North-West Persian Bronze Short Sword with Integral Grip and Horns

Comprising a pair of ram-shaped cheek-pieces with a hole through the body for the straight mouthpiece with looped terminals. 690 grams, 17.5 cm wide



From a collection formed in Paris in the 1990s.

The horse bits were transformed by Luristan people in to expressions of applied art. Metalworkers employed animal motifs, both realistic and imaginary, for their cheek-pieces. The question of whether these horse bits were for real use or only for use in a funerary context is superfluous, as signs of wear have been documented, and the goads and loops on interiors are functionally designed. The use of such horse bits is clearly documented in Assyrian reliefs of the time of Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.).

With long blade, shallow midrib, rectangular-section tang; engraved, reinforced shaft, and squared shoulders. 423 grams, 34.5 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

According to Gernez, this spear belongs to the group of tripartite spears with bulging biconcave ogival blade, a marked stop and tang, usually curved. The tomb KCG 14 of Carchemish, yielded a similar example, in association with spears and ceramic dated from the second half of the 3rd millennium. A very similar spear comes from a tomb at Tell Mozan. A larger example with a decoration of rings in relief on the stem belongs to the λ deposit of Byblos. Another spear, of similar form, presents a decoration of vertical lines on the stem. It was found in the tomb of the Lord of the Caprids at Ebla, making it the most recent in the series (around 1750 B.C.).

Eastern Roman or Germanic cavalry spatha with a parallel-sided blade and broad pointed tip, long tang; the trapezoidal lower guard with a gilt chip-carved plate divided in segments set with garnets to one side, each end with a shell disc set with a central garnet cabochon; accompanied by a strap from the scabbard and an amber sword bead with a beaded gold setting with a garnet cabochon. 970 grams total, 2-100 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 search certificate number no.12012-213600.

The western spatha of the 4th-6th centuries was developed in a context that one can qualify as Romano-Germanic. Certain characteristics of the future Merovingian sword were already present in late Roman swords. It is quite natural that Type IV swords have been found in the countries conquered or settled by the Goths in southern, central and western Europe.