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LOT 0331
Anglo-Saxon Gilt Bronze Great Square-Headed Brooch
6TH CENTURY A.D.
5 3/4 in. (100 grams, 14.5 cm).
Of Hines's Group X with rectangular headplate featuring low-relief bird-heads and a raised piriform mask to each upper corner; shallow bow with raised ribs and a stud to the centre; triangular footplate with coiled horse-head lappets forming the shoulders, lateral lobes (one detached) with sheet-silver surface, inverted facing mask to the finial; remains of ferrous pin and catch to the reverse.
ProvenanceFound near March, Cambridgeshire, UK, circa 2015.
LiteratureCf. Hines, J., A New Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Great Square-Headed Brooches, London, 1997, pl.33(b).
FootnotesA close match to the features of the March brooch is not recorded in Hines's corpus, but the very distinctive isosceles triangle footplate with sharp shoulders appears on the example from Little Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire (Hines's pl.33(b). The facing masks in the upper corners of the headplate also appear on an example from Driffield (Hines, 1997, pl.82(a).
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AUCTIONS:
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Anglo-Saxon Gilt Bronze Great Square-Headed Brooch
6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,160
Of Hines's Group XIII with running scrolls on the headplate surrounded by a border of beast-masks, deep bow with raised ribs, curved horse-head lappets and lateral lobes with facing masks, median panel of Style I ornament; remains of ferrous pin to the reverse and deep catch; some silver detailing; finial absent. 77.9 grams, 11.5 cm
Found near Thetford, Norfolk, UK, circa 2010.
This brooch falls within Hines's Group XIII and shares many features with an example from Nassington, Northamptonshire. The headplate bears a raised rectangular frame (possibly silvered) separating the inner scroll motif from the outer band of animal-masks which are pierced along the inner edge; the lappets are also pierced at the point of junction with the footplate. The lateral lobes feature facing masks of a helmetted type similar to those featured on contemporary button brooches. -
Anglo-Saxon and Viking Bronze Strap End Group
Circa 8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Comprising examples recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme: one of Thomas Class A Type 1, an Anglo-Scandinavian type with a zoomorphic scheme displaying a crouching beast; a second Thomas Class A type with elliptical plan, depicting the snout and eyes of a beast at one end, the creature's ears laid back against its body; a further Thomas Class A Type 1 example with two rivet holes, displaying an entwined beast with head in relief and remains of niello; four without PAS records comprising: one triangular in plan with entwined beast design and remains of niello; one tongue-shaped with design in relief and two rivet holes; a tapering strap end with crude zoomorph and one chipped edge; one entwined beast with possible cruciform design and remains of tinning or silvering. 30 grams total, 29-44 mm
Found Berkshire, UK. Accompanied by a copies of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report nos.BERK-A8E9E7, BERK-12A995, and BERK-A70390. -
Saxon Bronze Strap End Group
7th-9th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
Mainly zoomorphic in form, including examples with remains of niello and enamel inlay, together with a mount displaying a central roundel featuring a geometric motif in silver inlay. 22.1 grams, 21-38 mm
Acquired on the UK market, 1990s. Property of a retired academic.
