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Click here to subscribe2nd-1st century BC. A bronze bow brooch of La Tène II type with flat-section bow, coiled spring, catchplate returned to the rear of the foot and extended as a serpentine fillet along the bow, coiled around the shank at the top. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. Cf. Hattatt, R. Ancient and Romano-British Brooches, Sherborne, 1982, items 6, 7. 12 grams, 71mm (2 3/4"). Fine condition.
3rd-5th century AD. A bronze openwork Kiev culture pendant with suspension loop at the top, arching body with triangle with circles at each corner and in the centre inlaid with red enamel, below a zigzag line connecting three triangular pendants. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. The Kiev archaeological culture was located in the basin of the rivers Dnieper and Visla; between the 3rd and 5th centuries; archaeologists connect this culture with historical ancestors of the Slavs. However, there are suggestions that in different regions of the Kiev culture ethnogenetic processes were not the same. In some cases, the Slavic component prevailed, whilst Baltic and others were dominant elsewhere. 17 grams, 68mm (2 3/4"). [No Reserve] Very fine condition.
3rd-5th century AD. A flat-section bronze Kiev culture mount with lateral loops, central openwork saltire, panels of red and yellow enamel inlay. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. The Kiev archaeological culture was located in the basin of the rivers Dnieper and Visla; between the 3rd and 5th centuries; archaeologists connect this culture with historical ancestors of the Slavs. However, there are suggestions that in different regions of the Kiev culture ethnogenetic processes were not the same. In some cases, the Slavic component prevailed, whilst Baltic and others were dominant elsewhere. 20 grams, 44mm (1 3/4"). [No Reserve] Fine condition, usage wear.
3rd-5th century AD. A large bronze Kiev culture openwork roundel with cross in the centre with pierced key pattern; to the edges curving claw shapes filled with white and red enamel; two suspension loops to the rear. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. The Kiev archaeological culture was located in the basin of the rivers Dnieper and Visla; between the 3rd and 5th centuries; archaeologists connect this culture with historical ancestors of the Slavs. However, there are suggestions that in different regions of the Kiev culture ethnogenetic processes were not the same. In some cases, the Slavic component prevailed, whilst Baltic and others were dominant elsewhere. 43 grams, 60mm (2 1/2"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
1st century BC-1st century AD. A hollow-formed bronze handle comprising a drum with ropework borders and lion-heads to the forward edge, pierced in two places, waisted handle to the rear with pentagonal C-section plaque and iron fixing pin. From an important London collection, acquired in the 1970s. 340 grams, 13cm (5"). Fair condition.
2nd century BC-1st century AD. A D-section bronze strip in three coils with incised collar and eye detail, perpendicular spiral finial. From a Surrey, UK, collection; formed before 2000. Cf. coiled bronze finials in Stead, I.M. et al. Iron Age and Roman Burials in Champagne,Oxford, 2006, fig.148, items 13-15. 6.77 grams, 23mm overall, 8.60 x 11.91mm internal diameter (approximate size British A, USA 0, Europe -, Japan -) (1"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
4th-6th century AD. A mixed pair of Eastern European bronze pendants comprising: one a crescentic plaque with expanding-arm cross finials, integral suspension loop, red-enamel disc to each finial and two interlocking panels to the obverse; one similar with the arms of the finials expanded into square plaques, central triangular enamel panel. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. 17 grams total, 49-51mm (2"). [2, No Reserve] Fine condition.
8th-9th century AD. A heavy round-section silver trichinopoly chain with gilt-bronze finials, each a canine head with pointillé detail to the upper face, two curved piriform ears with sockets to accept a glass or garnet insert, hatched panels above and below. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. pair of pins with chain and jewel in Youngs, S. (ed.) The Work of Angels. Masterpieces of Celtic Metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD, London, 1989, item 40 and cf. ibid. item 68. 47 grams, 30cm (11 3/4"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
6th century AD. A flat-section bronze plate brooch of a bird with curved beak, annular eye, hatched panels to the neck, claw, wing and tail; the body panel containing a stylised figure with piriform head; remains of pin-lug and catchplate to the reverse. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. See MacGregor, A. et al. A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, items 70.11-70.14 for type. Bird figures with a human face on the body or hip are a known feature of Germanic art in the 6th-7th century; a famous example is the raven appliqué on the shield in Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo, Suffolk, England. In the context of the royal burial, the image refers to the god Woden (Norse Óðinn) who travels in the form of a bird during the tale of the theft of the Mead of Inspiration. 4.40 grams, 32mm (1 1/4"). Very fine condition.
6th century AD. A gilt-bronze mount fragment formed as a bird with recessed eye and hooked beak extending to a piriform plaque with sheet silver appliqué. Found Sedgeford, Norfolk, UK, 1999. See discussion of animal mounts in Dickinson, T.M. Symbols of Protection: The Significance of Animal-ornamented Shields in Early Anglo-Saxon England, in Medieval Archaeology vol.49, 2005. 4 grams, 40mm (1 1/2"). Fine condition.
6th century AD. A parcel-gilt bronze disc brooch with central roundel, reserved arms and border, three recessed panels each with a Style I Tiermensch design; pin-lugs and catchplate to the reverse. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. 17 grams, 36mm (1 1/2"). Fine condition.
6th century AD. A gilt-bronze discoid button brooch of Avent & Evison's Class Aii with flared rim, concentric ridge and row of pellets, central human mask with chevron helmet, pellet eyes, voided scaphoid mouth and curved cheeks; spring, pin and catchplate to the reverse, old inked collector's accession number 'M52369'. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. See Avent, R. & Evison, V.I. Anglo-Saxon Button Brooches in Archaeologia, vol.CVII, 1982. The Anglo-Saxon button brooch is a small disc brooch decorated with a single human face mask, found mainly in southern England and occasionally in France. The identity of the face on these brooches has never been explained, though it may well represent either Wotan or Thunor, important gods of the pagan Anglo-Saxons. 4.59 grams, 20mm (3/4"). Fine condition.
6th century AD. A gilt-bronze button brooch with raised external flange, reserved Style I profile beast, remains of pin-lug and catchplate to the reverse. From an old Hampshire collection; found Dummer, Hampshire, UK, 1987. Cf. Avent, R. & Evison, V.I. Anglo-Saxon Button Brooches in Archaeologia, vol.CVII, 1982, item 33.2. The brooch is at the upper end of the size scale for a button brooch, and does not feature the customary facing mask design. There are parallels in Avent & Evison for the profile Style I head. The flange is more substantial than on may other examples of the type. 5.16 grams, 23mm (1"). Fine condition.
11th century AD. A gilt-bronze disc brooch with champ-levé cells to the face filled with red, white, pale blue and dark blue enamel in a scrolled design, satellite lugs each with a cell to the upper face; pin-lug and part of catchplate to the reverse. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. Cf. Hammond, B. British Artefacts vol.3 - Late Saxon, Late Viking & Norman, Witham, 2013, item 1.1.1.-l. 4.22 grams, 25mm (1"). Fine condition, one lug absent.
9th-11th century AD. A mixed group of bronze items comprising: a leaf-shaped strap end with beast-head finial, lobed upper edge with fixing hole, some niello inlay; a D-shaped openwork Winchester style strap end; a pair of broad-end tweezers with suspension loop. Found Suffolk, UK. 15 grams total, 31-59mm (1 1/4 - 2 1/4"). [3, No Reserve] Fair condition.
6th-7th century AD. A suite of parcel-gilt silver belt fittings comprising: forty-one heart-shaped domed plaques, each with a recessed chevron to the obverse, three studs to the reverse; two domed discoid plaques each with parcel-gilt beaded border, three studs to the reverse; three domed silver plaques, each with a stud to the reverse; two leaf-shaped silver plaques, each with a parcel-gilt dish to the centre, three studs to the reverse; a silver strap end with raised piriform bulb and parcel-gilt outline, three studs to the reverse attached to a bronze plate. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. 136 grams total, 17-62mm (3/4 - 2 1/2"). [49, No Reserve] Fine condition.
7th century AD. A bronze bow brooch with D-shaped headplate and heater-shaped footplate; the headplate with addorsed beast-heads and incised frond detailing; the bow keeled; the footplate with lateral lappets and incised frond detailing, scrolled lateral wings and piriform finial; remains of catchplate to the reverse. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007, item I.33.3.1. 28 grams, 94mm (3 3/4"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
7th century AD. A large bronze openwork bow-brooch decorated with six animal-heads with opened mouth and incised decoration: two large ones emerging on both sides of the headplate facing downwards with their tongues touching the back of smaller animal-heads emerging from the footplate; two pairs of animal-heads springing from both sides of the footplate facing each other with their tongues formed as a single line; finials on the top and bottom decorated with dots and serrated border. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. Cf. Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007, items III.20.2-4. 33 grams, 10.5cm (4"). [No Reserve] Very fine condition.
6th century AD. A flat-section bronze plate brooch formed as a pair of conjoined bird-heads on a common neck; each head a drum-shaped panel with central incised point and concentric border, waisted head with curved beak; the neck and body with alternating ring-and-dot motifs and panels with a chip-carved concentric spiral; catchplate, pin-lugs and part of spring to the reverse. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1980s and 1990s. Cf. MacGregor, A. et al. A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, item 69.4. S-brooches were one of the primary forms of decoration worn during the sixth century. They are found in Langobardic graves in the middle Danube, Pannonia and northern Italy. By the second half of the sixth century they had become one of the most common type of brooches across Europe with variants worn in the Rhineland, northwestern France, Scandinavia and Anglo-Saxon England. The creatures on the majority of these brooches are conceived as having bird heads, but some have elongated jaws that are drawn from a northern Germanic repertoire of forms that are believed to be dragons. 7.28 grams, 28mm (1"). Very fine condition.
6th century AD. A bronze openwork disc brooch with four stylised bird-heads, ring-and-dot eyes and one to the centre; pin-lugs and base of catchplate to the reverse. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, item 47.6. 14 grams, 39mm (1 1/2"). [No Reserve] Fine condition, usage wear.
6th-7th century AD. A bronze openwork disc with four circular holes and four slots, bifacial design of concentric bands of punched points to the border and incised linear designs. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. Nice, A. Revue Archéeologique de Picardie: La Nécropole Mérovingienne de Goudelancourt-lès-Pierrepont (Aisne), Senlis, 2008, fig.244. Possibly a rouelle or chatelaine plaque used as part of the furniture of a display belt or girdle. 20 grams, 45mm (1 3/4"). [No Reserve] Extremely fine condition.
6th-7th century AD. A flat-section discoid bronze plaque with reserved cross, central void, ring-and-dot motifs to the border and arms; pierced lug and three studs to the reverse. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. 16 grams, 44mm (1 3/4"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
6th-8th century AD. A rectangular bronze mount with hole to each corner for attachment, openwork advancing griffin with raised tail. From a Surrey, UK, collection; formed before 2000. Cf. Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, items II.4.2.1-7. 7.11 grams, 33mm (1 1/4"). [No Reserve] Fair condition.
10th-11th century AD. A pair of bronze tortoise brooches decorated with Borre style pattern, pin to the back; attached to brooch is a double rosette spacer with chain extending to other tortoise brooch; from the other rosette spacer hang two more chains, one with a needle case with openwork scroll pattern above, and one with a decorated lunate pendant. Property of a professional collector; acquired before 1990 For similar oval brooches see Arbman, H. Birka I: Die Gräber, Uppsala, 1940, plate 62-63. The most characteristic items of female Viking jewellery are the pairs of oval brooches, sometimes called tortoise brooches, from their shape, found in many women's graves from the Viking Age. As in this example the tortoise brooches themselves were sometimes chained together. These chains suspended from the pair of brooches also supported utilitarian objects such as tweezers, ear spoon, scissors and a seax, as well as amulets. Sometimes the brooches suspended strands of beads of glass, silver, amber or jet. 363 grams, 1.08m total length (42"). Fine condition. Rare.
9th century AD. A complete woman's brooch and pendant assemblage comprising: two bronze oval brooches, each domed with raised ornament, wide flange, ferrous remains of the pin to the reverse; suspended from the lower edge of each brooch a triangular openwork spacer plate with three tiers of red and green glass tubular beads, the lower tier with a discoid pendant plaque with bands of raised pellets; three double-link chains running between the plates; three more chains from each plate with an amuletic or decorative pendant comprising a bronze model knife in its sheath, a silver(?) dirhem coin, an iron model dog with punched decoration, a latch-lifter key, a pair of bronze crotal bells, a stone disc or spindle whorl. Property of a London businessman, from his grandfather's collection formed after World War II; thence by descent 1972. See MacGregor, A. et al. A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, item 4 for oval brooches; cf. Ewing, T. Viking Clothing, Stroud, 2007. Women's display jewellery in the Viking age comprised both utilitarian and symbolic items. The brooches were worn high on the chest, supporting an apron-type overdress (hangerok) with the beads and chains strung between them and various small items attached. The pendants probably symbolised the authority of the female in the domestic sphere (key, coin, spindle whorl), in husbandry (model animal, crotal bells, model knife"). 572 grams total, brooches: 62mm (2 1/2"). Fine condition, cleaned and conserved.
8th century AD. A gilt-bronze box brooch formed as a hollow drum-shaped casting with ornament to the obverse and sidewall; the high-relief designs comprising three radiating panels of Oseberg Style 'gripping-beast' motifs with a dome at the centre and three to the beaded border; the slightly sloping sidewall with four panels of S-shaped animals with interlaced tendrils, separated by beaded borders; to the reverse, the perimeter flange supported by two integral blocks supporting the catchplate and pin-hole respectively, the latter damaged and replaced by a second offset hole. Property of a UK collector; formerly in a European collection, acquired 1980s. Supplied with a positive X-Ray Fluorescence metal analysis certificate. Cf. MacGregor, A. et al. A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, item 1.1. Accompanied by an Art Loss Register certificate. Stylistically this is a very early type of box brooch, with a lower and flatter profile than the examples from the Viking age (9th-11th century AD"). 43 grams, 49mm (2"). Fine condition. Rare.
10th century AD. A bronze bow brooch with hollow conical bow and symmetrical arms; the bow with central stud and geometric pattern on arms ending in lozenge shaped terminals. Property of a professional collector; acquired before 1990. Cf. Arbman, H. Birka I: Die Gräber, Uppsala, 1940, plate 98, items 3-5. 30 grams, 76mm (3"). Very fine condition. Rare.
8th-11th century AD. A bronze pendant depicting a horse with traces of green enamel decoration on the body, on the back a large head facing forward with lentoid eyes and suspension loop to the top. Found Winteringham, Humberside, UK, 2011. In Norse belief Valhalla, meaning Hall of the Slain, was a huge hall in Asgard which was ruled over by Odin. It was here that dead warriors were led by the Valkyries to join the masses of those who have died in combat and are known as Einherjar. It is in Valhalla that various legendary Germanic heroes and kings live, and together with the dead warriors they prepare to aid Odin during the events of Ragnarök.This pendant is a rare depiction of a slain warrior being taken to Valhalla, depictions of this sort are normally found on rune stones such as the Tjängvide stone from Gotland. 3 grams, 27mm (1"). Fair condition.
7th century AD. A flat-section gilt-bronze pelta pendant with notched border, triangles filled with punched-point detailing, crescents to the lower edge, central figure of a bird with extended wing. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. pelta-shaped gilt-bronze bridle fittings from Sutton Hoo Mound 17 in Carver, M. Sutton Hoo. A Seventh Century Princely Burial Ground and its Context, London, 2005, fig.113, item 25e-ii. The profile bird with hooked claw and divided tail is a motif used in England and Scandinavia in the 6th-7th century AD. It appears on the shield of the king in Mound 1 at Sutton Hoo and on the equipment of the contemporary burials at Vendel, Valsgärde and elsewhere in central Sweden. 9.94 grams, 64mm (2 1/2"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
9th-10th century AD. A bronze brooch in the shape of a galloping horse with rider on its back wearing a small cap and holding a bow and arrow. Property of a London businessman, from his grandfather's collection formed after World War II; thence by descent 1972. 7.30 grams, 34mm (1 1/2"). Fine condition.
10th-12th century AD. A bronze Scandinavian type 'arrow cross' pendant with integral loop, decorated with facing bearded male face in the middle and four raised dots on each arm. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. 5 grams, 34mm (1 1/4"). [No Reserve] Very fine condition.
10th-11th century AD. A bronze enkolpion or pectoral cross with pierced lug above, raised linear borders enclosing a facing Corpus Christi with cross above the head. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. 8.23 grams, 50mm (2"). [No Reserve] Fine condition, small chip to lower edge.
10th-11th century AD. A bronze cruciform pendant with pierced lug above, raised border and high-relief Corpus Christi in robe with ridged sleeves, expanding-arm cross above the head. Property of an Austrian gentleman; acquired before 1990. Cf. Kutasov, S.N. and Seleznjov, A.B. Natelneyje Kresty, Krestovkliuchennye i Krestovidnye Podveski X-XIV Vekov, Moscow, 2010, p.49, items 1A-1B. 5.66 grams, 48mm (2"). [No Reserve] Very fine condition.
9th-12th century AD. A bronze pendant of a standing male with arms to the sides, hands formed with separate thumbs, D-shaped head with heavy brow and spike above; pierced lug to the reverse. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. Cf. Sedov, B.B. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhi Srednevekovija, Moscow, 1987, table XCVII, item 1 for type. 5.42 grams, 31mm (1 1/4"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
9th-11th century AD. A restrung group of red and yellow glass beads, with five bronze crotal bells evenly spaced, and circular pendant decorated with raven with outspread wings, with modern clasp. Property of an American collector; acquired 1980-2000. Cf. Arbman, H. Birka I: Die Gräber, Uppsala, 1940, plate 122, items 1g-h, 2l, 10e. 52 grams, 56.5cm (13 1/2"). Fine condition.
11th-12th century AD. A flat-section bronze plaque with Y-shaped reinforcing strip to the reverse, formed as a male in decorated tunic sitting cross-legged with his hands in his lap probably touching his genitals; pierced beneath the shoulders with usage wear from a cord or strap; angled flange to the lower edge; possibly the god Freyr. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. See Williams, D. Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts, York, 1997. The position of the two holes and the flange to the lower edge are typical features of Anglo-Scandinavian stirrup mounts of the 11th century AD (Williams, 1997"). The present piece is atypical of this artefact class due to the thinness of the flange and the presence of the reinforcing strip. However, the overall similarity to several types of stirrup mount is striking. Freyr, together with his twin sister Freyja, was one of the most important Viking gods of prosperity, peace, fertility and the sun. Adam of Bremen wrote in his Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum that he was worshipped together with Thor and Woden (Odin) in the famous temple at Uppsala and that he was fashioned with an immense phallus. Also, libations were made to this image when a marriage was performed, probably to ensure the prosperity of the newly-wed couple. In later Icelandic sources, the best know myth is his marriage with the beautiful giantess Gerdr, who was wooed for him by his servant Skirnir. However, Freyr gave his sword to Skirnir in exchange for undertaking this mission, which turned out to be a crucial decision because without it he would lose his life in battle against the fire-giant Surtr. Apart from sword, Freyr also owned the magical ship Skidbladnir and the boar Gullinbursti, both made by dwarves. In the late Icelandic tale Ögmundar tháttr dytts there is a mention of Freyr's statue being carried in a wagon around Sweden accompanied by a young priestess; this indicates that the local people believed that Frey was alive and would need to have a sexual relationship with his wife. 11 grams, 42mm (1 1/2"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
11th century AD. A bronze stirrup mount of Williams's Class A Type 3 with high-relief image of a standing male encircled by a serpent; two small holes above the lower edge, ledge to the reverse, apex loop absent. Property of a Suffolk gentleman. Cf. Williams, D. Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts, York, 1997, p.36-9. 29 grams, 50mm (2"). Fair condition.
8th-9th century AD. A flat-section discoid bronze harness or shrine mount with central raised cell, a cross formed as four lobes with Insular Style knotwork motifs between; each arm with a facing male piriform mask within a border, the hair a panel of vertical billets, T-shaped panel to the brow and nose, lentoid eyes and voided scaphoid mouth; remains of two ferrous attachment studs. Found South Yorkshire, UK, October 2015. Cf. Youngs, S. (ed.) The Work of Angels. Masterpieces of Celtic Metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD, London, 1989, items 113 (Insular Style harness mounts), 134 (facing angel with Insular Style surround"). The appliqué may have formed part of a harness or bridle furniture. The Insular Style was common to religious foundations in parts of Britain and Ireland in the 8th century. 20 grams, 48mm (2"). Fine condition.
9th-11th century AD. A group of three bronze mounts in the form of heads with the hair pulled to either side of the face and curling at the ends. Property of a London businessman, from his grandfather's collection formed after World War II; thence by descent 1972. 9.93 grams, 16-17mm (3/4"). [3, No Reserve] Fine condition.
10th-13th century AD. A mixed group of bronze patrix dies for the production of sheet-metal ornaments comprising: a trefoil with central triangle; a rosette of six bulbs; a rosette of four shorter and four longer petals; an octagon with raised ribs; three elliptical plano-convex types; a plano-convex roundel with segmented surface; two truncated pyramids; two plano-convex rectangles. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. 47 grams, 13-18mm (1/2 - 3/4"). [12, No Reserve] Fine condition.
12th-13th century AD. A bronze dagger pommel cap with low-relief image of a griffin; Baltic workmanship. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. For similar style see Korshyn, V.E. Yazcheskye Priveski Drevnei Rusi X-XIV Vekov, volume III, Moscow, 2013, item K-110. 30 grams, 26mm (1"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
12th-13th century AD. A flat-section bronze Slavic die with billetted border, upper row of arcading, second row of scrolled tendrils, third row of opposed winged beasts, bottom row of geometric and ladder motifs; pierced near the upper edge; Kievan Rus workmanship. Property of an American collector; acquired 1980-2000. Supplied with a positive X-Ray Fluorescence metal analysis certificate. For similar design see Kolchin, B.A. and Makarova, T.I. Drevnyaya Rus', Byt i kultura, Moscow, 1997, plate 48, plate 112, items 1-3. This type of a patrix die was most likely used to create ornaments on wide bracelets worn by the Kievan Rus nobility. Motives were influenced by a Byzantine, Slavic and Viking art, creating an interesting mosaic of several art styles and symbols. The most popular were zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figures, foliage decoration and various interlaced motifs. 24 grams, 52mm (2"). [No Reserve] Very fine condition, one corner chipped.
12th-13th century AD. A bronze Slavic plano-convex patrix die with scoop to one edge, figure of two addorsed birds flanking a plant motif within a border. From an old Munich collection; acquired on the German art market before 2000. The die was used for the production of sheet-metal kolt pendants, items of women's jewellery worn at the temple. 59 grams, 41mm (1 3/4"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
9th-11th century AD. A gold pendant with coiled filigree conical bottom, flat-section wall and filigree handle, ornamented with granulation and filigree detailing. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. Meaney, A. Anglo-saxon Amulets and Curing Stones, Oxford, BAR British Series 96, 1981, p. 166-168. Pendants in the form of miniature buckets have been found in a number of pagan Anglo-Saxon and Viking contexts and are generally made of bronze or iron, with gold examples being rare; three gold examples were found with the hoard from Hoen, Norway. Bronze bucket amulets have been found at Driffield in Yorkshire, and Vimose bog in Denmark, among other places. In form they represent wooden buckets bound with bronze or iron bands which have been found in Anglo-Saxon and Viking graves and are believed to have held mead or ale and were used to replenish the cups from which warriors drank. As amulets they probably represent the ecstatic power of alcoholic drink and the role of women as the dispensers of these precious beverages. 2.55 grams, 16mm (3/4"). [No Reserve] Very fine condition.
12th-13th century AD. A mixed group of axehead pendants comprising: a silver broad axe with curved edge; a bronze pelta-shaped axe-head with pellets to each face; a pelta-shaped plaque, pierced at the neck with pointillé border, incised ring and star. Property of an American collector; acquired 1980-2000. Cf. Korshun, V.E. Yazcheskye Priveski Drevnei Rusi X-XIV Vekov, volume I, Moscow, 2013, item D-64. 7.48 grams total, 19-28mm (3/4 - 1"). [3, No Reserve] Fine condition.
9th-11th century AD. A group of bronze rings comprising: one with three plaits of metal; another with four spirals adjacent to one another. Property of an American collector; acquired 1980-2000. Cf. Thunmark-Nylén, L. Die Wikingerzeit Gotlands I.: Abbildungen der Graubfunde, Stockholm, 1992, plate 285, item 6. 14 grams, 26-28mm (1"). [2, No Reserve] Fine condition.
9th-11th century AD. A pair of bronze rings, each an oval-section rod with thickened median panel with faux-twist effect, one with closed loop and the other penannular with butted ends. Property of a London businessman, from his grandfather's collection formed after World War II; thence by descent 1972. 19 grams total, 24-30mm (1 - 1 1/4"). [2, No Reserve] Fine condition.
10th-11th century AD. A gilt bronze discoid Scandinavian type pendant (also widespread in the historical Rus, Middle Dnieper region), with integral loop, pelletted border enclosing a low-relief image of a male face between two birds, grasped by arms at the necks, small loop to the top. Property of an American collector; acquired 1980-2000. Cf. Korshyn, V.E. Yazcheskye Priveski Drevnei Rusi X-XIV Vekov, Moscow, 2013, item M.2.02. 2.92 grams, 29mm (1"). [No Reserve] Fair condition.
9th-11th century AD. A flat-section gilt-bronze lunate pendant with ribbed suspension loop, raised border with two rows of triangular teeth with faux-granule detailing. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. Sedov, B.B. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhi Srednevekovija, Moscow, 1987, plate C, item 6. 1.69 grams, 23mm (1"). [No Reserve] Very fine condition.
10th-11th century AD. A bronze cruciform pendant with pierced lug above, raised border and high-relief Corpus Christi in robe with ridged sleeves, knotwork motif to the chest, expanding-arm cross above the head. Property of a German collector; acquired in the 1990s. Cf. Kutasov, S.N. and Seleznjov, A.B. Natelneyje Kresty, Krestovkliuchennye i Krestovidnye Podveski X-XIV Vekov, Moscow, 2010, p.49, items 1A-1B. 6.7 grams, 48mm (2"). [No Reserve] Fine condition.
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