Neerhespen / Bas-Hèpe / Hasbina / Hesbines / Hespinne/Hespine / Nederhespen

Described and illustrated in Ronse (1929) as a massive basin supported now only on a plain broad cylindrical shaft, although it originally had four pairs of angle colonnettes, a pair at each angle, of which only the stumps have survived; he notes images of angels sounding the judgment trumpets at the angles of the basin, while the sides show the Resurrection of the Dead, the latter noted also in Nordström (1984: 83). Described and illustrated in Drake (2002): "Neerhespen [...] is unique among Mosan fonts, its only parallel the Tournai font of Châlons-sur-Marne [...]. Four angles blow oliphants, one at eaxh corner, while on each face, the same scene is played out, the dead rising from their tombs, summoned to judgment by the angels' call. The lay-out of the tombs and the positioning of the resurrected souls varies on each side. Unlike its Tournai cousin, the Neerhespen bowl is round, not squareand the angels hold their oliphantson their left side instead of the right; the size of the Châlons font allows a greater number of resurrected to be shown but the message of death, resurrection and judgment is the same in both cases" [source: Drake (ibid.) and Drake's letter to BSI, 26 August 1998]. Noted and illustrated in KIK-IRPA, Brussels (2015), with date 1126-1150. Catalogued and illustrated in Ghislain (2009) as a baptismal font of the Namurois group, filiation Furneaux, made of limestone (calcaire de Meuse) ca. 1150-1155; the font has lost its eight outer colonnettes and retains only the broad central shaft; moulded capitals and bases remain in place at the underbowl and lower base; the lower base has a lanceolated leaf at each of the four angles; the four scenes are similar but not identical; at each corner is an angel with an oliphant facing right, a number of little human figures stepping out of tombs on the sides proper. Like Drake [cf. supra], Ghislain (ibid.) remarks on similarities with the Tournai font of Châlons-sur-Marne, as well as treatment of details common with the fonts at Othée and Saint-Séverin-en-Condroz.