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LOT 1363
Viking Age Iron Bearded Axehead
9TH CENTURY A.D.
7 1/4 in. (758 grams, 18.5 cm).
With triangular section narrow blade widening to a broad bevelled edge with square chin, lateral flanges to the socket.
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
LiteratureCf. Hjardar, K. & Vike, V., Vikings at war, Oxford-Philadelphia, 2016, p.163, for the typology of Viking axes, letter B.
FootnotesThe axe belongs to a category of bearded axes. The skeggöks (bearded axes) had a long edge, designed to split tree-trunks into planks and beams. Usually the beard was at the bottom end of the blade, but some axes did sometimes have extra long blades.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Medieval Lozenge-Shaped Iron Arrowhead
14th-15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
Lanceolate in profile with split socket. 16.8 grams, 99 mm
Acquired prior to 2000. Ex Private collection, Cambridgeshire, UK. Property of a Kent lady collector. -
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Migration Period Iron Sword with Bronze Pommel
5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £600
A spatha with a double-edged parallel-sided blade, battle nicks to both cutting edges; long tang with a fastening rivet in situ; small trapezoidal bronze pommel. 707 grams, 91 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. 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 a search certificate number no.12040-216429.
The spatha, often with an elegantly decorated hilt with golden elements, was characterised by a relatively light handle so that the centre of gravity of the weapon was moved towards the tip. The evolution of the 'barbarian' long sword in the west, during the invasions, began around the 5th century. -
Viking Peterson Type X Sword with Inlaid Hilt
Circa 10th-11th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,900
With pattern-welded double-edged blade, showing well-defined shallow fullers and wide cutting edges, the fullers occupying not less than one third of the entire width and running to a point about 19 cm from the tip; massive, simply decorated hilt; the pommel, as well as the cross-guard, with visible zig-zag patterns; the pommel of solid tea-cosy type, divided into two sections by a well marked groove, the bottom being the larger, the curved top portion of the pommel further divided into three lobes; traces of inlay visible on the pommel and on the cross-guard. 1.25 kg, 94 cm
Acquired on the European art market in the 1990s. From the property of a Suffolk collector.
The blade shows in its central section, and on both cutting edges, the blodiձa style pattern-welding through the central portion of the blade (Oakeshott, 1960, fig.70). The fine pattern-welded blade patterns of Viking swords are the blodiձa (Blood-Eddy) and 'ann' (rows of mown hay) known from Norse poetry.
