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LOT 1391
Viking Age Bronze Ring Collection
8TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
7/8 - 1 in. (12.9 grams total, 22-26 mm).
Two featuring faux-twisted bezels; bezel formed with overlapping arms and coiled discoid plaques; coiled hoops with coiled arms; bezel formed as opposed triangular plaques decorated with punched ornament. [6, No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired on the UK art market.
Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.
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AUCTIONS:
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Viking Bronze Tortoise Brooch Set
10th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,820
Comprising a pair of domed brooches with low-relief zoomorphic decoration in bands, pin to the reverse on a transverse bar, reinforced catchplate; attached to a loop on the reverse of each brooch, a spacer formed as a lobed plaque with double rosette detailing and loops below, two chains connecting to the matched brooch; from the rosette spacers hang two more chains, one with a needle case with openwork knotwork plaque handle above, the other with a decorated lunate pendant. 334 grams, hangs 53 cm
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, which are found in many female graves of the period. As in this example, the brooches themselves were usually connected by swags of chains, suspended from the pair of brooches and supporting utilitarian objects such as tweezers, an ear spoon, shears or a small knife, as well as amulets. In addition the wearer displayed strands of beads of glass, silver, amber or jet. -
Viking Inspired Bronze Omega-Shaped Penannular Brooch
Circa 12th-14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
Of Mordvingian type; with a free-running pin and shallow engraved motifs to the plaques. 8.68 grams, 53 mm
From a London private collection, acquired 2006. Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection. -
Pre-Viking Silver-Gilt Scabbard Mount
Circa 4th-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £585
Domed and with a ribbed basal rim, the sidewall with four small circular bosses each framed by a bilinear arch; surmounted by a slightly convex disc bearing an incised cross; transverse bar to the underside; Mortimer's type 4iii. 4.2 grams, 14 mm
Acquired early 1990s. From an East Anglian private collection.
The mount is an extremely early example of the so-called 'sword pyramid' mount which was used in the Vendel period as part of the sword-suspension system. It has a parallel in the find from Sandby Borg, Oland, Sweden where Style I masks also appear.
