Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 1572

Saxon Silver-Gilt Pin with Beast Heads

8TH CENTURY A.D.

3 in. (2.91 grams, 76 mm).

With a flat, tongue-shaped head connected to the shaft by a rectangular collar; the shaft with a bulbous 'rib’ approximately 20 mm from the tip; the upper portion of the head with radiate detailing and a Trewhiddle Style zoomorph; recessed panel with knotwork motif below, within an elliptical panel with lateral flanches towards the base. [No Reserve]

Provenance

Ex Lord McAlpine collection.
Ex David Miller collection.

Published

Hammond, Aaron, Discovering Jewellery, A Collector's and Investor's Guide, Greenlight Publishing, Ipswich, p.420; and Hammond, B., British Artefacts, volume 2 - Middle Saxon & Viking, Witham, 2010.

Literature

Cf. Webster, L. & Backhouse, J., The Making of England. Anglo-Saxon Art and Culture AD 600-900, London, 1991, p.96-7, fig.69e-f.

Footnotes

Dress pins of this period are often 'hipped', with a small bulb about two-thirds of the length of the shank in order to secure them in the weave of the fabric. The present piece is very delicate and would have been suitable only for a fine linen or silk garment of the highest quality.

CONDITION

VETTING:

TimeLine 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:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 1572

Saxon Silver-Gilt Pin with Beast Heads

Sold for (Inc. bp): £374

Print page

RELATED LOTS

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list