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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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AUCTIONS:
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North-West Persian Bronze Short Sword with Blood Channels
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £150
Shaped as a two-edged bronze blade, leaf-shape with short rectangular tang with fastening hole, corrugated midrib extending almost to the tip and flared at the shoulder. 439 grams, 44.2 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
The metalworking techniques used in making bronze weapons in Luristan were very complex. Surfaces were often finished in repoussé work, and some of the weapons were chased and others engraved. Many of the graves dating from the era of Kassite hegemony contain bronze and iron artefacts, including various type of weapons. These swords with shallow fullers tapering to a sharp tip have been dated by P.R.S. Moorey to the end of the 2nd millennium B.C. -
Late Roman Iron Sword of Herulian Type
5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,500
The double-edged spatha with parallel-sided blade and pointed tip, battle nicks to both cutting edges; the hilt and tang extending over the blade as a tight-fitting sleeve; remains of rivet on the tang. 604 grams, 89 cm
Ex private collection of Mr M.B., Mainz, Germany, since the 1980s. Acquired from the above, 2004. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no. 11939-210916.
This sword belongs to the group of spathae of late Roman typology, widespread among the Germanic and Abkhazian foederati, and garrison troops of the Northern Black Sea and Caucasus. These swords could have been the prototypes of the Eastern Roman spathia, classified in the Strategikon of Pseudo-Mavrikios as Herouliskia (Herulian swords) for their connections with the Germanic mercenaries bearing them in service with the Roman army. -
Luristan Sar-e Tabar Socketted Axehead
2nd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
With plain cylindrical socket and staff, off-set at the base, of simple undecorated shape with a long lentoid-section D-shaped blade with scooped profile. 465 grams, 18 cm
Earlier 20th century collection. Mayfair, London gallery, UK. Dr D.G. collection, 1990s-2019.
Many examples of bronze axeheads are attributed to the Luristan culture and various shapes have been discussed by different scholars. Moorey (1971, pp.39-41) shows similar axeheads, stating that the texts executed on some specimens have shown them made of arsenical bronze, and attributes them to the late 3rd millennium B.C. or 2nd millennium B.C., period in which this alloy was used abundantly.
