This badge depicts a Popinjay (parrot). Parrots were a rare and prized bird in the middle ages and would be the preserve of the nobility. Badges similar to this one are accompanied by amatory mottoes such as 'Amor Vincit Omnia'(love conquers all), indicating that these badges were lover’s tokens, with the recipient presumably being favourably likened to the beauty of the parrot. Only later did the term ‘Popinjay’ become associated with vanity & conceit.

Original in major London Museum.

14th - 15th century.

72mm (tip of tail to top of head)