Luristan Bronze Axehead

Featuring a gently curved single-edged iron blade and one-sided fuller, curved handle with knot pommel; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 525 grams total, 35 cm high including stand



Dutch art market. Private collection of K.S., Cologne, Germany, acquired 1996.

One 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.

Each with a long and narrow blade, the longer of square section, the shorter rectangular, each fitted with traditional slender, straight hilt, guard and finger-ring. 657 grams total, 85-106 cm



Acquired from Czerny's Auctions, Italy, 2016, lot 280. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by a copy of Czerny's invoice and listing.

The rounded two-piece skull joined along the crest with a high medial comb, internally fitted with a quilted canvas lining sewn to a leather lining-band, the brow with a fixed rounded peak, outward-flanged rear edge with a matching one-piece neck guard, hinged cheek-pieces flanged outwards at the lower edge to serve as a continuation of the neck-guard. 1.7 kg, 29 cm



with Thomas Del Mar Ltd, 7th December 2017, lot 542. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the Thomas Del Mar invoice. 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 search certificate number no.11762-203983.

The burgonet (Italian borgognotta) had developed at the beginning of the 16th century from the sallet and soon became a very popular helmet worn in many parts of Europe (especially in Germany and Northern Italy) by infantry and later cavalry units. A clear advantage of this helmet was the unifying a good protective function against cut and thrust weapons with a unhindered field of sight, good ventilation and user comfort due to the small weight and the fact it could be worn independently without an armour.