Details

LOT 0263

Viking Age Iron Sword with Five-Lobed Pommel

10TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.

34 1/2 in. (1.3 kg, 87.5 cm).

Of Petersen Type S variant with a double-edged blade, shallow fullers and a rounded point; boat-shaped upper and lower guard with some remains of silver inlay, the pommel also showing traces of silver decoration.

Provenance

Acquired 1971-1972.
From the collection of the vendor's father.
Property of a London, UK, collector.

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.11756 - 202774.

Literature

Cf. Hjardar, K. & Vike, V., Vikings at war, Oxford-Philadelphia, 2016, p.169, for the type; the sword finds good parallels in various similar Viking age specimens, like the sword from Mixnam’s pit, Chertsey, today at the Chertsey Museum (Peirce, 2002, pp.98ff.).

Footnotes

Viking swords of Type S are commonly found in Nordic countries and in Eastern Europe, with only a small number found in Western Europe. The type was often characterised by splendid decoration achieved with silver and copper inlays, of which here some traces are still visible.