Viking Age Bronze Dragon Pendant with Foot Dangles

Comprising a domed shell with low-relief ornament of four Borre Style beasts; frieze of profile beasts to the lower edge, flange rim; catchplate, pin-hinge and pendant attachment bar to the reverse with some mineralised remains of textile backing. 57 grams, 76 mm



From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Of Petersen's Type S (Wheeler Type III) with five graduated lobes; the lower face a swept arc; pierced through the tallest lobe to accept the tang of the sword's blade. 43 grams, 55 mm



Found near Ormskirk, West Lancashire, UK, in February 2014. Recorded with the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) with the National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside, Liverpool Museum, on 27 February 2015, and accompanied by a copy of the Object Entry Sheet and a copy of the PAS report number LVPL-C0264A. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

With broad looped body and wing, trapezoidal segmented tail, small angled claw; lentoid cell in the bow of the wing with inset garnet cloison; head with hooked beak and discoid panel with human facial feature; pin-lug to reverse with mineralised remains, possibly textile, and catch. 13.48 grams, 49 mm



By repute found in the Kristiansand area, Norway, in the early 20th century. From the collection of Jay Wilford, formed prior to 2000. Acquired at the Royal Horticultural Hall antiques fair, Westminster, London, UK. Property of a gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The brooch resembles the form of aviform fibula found in the Baltic area, e.g. on Öland. The human face on a bird's body has parallels in the Sutton Hoo burial where the shield bears a bird in profile with a human mask on the hip. In the present case, the mask may represent the legend of Welund (Norse Völundr), the supernatural smith who creates a bird-form in order to escape from his captor, King Niðhad. This legend is known from Icelandic poetic references (Völundarkviða in the Verse Edda) and from Anglo-Saxon tradition.