Indian Iron Dagger with Glass Hilt

Double-edged long sword (spatha) of type Osterburken-Kemathen; the blade with squared shoulders, broken into two parts for sacrificial reasons, tapering towards the point; sturdy tang partially preserved; wooden traces of the scabbard and hilt still visible; accompanied by a bronze outer rim of a scabbard; restored. 630 grams total, 78 cm long



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.

The deliberate fragmentation of a sword, often into three pieces, was a symbolic act of ‘killing’ the weapon, which was then placed as a grave good or offered in a ceremonial context. This was a Germanic custom already visible in the Vandal Przeworsk culture around the 3rd or 4th century A.D., which continued in Northern European areas until the 5th and the 6th centuries A.D.

With slightly carinated equator to the globular body and tubular shaft. 456 grams, 90 mm



From the collection of North West London, UK, gentleman, early 2000s.

Lentoid in form with raised figure of a coiled snake to one face, possible legend to reverse. 31.2 grams, 31 mm



Private collection, Austria. Private collection, Europe.