Viking Age Iron Bearded Axehead

Comprising: twenty-seven fittings of polygonal shape with reserved stylised vegetal forms; one belt buckle of similar shape and decoration on the preserved part of the barb; a roundel; a narrow polygonal belt-tip; attachment rivets to reverse; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 525 grams total, mounts: 21-34 mm



Acquired on the London art market, 1990s. Private collection, London. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12621-234052. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Pentagonal strap mounts decorated with schematic plant ornaments, cast in bronze, characterised the population of Volga Bulgars, often in commercial relations with the Viking world. A belt-set with pentagonal and rectangular mounts decorated with plant ornaments, along with its strap end and buckle, were excavated by V.D. Sokolov in Slavic-Scandinavian graves in Russian territory.

Sloping shoulders and transverse slot to the upper face, lateral beast-head terminals; panel of palmette ornament to each broad face with tendrils, dentilled lower edge; Baltic Curonian type. 124 grams, 10 cm



From the private family collection of a lady, UK; acquired in Germany mid 20th century. 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.12727-236128. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The cross guard finds good parallels with Baltic swords used by Prussian, Curonian, Estonian and Lithuanian pagan warriors; see a clear parallel in Tomsons, 2012, fig.2,7 but especially fig. 3. The Curonian Type T swords were thoroughly examined by Tomsons and he was able to date the type to the 11th to 13th centuries.

Triangular blade with raised midrib flanked by shallow grooves extending from the integral lower-guard to the tip; the lower guard with raised coffee bean-shaped bosses to both sides; grooved handle with raised ribs and a large openwork crescentic pommel bearing a similar decoration to the blade at the top; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 1.31 kg total, sword: 47 cm long



Ex Rabi Gallery, London, UK, 1980s. From a private Surrey, UK, collection. 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.12606-234422. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The now empty cavities of the handle were once filled with organic material.