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LOT 0334
Scandinavian Viking Gilt Bronze Tortoise Brooch
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/4 in. (153 grams, 10.7 cm).
Of Type P 51 B4 (Jansson 1984b); double-shelled with detached openwork zoomorphic top shell studded with five projecting bosses, alternating chased zoomorphic and geometric panels below; flange rim with ornamental shaping; concave underside with pin-lugs and catchplate.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.200460.
Cf. MacGregor, A. et al., A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, item 4.7; Portable Antiquities Scheme Database, record id. LON-F2F201, for a very similar 10th century example.
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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Viking Age Bronze Zoomorphic Mount
10th-11th century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £50
Displaying a symmetrical openwork design of birds within a vinescroll; attachment pin to the reverse. 12.4 grams, 44 mm
Found Winteringham, Humberside, UK, in 1986. -
Viking Bronze Borre Style Tortoise Brooch Set with Pendants
10th-11th century A.D.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £900
Composed of a pair of brooches with pin to the reverse; attached to each brooch is a double rosette spacer with chain extending to other tortoise brooch; from the other rosette spacer hang two more chains, one with a needle case with openwork scroll pattern above, and one with a decorated lunate pendant; mounted on a large high-quality custom-made display stand by Colin Bowles Limited. 6.75 kg total, 55 x 47.5 cm including display frame
Fine condition. Rare.
Property of a professional collector; acquired before 1990. Ex London collection since 2016. 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.11736-201216.
The most characteristic items of Viking women's jewellery are oval brooch pairs, sometimes called tortoise brooches due to their shape, found in many Viking Age female graves. As in this example, the tortoise brooches themselves were sometimes chained together. These chains suspended from the pair of brooches also supported utilitarian objects such as tweezers, ear spoon, scissors and a small knife, as well as amulets. Sometimes the brooches suspended strands of beads of glass, silver, amber or jet. -
Viking Age Bronze Equal-Arm Brooch
9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £260
Displaying a central boss with cruciform design, the arms with openwork beast heads. 37 grams, 84 mm
From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.
