Anglo-Saxon Bronze Small-Long Brooch

Comprising stylised bead head footplates and engraved and punched geometric decoration over the headplates and bodies; remains of pin lugs and catchplates to reverses. 97.6 grams total, 10.7-11.2 cm



From a Norfolk excavation in the late 19th century. Ex property of a Nottingham gentleman by descent.

Comprising a bell-shaped body, slot to the upper end, beast-heads to the lateral edges, median raised rib, scrolled detailing to the lower edge; two rows of punchmarks, each a triangle containing three pellets and a separate pellet to the apex. 24.2 grams, 64 mm



Property of a Yorkshire gentleman; found by his grandfather during ground working in the 1950s; thence by descent.

Comprising a rectangular headplate with two panels of chip-carved Style I ornament, flanking a beast-head with triangular muzzle and two pellet eyes, raised three-sided frame and outer band of pellets above beast-heads with lentoid eyes; the shallow bow with raised median rib, flanges to the edges and punched pellet detailing; footplate with beast-head between curved pellet lines, pierced horse-head lappets, lozengiform central panel with knot of Style I limbs; two lateral discs, one pierced to accept a stud and the other with a domed stud in place; the finial a disc with human mask inverted; pin-lug and part of catch to the reverse. 75 grams, 13.4 cm



Found whilst searching with a metal detector in Oving, near Chichester, West Sussex, UK, in 2001. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no. 200279.

The various elements of the brooch find similar counterparts on others in the series, such as the form of the bow which corresponds to those on brooches from Herpes (Pas-de-Calais, France) and Sarre (Kent) (Hines's plates 10, 11) and the outer band of masks on the headplate which can be found on a brooch from Tuddenham (Hines's plate 15).