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LOT 0391
Viking Age Bronze Fire Steel with Odin and Ravens
9TH-12TH CENTURY A.D.
2 1/4 in. (27.3 grams, 57 mm).
Openwork bronze bifacial handle formed as a central facing male bust flanked by two oppose birds of prey with beaks placed beside his head; pierced lug between; below, row of discs above a transverse bar with long socket to the underside.
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12435-225923.
Cf. Arbman, H., Birka I: Die Gräber, Uppsala, 1940, pl.144.
FootnotesThe image of Óðinn (Odin) with his ravens Huginn and Muninn appears widely in the Viking world, and is mentioned in the Icelandic poem collection Poetic Edda and elsewhere. The two birds fly around the world collecting news and then report it to the god in the evening. He says that he fears the ravens may not return from their flight: since their names mean 'thought' and 'memory', the meaning of the verse is that the god is anxious about the loss of these faculties.
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AUCTIONS:
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Viking Age Gold Twisted Bangle
Circa 9th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,700
Formed as two round-section rods twisted around each other and curved into a bracelet, the narrow ends coiled about the shank. 59.83 grams, 67 mm
Acquired in London, 1985. Private collection, London. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12436-226869. -
Viking Decorated Silver Bracelet
9th-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,885
Comprising a flat-section silver strip with reserved interlace band on a textured field, reserved knot motif, beast-head finials. 26 grams, 64 mm
Acquired on the UK art market in the 1990s. Ex property of a London, UK, gentleman. -
Viking Inspired Bronze Omega Penannular Brooch Collection
12th-14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £247
A group of flat-section Mordvinian type brooches. 72.7 grams total, 55-59 mm
Acquired on the European art market since the early 2000s. From the private Northern Ireland collection of R.M.
This type of brooch belongs to the typologies of the omega brooches. It was probably used by Ugro-Finnic people to fasten the shirt at the neck or to attach other lighter garments. These brooches evolved to become very elaborate, with dangling springs from the edges, and were often worn in pairs, particularly on female garments. In this late Viking period their coins demonstrated Russian and Eastern Roman influences in their art and jewellery.
