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LOT 1196
Anglo-Saxon Disc Brooch Pair
5TH-7TH CENTURY A.D.
1 3/8 in. (28 grams total, 37 mm each).
A matching pair of bronze disc brooches, each comprising a discoid plate decorated with a chip-carved outer circle and quincunx of dot-in-ring motifs; pin lugs and catch plate to reverse. [2]
ProvenanceFound near Ixworth, Norfolk, UK, 1970s.
Ex UK collection.
Property of a Portsmouth, UK gentleman.
Accompanied by an old descriptive dealer label.
Cf. MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E., A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, item 4.41, for type.
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AUCTIONS:
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Anglo-Saxon Chip-Carved Saucer Brooch with Face of Woden
5th-8th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,210
A superb chip-carved saucer or button brooch with extensive remains of gilding, displaying a stylised male face with puffy cheeks, large ears, long moustache, raised pellet eyes of different sizes, hair dressed in vertical ribs alternating plain and textured, some chevron and pellet patterning to the face; stub remains of catch fitting to reverse. 5.2 grams, 23 mm
Fine condition, slight scuffing to rim and one cheek.
Found UK. Acquired in the 1990s. From a North Yorkshire private collection, UK.
The brooch does not fall neatly into Avent & Evison's typology, being somewhat larger than the standard forms of button brooch and with an unusually detailed face. Broadly, it resembles Class J with alternating plain and textured vertical strands in the hair but does not have the horizontal band across the brow nor the stylised beard associated with the type. The eccentric placement of the eyes suggests that the image may be the face of the god Woden (Odin) who famously sacrificed one eye in exchange for wisdom. -
Saxon Cruciform Bow Brooch
6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £114
A bronze cruciform brooch comprising a rectangular headplate with trapezoidal lateral panels, collared knop above, punched pellets to the outer edges, relatively shallow bow, slender footplate with scrolled lappets, transverse ribbing, beast-head finial with trefoil muzzle; pin-lugs and catchplate to reverse. 32.1 grams, 11 cm
Fine condition.
Acquired Munich, Germany, late 1990s. Property of an East London gentleman.
The brooch is rather more dainty than the majority of the cruciform types, with a thin bow and small catch to the reverse. -
Anglo-Saxon Gilt Double-Axe Shield Mount
6th-7th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £254
A bronze mount with gilded lozengiform central element and T-shaped 'axe' extensions; the lozenge with three-band collars, punched bands to the edges and central quatrefoil motif with pellets to the ends; two thick mounting lugs to the reverse, one with its mounting rove in place. 7.5 grams, 45 mm
Fine condition.
Found Hertfordshire, UK. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Benet's Artefacts of England & the United Kingdom pages where it is published.
