Viking Age Scandinavian Silver Filigree Pendant

Depicting Christ bound by his wrists to the cross, wearing trousers; granulation to the body indicates a patterned shirt; beaded border around the perimeter of the cross; this lot bears close parallels with the ‘Birka Crucifix’ held by the Swedish History Museum but is not made from silver. 9.32 grams, 31 mm

Very fine condition, some wear. Rare.

Acquired on the London art market in the 2000s.

The Birka Crucifix pendant, unearthed from Birka grave 660 in Uppland, Sweden, is thought to be the oldest representation of Christ in the Nordic world and bears many similarities to this lot. The Swedish History Museum’s example was excavated from the grave of a wealthy female Christian convert; it is a filigree figure of Christ bound to the cross by his wrists, wearing trousers; this lot is a lower-relief white metal filigree crucifix with integral suspension loop, featuring a representation of head and face executed in the same shape and style as that of the Birka Crucifix figure.

With integral loop, twisted filigree rim, applied filigree knot and scroll motifs, granules and central boss. 1.92 grams, 31 mm



Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK.

Comprising: a long and narrow tongue-shaped type (Paulsen's Gruppe V 2A, Untergruppe C) with scooped upper edge and palmette motif to the centre, spurs to the a vertical band of reserved stylised ring-chain decoration on a pounced field, long lateral straps and a knop finial; a heater-shaped type (Paulsen's Gruppe I 2, Untergruppe C) with central openwork panel displaying a bird in flight with the fan-shaped tail marked with radiating lines, guilloche bands to the outer sides, upper edges angled and with lobe at the apex; an elongated type (Gruppe V 1) with low-relief pointillé bands to each face and a palmette at the apex of the central spur; a long tongue-shaped type (Paulsen's Gruppe I 1) with an openwork centre and Ringerike Style bird formed with looped bands, pellets to the pinions, a triangular in plan head joined to the inner faces of the ropework border forming the upper edge of the chape, with a wolf's head at the apex and stepped knop finial; a single plaque (Gruppe V 1) from a two-part chape, long and rounded with palemete detailing to the upper edge, tendrils and scrolls to the body, pierced in two places to accept rivets. 178 grams total, 51-70 mm



From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s.

Most of these chapes originate in Sweden or the western Baltic according to Paulsen's classification.