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LOT 0258
Medieval Iron Single-Handed Sword
12TH-13TH CENTURY A.D.
37 3/8 in. (1.01 kg, 95 cm).
Comprising: two-edged lenticular-section piled blade (Oakshott's Type XI) with gentle taper overall to a rounded point and fuller to both faces; quillons round in section with taper to ends; flat-section tang tapering to the upper end; disc pommel of Oakshott's Type G with slightly domed faces.
ProvenanceFrom 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 search certificate number no.13303-257653.
Cf. Oakeshott, E., The Sword in the Age of Chivalry, London, 1964 (1997); Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991; for a similar blade see a sword of unknown provenance, formerly in the R.T. Gwynn, Morgan Williams collection, in Oakeshott, 1991, type XI 1, p.54; a sword of unknown find place in Glasgow Museum Reserve collection, dated 1100 A.D. (Oakeshott, 1991, type XI 1-2, p.60).
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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Large Byzantine Silver Archer's Ring
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Acquired in the 1990s. Ex Cambridgeshire, UK, collection.
Archer rings in Late Byzantium and the medieval Balkans were connected with the employment of the powerful composite bow, but very often, in the 14th century they served as insignia of rank for aristocratic noblemen. Archaeological findings of archers’ rings originate mainly from fortified towns, including mining centres. Many were made in bone, simple in design and undecorated. In contrast, the ones made in bronze and silver were usually decorated in rather uniform style, consisting of floral motifs on the head, mostly tulip and foliage, and linear motifs around the edges. This decoration combined Turkish, Central European and Eastern Roman traditional patterns. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
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Bulbous body with rounded base and domed filler-hole; intended to be filled with explosive liquid and a wick, and used as a hand grenade. 682 grams, 11.3 cm
From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'.
Apart from the use of siphons or manual flame-throwers called cheirosiphona, special corps of Roman soldiers employed terracotta grenades, in the form of small jars, abundantly evidenced in archaeological excavations. They were called μεσαία kακαβιά or κυτροκακάβια, where the former had a bulbous shape and the latter a more cylindrical form.