An English carved oak misericord 15th century Carved with the face of a grotesque bat with a large hanging tongue, flanked by scrolling roses, 51cm wide, 14.5cm high, 10cm deep Footnotes: The term 'misericord' is derived from the Latin word for 'mercy'. These wooden brackets were set on the underside of the hinged choir-stalls, so that when the seat was folded away, they offered a discreet support to standing monks during long services when standing was required. They were often carved with worldly subjects but even though they didn't serve a religious function, they could have a moralising undertone. The present lot with the smooth surface to the seat suggests it had served its function for some considerable time. The grotesque face is similar to the grotesques that adorned church facades, and the stylised roses make it clear the present misericord comes from an English church. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TP TP For auctions held in Scotland: Please refer to the catalogue and/or after-sale information or contact Edinburgh@Bonhams.com for more information. For all other auctions: Lots will be moved to an offsite storage location (The Packengers, Unit 9, Abbey Mead Industrial Park, Brooker Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1HU, England, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue and/or after-sale information, sent out to all buyers post-sale. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 10 calendar days from the auction date. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing