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LOT 0264
Viking Age Iron Sword with Cocked Hat Type Pommel
10TH CENTURY A.D.
35 1/2 in. (996 grams, 90 cm).
Petersen Type L variant with double-edged pattern-welded blade (waving pattern) showing evidence of being employed, tapering fullers and hefty tang; boat-shaped lower guard, cocked hat pommel with traces of silver inlay; some restoration.
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.11816-206858.
Cf. Petersen, J., De Norske Vikingsverd, Oslo, 1919; Oakeshott, R.E., The Archaeology of the weapons, London, 1960; Wilson, D. M., ‘Some neglected Late Anglo-Saxon swords’, in Medieval Archaeology, 1965, 9 (1), pp.32-54; Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; Żabiński, G., ‘Viking Age Swords from Scotland’, in Acta Militaria Mediaevalia III, Kraków, Sanok, 2007, pp.29-84; the sword finds good parallels in various similar Viking age specimens: a sword in the Bergen Museum (no.2605), a sword at the British Museum (1912, 7-23 1), a sword in the Musée de l’Armée, Paris (JPO2262), all published by Peirce (2002, pl.II, pp.74-76); also the Wensley hilt sword belongs to this classification (Wilson,1965, pp.42ff., pl.VIIa); another occasional find of this typology has been excavated in Wales in 2004, a chance discovery in the garden at Hawarden (NWM inv. 2007.4H).
FootnotesThis sword shows evidence of beautiful pattern-welding. The great curvature of the hilt, stronger than any other type of Viking swords, characterises the typology of L swords. This is clearly visible on the specimens from Dolven and Nedre (Stokke) published by Petersen (1919, figs.94-95).
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Roman Iron Gladius
1st-2nd century A.D.Estimate: £1,300 - 1,600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £722
Or semi-spatha blade with parallel-sided lentoid-section body and a long rectangular-section tang; Mainz type, Wederath-Canterbury-Kopki variant; repaired and surface treated. 557 grams, 83 cm
Ex South London collection, acquired 1970-1990. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
In contrast to the average length of the Roman Pompeii type gladius, some Roman swords, continuing the typology of the Mainz gladius, tend to be longer and transform themselves into a semi-spatha. Both the weapon from Eich (Miks, 2001, AI43), and especially a gladius from Korytnica with approximate blade length of 548mm (total length 762mm) is very close to the length limit of a semi-spatha. The same can be said of a blade from Godmanchester (Miks, 2001, no.A824) for its dimensions and proportions, where the tip of the blade already gives a significantly shorter impression, showing a certain relationship to 'Lauriacum-Hrornöwka', 'Mainz-Canterbury' variant type spathae. -
Greek Bronze Chalcidian Helmet
5th-4th century B.C.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,667
Of Kunze Group VII, formed from two curved segments, each with a flared rim, nasal, raised panels to the upper section of the bowl, repoussé ridge forming curved brows, a recess for the ear to each side; star-shaped attachment to the top with slot for plumes; restored and with replica cheek pieces. 2.7 kg total, 42.5 cm high including stand
Restored, but in general good condition, rare details
Acquired in the 1970s. Ex private Austrian collection. The Kusmirek Collection, UK Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. Accompanied by a report of metallurgical analytical results, written by metallurgist Dr Brian Gilmour of the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11763-203979.
Among the Chalcidian helmet types, the fifth and last typology, corresponding to the Kunze group VII (Pflug, 1988, p.138), was characterised by the presence of detached cheek-guards. By the end of the 5th century BC, the fixed cheek-pieces had been entirely abandoned on the Chalcidian helmets for the more versatile hinged cheek pieces. Several district regional workshops produced such helmets by the 5th century B.C.: mainland Greece, the Black Sea Coast, Thrace, Southern Italy and Iberia. -
Viking Age Single-Handed Sword with Five-Lobed Pommel
9th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,160
Of Petersen Type K with double-edged tapering blade, shallow fullers; boat-shaped lower and upper guard with five-lobed pommel showing traces of silver inlay. 703 grams, 81.2 cm
Otto Kruetz collection, Germany 1980s. Belgium collection. UK collection, 2000s. Property of an East Sussex, UK, teacher. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
It is the decoration and the structure of the sword that suggests classifying it as Petersen Type K, with a similar structure to the famous sword from Ballinderry Bog (Peirce, 2002, pp.63ff.). Other examples of the type are the 9th century sword of Kilmainham, in Dublin, the Ostby farm sword from Oslo, a sword in the Musée de l’Armée, Paris, and the Kilde farm sword from Oslo, the fullers of which are very similar to our model (Peirce, 2002, pp.66-73).
