Viking Age Gilt Bronze Disc Brooch with Cross

The hoop with a stylised zoomorphic design representing a bird, decorative collars and articulate tongue with openwork geometric dragon motif with head modelled in the half-round; long pin lost in antiquity. 37 grams, 59 mm



From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.

Composed of a pair of brooches with pin to the reverse; attached to each brooch is a double rosette spacer with chain extending to other tortoise brooch; from the other rosette spacer hang two more chains, one with a needle case with openwork scroll pattern above, and one with a decorated lunate pendant; mounted on a large high-quality custom-made display stand by Colin Bowles Limited. 6.75 kg total, 55 x 47.5 cm including display frame

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, found in many Viking Age female graves. As in this example, the tortoise brooches themselves were sometimes chained together. These chains suspended from the pair of brooches also supported utilitarian objects such as tweezers, ear spoon, scissors and a small knife, as well as amulets. Sometimes the brooches suspended strands of beads of glass, silver, amber or jet.

Of triangular form with integral suspension loop, the face delineated using granules to form almond-shaped eyes beneath eyebrows, concentric chevrons to the nasal line; applied granules and straps to the loop. 1.79 grams, 26 mm



Acquired on the German art market before 2000. From a London W1, UK, collection.