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LOT 1168
Very Large Viking Iron Battle Notched Axehead
10TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
11 in. (1.36 kg, 28 cm).
Featuring an elongated triangular butt, flanged cylindrical socket, slender neck with broad, flaring cheeks; the blade, upper and lower edges notched.
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
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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Ilkhanid Decorated Leather Quiver
13th-14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £416
Rectangular hide case with saddle-stitched edge, knotted attachment thong to reverse; obverse with panels of low-relief moulded tendril and geometric ornament with decorative stitching; mounted on a custom-made stand. 498 grams total, 39.5 cm high
Ex Yacob's Gallery, London W1, 2000. From a private UK collection. Ex central London gallery. -
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Viking Iron Axehead with Silver Inlaid Interlaced Dragons
7th-9th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £6,240
To both lateral faces, the upper face of the blade and the rear of the socket decorated with an interlaced design; slender body with bearded lower edge and curved blade, lateral spurs and rectangular panel to the butt. 282 grams, 14 cm
Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK. Accompanied by a copy of a four page report written by Saxon and Viking specialist Stephen Pollington. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11878-206842.
The style of the design inlaid to the axe is interesting since it evidently owes a great deal to the kinds of Insular Style ornament found in manuscripts of the 8th century in the British Isles. The elegant curves of the narrow tendrils are strongly reminiscent of the zoomorphic elements found in the Lindisfarne Gospels, St Gall Codex and the Book of Kells (Salin, 1935, pp.342-3; Moss, 2018) and the inlaid designs show the characteristic parallel curves found for example on some of the initials in those documents. The tight knot serpentine bodies recalls the similar dense knot found in the Kells manuscript (Salin's figure 731). However, the details of the layout and execution show that the piece is unlikely to have originated in the British Isles. -
North Western Persian Bronze Arrowhead Group
12th-10th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £124
Comprising six tanged arrowheads, five with large elongated triangular blades and raised midrib, one with oval shoulders, all with sharp central groove, cylindrical stem with handle for the shaft. 145 grams total, 8-15 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
Some of these arrowheads seems to belong to the type V, subcategory type C, according to the classification of Khorasani and Negahban. In the four categories of triangular bronze arrowheads from Luristan, Marlik and Northern Iran individuated by Negahban, subtypes C and D of type V are larger arrow or javelin heads, C with barbed shoulders and D with round shoulders.
