Ashmolean Museum Oxford
by The Bill Skinner Studio
Tax included in product price. Excludes shipping, calculated at checkout
Designed exclusively for the Ashmolean Museum by celebrated jewellery designer Bill Skinner, this stunning gold brooch is inspired by the Alfred Jewel. Thought to have been commissioned by Anglo Saxon king Alfred the Great during his 9th century AD reign, the Alfred Jewel is one of the museum’s most beloved historic artefacts.
Crafted to closely resemble the famed royal relic, this designer brooch has been cast in glittering 14K gold plated brass and features a genuine freshwater pearl, a luxurious addition to the original design.
The central image, a figure believed by historians to represent the sense of sight, is hand enamelled and protected by a clear optical acrylic lens. Just like the iconic Alfred Jewel itself, this brooch is ringed with the openwork inscription AELFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN, which translates to ‘Alfred ordered me to be made’. The brooch is completed with a gold-plated dragon’s head-like design at its base while a secure brooch pin with locking C clasp keeps it firmly in place, giving the owner peace of mind when wearing this precious jewellery item out and about.
A beautiful addition to a jacket or cardigan and ideal for fastening a scarf, this unique craftsman made gold brooch with pure white pearl detail is the perfect gift for the most stylish of history buffs and will be instantly recognisable to Ashmolean visitors, who will undoubtedly love what is widely regarded as among the most treasured pieces in the museum’s vast collection. Quite unlike any other piece of commercially available jewellery, this brooch is a real talking point and is bound to be treasured for a lifetime.
Unearthed in 1693 during the ploughing of a field, what is now known as the Alfred Jewel was discovered in North Petherton, Somerset, just a few short miles from Athelney Abbey from where King Alfred the Great (r. 871 – 899) launched his counter attack against the Great Army of the Vikings. The Alfred Jewel is believed to be the handle of an Anglo Saxon aestel, or pointer, used to help readers follow the text in religious manuscripts. It’s generally thought that the dragon’s head portion of the Alfred Jewel would have held the aestel’s stick-like pointer, likely made of ivory and held in place by a rivet. Made of filigreed gold, the Alfred Jewel features a delicate cloisonné enamel decoration, in turn protected by a slice of rock crystal, or quartz. Over a thousand years old, the Alfred Jewel features an inscription that indicates that the aestel was probably commissioned by King Alfred himself, the only British Monarch to have been honoured with the title ‘the Great’.
Materials: 14k gold-plated brass, enamel, & acrylic with a fresh water pearl
Dimensions: approx 5cm length
Shipping to United States of America is now available
Pickup
Our Pickup service is a convenient way for you to order online and collect your purchase in person at the Museum. Simply select the Pickup option at checkout.
You will be notified when your order is ready for collection. Please don't come to the museum to collect until you have received the email notification. We ask that you collect your Pickup order from the Ashmolean Shop (Level -1) before 4pm.
Once you have received the collection notification, we will hold your order for you up to 2 weeks. Please ensure that you visit the Museum to collect your order within 2 weeks.
The Online Shop team operates between Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, so please allow time for us to prepare your order for collection, particularly at busy times of the year. We aim to have your order ready for collection within 72 hours.
Delivery Information
The Online Shop team operates between Monday-Friday 10:00-16:00, so please allow time for us to prepare your order for dispatch before contacting us. We aim to dispatch your purchases within 3-5 working days and you will receive an email notification when your order has been dispatched. In addition, while we endeavour to get your parcel to you as quickly as possible, you may experience delays through your local postal service.
All products excluding Print on Demand prints:
All our UK orders are dispatched via Royal Mail First Class post or DHL, and the shipping cost will be calculated at checkout based on the weight of the items included in the order.
All International orders are dispatched using DHL DAP service. This means that we will only charge you for the cost of shipping. We offer a flat rate of shipping according to the delivery address location. Additional local duties and taxes charges, such as Goods and Services Tax (GST), may be applicable and will be calculated and charged to the recipient during customs clearance. The duties and taxes will be calculated according to the value, Country of Origin, and product type of the order contents, as well as local VAT.
Customs policies vary for each country, so it is advised you contact your local customs office for further information.
Delivery Costs and Timeframes:
UK 1st Class: delivery 2-5 business days from dispatch
- Small – Medium parcel (<1,999g) – shipping cost £5.00
- Medium – Large parcel (2,000g – 5,000g) – shipping cost £8.00
Europe: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays). PO Box addresses cannot be accepted.
- Flat rate (2,000g maximum) – shipping cost £24.00 (does not include taxes and duties)
Rest of World: approximately 3-11 business days from dispatch (customs clearance may cause delays). PO Box addresses cannot be accepted.
- Flat rate (2,000g maximum) – shipping cost £28.00 (does not include taxes and duties)
Weight Restrictions
There is 5kg weight restriction for UK orders, and a 2kg weight restriction for International orders. If your order exceeds this weight, please contact the Online Shop team so that we can organise a quote for special delivery: onlineshop@ashmus.ox.ac.uk
Further information on our delivery options and returns policy can be found in Shipping & Returns.
