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LOT 0269
Viking Age Iron Pattern-Welded Sword with Decorated Hilt and Chape
11TH-13TH CENTURY A.D.
34 3/8 in. (705 grams, 87.3 cm).
Of Couronian type with straight blade tapering towards the point, shallow, tapering fullers, narrow tang, and boat-shaped lower guard with Jellinge Style decoration with wheel-type decoration to both sides, five-lobed pommel rivetted at the top; accompanied by a scabbard with Jellinge Style interlace decoration.
ProvenanceFrom 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 search certificate number no.12915-245172.
Cf. Kazakevičius, Балтские мечи IX-XIII вв. (Baltic Swords, 9th-13th century AD), Vilnius, 1996; Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; Tomsons, A., ‘Symbolism of Medieval Swords from the territory of Latvia during the 11th-13th centuries’ in Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Archaeologica 29, Łódź, 2012, pp.145-161.
FootnotesOne of the most characteristic and numerous sword types in the early medieval period from the Baltic territory is a special type of a double-edged sword, characteristic of the entire Eastern Baltic region, which is known as the ‘Couronian’ sword, the name given by Latvian archaeologist E. Šturms in his article in 1936, based on the finds from his country.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0269
Viking Age Iron Pattern-Welded Sword with Decorated Hilt and Chape
Sold for (Inc. bp): £9,750
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Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Collection
19th-6th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Including triangular, leaf-shaped, barbed, paddle-shaped with a flat, comparatively wide mid-rib, and others. 176 grams total, 25-77 mm
Ex London art market, 1980-1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Some of the represented arrowheads (paddle-shaped) were typical of the Old Babylonian Empire. The shoulders were pronounced and the arrowhead had a rectangular-section tapering tang. This simple form was popular throughout and such items are comparatively common finds in the Holy Land. -
Viking Age Iron Socketted Hooked Axehead
Circa 9th-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £260
With long, deeply curved blade, short neck, socket with triangular wings above and below; professionally cleaned, conserved, and restored. 460 grams, 15 cm
Cleaned, conserved and restored.
From the family collection of a South East London collector; formerly acquired in the late 1950s.
These axes are typical of Baltic workmanship. During this age, the axes were the favourite weapons of many Baltic people, including the Curonian army which included lightly armed soldiers who fought with spears, shields, fighting knives and axes. A heavily armed soldier could also carry a sword, a helmet, a shield, and a wide-bladed axe. -
Medieval Iron Swallow-Tailed Arrowhead
10th-14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £26
With narrow curved edges and stepped tang. 17.6 grams, 84 mm
From the private collection of author and historian Dr DeWitt Bailey, one of the global authorities on the confederate army in the US civil war; thence by descent to his grandson.