A single-handed double-edged cutting sword with wide cutting edges showing usage wear, short boat-shaped cross-guard and a flat tang, pommel of solid tea-cosy type divided into two sections by a shallow groove, traces of wooden scabbard on the blade; cleaned and conserved.

PROVENANCE:
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 search certificate number no.12622-236127.
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.

LITERATURE:
Cf. Petersen, J., De Norske Vikingsverd, Oslo, 1919; Oakeshott, R.E., The Archaeology of the weapons, London, 1960; Viollet le Duc, Encyclopedie Médiévale, Tours, 1999; Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; the sword finds good parallels in various similar Viking age specimens, for example a sword in the Musée de l'Armée, Paris (inv. no. JPO 2253, s. Peirce, 2002, pp.118-119) or the one preserved in Nationalmuseet, Copenhagen, inv. n. C8727; a similar blade was found in Grodziec, Poland, and is dated to the 10th century.