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LOT 1451
Margiana Bronze Axehead
LATE 2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.
7 1/4 in. (289 grams, 18.3 cm).
With a narrow neck and rounded bill-shaped blade, rounded wings to the socket and square-headed stud behind.
ProvenanceEx Abelita family collection, 1988.
LiteratureCf. Gorelik, M., Weapons of Ancient East, IV millennium BC-IV century BC, Saint Petersburg, 2003 (in Russian), pl.XXI, no.84, from Afghanistan; Cf. Gernez, G., L’armament en métal au Proche et Moyen-Orient: des origines a 1750 av. J.C., Paris, 2007, fig.2.16, subtype H2.J.b.
FootnotesThese categories of axes were of Oriental production, coming from the territories of Bactria and Margiana, occasionally imported in Elam and Luristan. The anthropomorphic and zoomorphic patterns are sometimes visible, as well as the button at the back of the heel (very common) are related to examples of Luristan, but the style differs markedly.
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LOT 1451
Margiana Bronze Axehead
Estimate £300 - 400€350 - 460 (for guidance only)$410 - 540 (for guidance only)
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Viking Age Sword with Engraved Mammen Style Hilt
8th-9th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,500
Pattern-welded, double-edged tapering blade with a tapering tang; the boat-shaped lower guard, pommel, and upper guard decorated in Mammen Style with silver inlay; professionally conserved. 955 grams, 90.5 cm
Some light pitting in evidence along with minor edge loss, some delamination visible on the blade’s surface; professionally treated and preserved according to Museum’s standard.
From the Bornhauser collections. Ex A. Green private collection. Ex Balticum. with Army of Tennessee Relics, Knoxville, USA. Accompanied by an Army of Tennessee certificate of authenticity dated 5th October 2017. 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.12021-214091.
This beautiful Viking sword (probably a river find) shows engraved decoration in Mammen style (700-800 A.D.) and is an early type A according to the Petersen’s typology and classification. This category of swords evolved from the swords of the Vendel Period in Scandinavia, especially from the Swedish ones. Petersen originally individuated eight examples of this sword’s typology, one of the first categories of Viking swords, although these swords were also widely used in the Carolingian Empire. -
Byzantine Iron Spathion Sword
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £845
An Eastern Roman spathion with long, double-edged parallel blade, a tapering, medium length tang, retaining possible remains of the fabrica mark in the middle, near the rivet hole for the handle. 698 grams, 81cm
Acquired 1970-1980. From the collection of a Surrey gentleman. -
Luristan Spear Tip Group
13th-6th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Comprising four tips with triangular blades; each with a raised midrib and a long tang. 143 grams total, 13.5-18.2 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
Although some of them are different in shape, these arrowheads are apparently related types of a polythetic group. Two basic deltoid forms are represented: 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, and a narrow leaf-shaped blade.
