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LOT 1468
Luristan Bronze Short Sword Blade
2ND-1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
18 3/4 in. (341 grams, 47.5 cm).
With double-edged blade with central midrib, lateral extensions at the shoulders, and short tang. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceProperty of a London gentleman; acquired London art market, 2000s.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Roman 'Crown Type' Sword Hilt Guard
1st century B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Ellipsoid in section with central slot to accept the tang; scooped 'cocked hat' profile to the broad faces, with horizontal rounded band to the lower edge. 17.6 grams, 47 mm
Found Tuesday 1st April 2025 in Wenham Parva, Babergh, Suffolk, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.SF-92FBDC. -
Saxon Sacrificed Iron Spatha with Bronze Chape
5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £600
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. -
Medieval Iron Single-Edged Dagger
12th-14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
With thick straight back and tapering cutting edge with swept tip, flat tang pierced for attachment of organic scales, one rivet in situ. 320 grams, 38.6 cm
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s. From an East Anglian, UK, private collection. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
