Large Medieval Bronze Dagger Pommel

A nearly complete short-sleeved ring armour composed of interlocking links in the four-through-one formation with alternating rivetted rings. 4.71 kg, 65 x 75 cm



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.13041-248010.

The rings are arranged in rows, and the links within the same row do not join. Instead, each ring connects to two rings in the row above and two in the row beneath. A great majority of all-rivetted mail comes from Southern Scandinavia and Northern Europe, notably Sweden, northern Germany and Poland. All-rivetted mail already occurs there during the Roman Iron Age, and continues into the Migration, the Vendel, and then the Viking periods. Rivetted rings were usually fabricated by shaping metal wire into a circle with the ends overlapping several mm. Here, the riveted rings seem to be of reshaped oval form.

Biconical in profile with casting seam and reserved legend 'ΣΟΜA' to one face, 'HPAKAEI' to reverse, with the possible meaning 'Body of Herakles'. 29.8 grams, 29 mm



Acquired on the German art market before 2000. Private collection, Munich, Germany.

The principal varieties of the inscriptions found on sling bullets are: 1) the name of a man, a place or a person; 2) the name of a deity, sometimes on its own and sometimes in connection with ‘victory’; 3) words conveying orders, jokes or sarcasms. Here the inscription connects the power of the bullet to the mythical god of strength.

Lentoid type with one end deformed on impact; raised legend '[.]MEP' to one face and 'NA[..]' to the other. 26.6 grams, 25 mm



Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.