brent 1863, 315-6: The Fibulae. Of the two long fibulae the smaller is of silver, partly gilt, and set with garnets. In the centre of the upper compartment is a circular garnet, flanked by two others of a triangular shape; all three are bordered with gold. Down the centre runs a cross, at the arms of which are semicircular garnets, and the lower end of which divides, making a border round an oval garnet at the base. A treble beading follows the oblong shape of the upper part of the fibula, and a single beading runs down the sides of the cross. The larger example is of bronze gilt, and is a fine specimen of a class frequently found and described. Its length is nearly four inches, and the front is chased with a not unusual pattern.[Card 1 breifly describing both KAS 407 and KAS 408][Card 2] Square headed brooch, silver gilt, length 6.9cm. Headplate has plain gilt frame decorated at top with punched circles, and by an inner ungilded relief band filled with niello with a central zig-zag reserved silver. Between these two borders a pair of ridges tooled in 'light-and-shade' pattern. In centre a circular cell flanked by two triangles, and filled with flat-cut garnets on chequered gold foil. Short, shallow bow with nielloed relief bands at sides and running down centre making the cruciform division of the footplate. Tooled ridges between and on either side of relief bands. Footplate has relief band round edge, and semi-circular cells at sides at end of arm of cross, and drop-shaped cell at bottom - garnets on chequered gold foil. The top corners of footplate occupied by chip-carved design of 'helmet' style heads and legs. Pierced lugs on underside of headplate, one broken, to hold missing coil spring, catchplate small and simple.