Amiens No. 8

Enlart (1895: 34-36) refers to a design of medieval font in which a roughly hemispherical basin appears to be suspended in a quadrangular frame supported on angle colonnettes; Enalrt (ibid.) gives several examples of this design (Buleux, Fouencamps, Gentelles, Havernas, Equennes and Mirvaux, as well as five other such fonts "au musée d'Amiens". A communication from Pol Herman (e-mail of 21 September 2022) informs of four medieval fonts held in the Musée de Picardie at Amiens; this one is recorded in a 1912 B&W photograph in the Archives départementales de la Somme, provided by the Société des antiquaires de Picardie [code: 14FI1427 / P ROS 14/27] [https://archives.somme.fra/ark:/58483/1ksmh6RBlg5n] [accessed 24 April 2023]: the location of the font is given as "dans le jardin du Musée de Picardie". The inventory record of the museum notes: "Cuve baptismal[e] avec enscription et pied central. décor de feuillage", and gives measurements: "H. 0.92 -- L. 0.70 -- ep. 0.70"; inventory code: "HB GA 70". The font shown in the museum photograph consists of an octagonal basin decorated, as described in the inventory record, with a running inscription below the rim [transcription not available]; the base has a large rounded upper section with ribbed pattern around the upper half, narrow down below to a square lower base. No cover present but the upper basin rim has one metal staple from an old cover hardware, and evidence of damage caused by holes drilled to accommodate other metal staples.