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LOT 1595
Viking Age Decorated Silver Bracelet
CIRCA 9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
3 in. (81 grams, 76 mm).
C-shaped in section with square butts, bands of punched linear, crescent and pellet ornament. [No Reserve]
ProvenancePrivate collection formed in Europe in the 1980s.
Westminster collection, central London, UK.
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AUCTIONS:
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Viking Age Silver Broad Axe Pendant with Radiant Sun
Circa 9th-11th century A.D. or earlierSold for (Inc. bp): £364
Axehead with sunburst motif to one face, on suspension loop with coiled ends. 1.92 grams, 32 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Viking Age Bronze Sword Scabbard Chape Collection
10th-11th century A.D.Estimate: £500 - 700 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £275
Comprising: a long and narrow tongue-shaped type (Paulsen's Gruppe V 2A, Untergruppe C) with scooped upper edge and palmette motif to the centre, spurs to the a vertical band of reserved stylised ring-chain decoration on a pounced field, long lateral straps and a knop finial; a heater-shaped type (Paulsen's Gruppe I 2, Untergruppe C) with central openwork panel displaying a bird in flight with the fan-shaped tail marked with radiating lines, guilloche bands to the outer sides, upper edges angled and with lobe at the apex; an elongated type (Gruppe V 1) with low-relief pointillé bands to each face and a palmette at the apex of the central spur; a long tongue-shaped type (Paulsen's Gruppe I 1) with an openwork centre and Ringerike Style bird formed with looped bands, pellets to the pinions, a triangular in plan head joined to the inner faces of the ropework border forming the upper edge of the chape, with a wolf's head at the apex and stepped knop finial; a single plaque (Gruppe V 1) from a two-part chape, long and rounded with palemete detailing to the upper edge, tendrils and scrolls to the body, pierced in two places to accept rivets. 178 grams total, 51-70 mm
From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.
Most of these chapes originate in Sweden or the western Baltic according to Paulsen's classification. -
Viking Age Gold 'Elf Shot' Pendant
9th-10th century A.D. or earlierSold for (Inc. bp): £1,105
Bell-shaped cup with suspension loop, inset irregular amethyst. 0.73 grams, 15 mm
From a late Japanese specialist collector, 1970-2000s.
This amulet was believed to offer protection against 'Elfshot'. The attack of elves was believed responsible for mysterious suffering in men and livestock. 'Elfshot' described sudden shooting pains localised to a particular area of the body, such as in rheumatism, arthritis or muscle stitches or cramps. Elves were thought to shoot darts or arrows where such pains had no obvious external cause. Belief in elfshot persisted into the 20th century in rural areas, and as proof country folk would sometimes find small arrowheads (the remains of Neolithic or Mesolithic flints, or naturally-occurring spear-shaped stones) that were believed to be the magical weapons that caused the afflictions. Belief in elfshot began in the Pagan Germanic period.
