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LOT 1458
North-Western Persian Type Bronze Blade
EARLY 1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
13 in. (99 grams, 33 cm).
With tapering triangular blade, having straight shoulders, flat midrib and tapering square-sectioned tang ending with a rounded pommel.
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
Cf. Christie's, The Axel Guttmann Collection of Ancient Arms and Armour, part 1, London, 2002, item 31, p.34.
FootnotesMoorey, Gordon and Khorasani created a classification of bladed weapons, according to which daggers are edged weapons not greater than 36cm in length, dirks (short swords) are between 36cm and 50cm in length, and swords are edged weapons greater than 50cm in length.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 1458
North-Western Persian Type Bronze Blade
Estimate £80 - 100€93 - 116 (for guidance only)$108 - 135 (for guidance only)
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Luristan Decorated Bronze Spearhead
13th-6th century B.C.Estimate: £200 - 300 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £80
With broad leaf-shaped blade and tapering square-section tang, ribbed neck. 147 grams, 21.5 cm
From the private collection of Mr K.A., acquired in the 1990s-early 2000s. -
Medieval Iron Bearded Axehead
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With broad curved blade and square chin, narrow neck, deep socket with square-section hammer to the reverse. 899 grams, 15.7 cm
Ex North American collection, 1970s-1990s. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Piriform missile with domed filler-hole, tongue-shaped petals radiating from the filler-hole, each with an annulet and a ring-and-dot motif, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 448 grams, 10.7 cm
From a specialist London, UK, arms and armour collection, 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.