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LOT 1026
Iron Age Celtic La Tene Dagger
1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.
13 3/4 in. (525 grams total, 35 cm high including stand).
Featuring a gently curved single-edged iron blade and one-sided fuller, curved handle with knot pommel; mounted on a custom-made display stand.
ProvenanceDutch art market.
Private collection of K.S., Cologne, Germany, acquired 1996.
Cf. Tasic, N., Scordisci and the native population in the Middle Danube Region, Belgrade, 1992, nos.84-90, and especially no.88, for similar specimen in iron; Various, I Daci, Catalogue of the exhibition, Milan, 1997, cat.113.
FootnotesOne of the military insignia of a Celtic warrior was the war-knife, usually between 33 and 35 cm long. For example, in the collection of Celtic military equipment from Galish-Lovachka, the archaeologists have found a short sword with an X-shaped handle (l = 41 cm), two middle La Tène swords (72.5 and 75 cm long), 12 large curved knives, 27 spearheads, two javelin heads, 14 arrowheads, and nine iron chain belts for hanging a sword. The war-knife was also used for hunting, as a spare weapon, or to cut the throat of an enemy in a surprise attack.
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Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Group
13th-6th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Comprising four large triangular-shaped arrowheads, each with a raised midrib. 129 grams total, 14-15.5 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
Although different in shape, these four heads are apparently related types of a polythetic group. There are represented two basic deltoid forms: one has a sharp, flat blade, the ends of which extend to form wings or barbs, and a prominent midrib extending into a long tang that often has a stop; the blade shape varies from deltoid to more manifestly triangular. The other form has no barbs, but it has a prominent midrib extending to the tang, it is narrow and leaf shaped. -
Chinese and Greek Bronze Arrowhead Group
Circa 3rd century B.C.-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Comprising two triangular-section Greek arrowheads; a gilt triangular-section arrowhead with short tubular socket. 18.9 grams total, 24-40 mm
Acquired in the 1980s-1990s. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman. -
Viking Age Iron Bearded Axehead
9th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
Hand-forged with triangular-section narrow blade widening to a broad bevelled edge with square chin, socket with lateral flanges and rounded panel to the rear. 359 grams, 12.4 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
The axe seems to belong to the typology of Viking side axes of Wheeler type B (Wheeler III / Rygh 559). Usually these bearded axeheads (skeggöks) had a longer edge, designed to split tree trunks into planks and beams, or heads in two parts. Some of the bearded axes were known as halfÞynna öx, the neck on such 'half thin axe' was thinly forged, to make it lighter.
