Viking Age Scandinavian Silver-Gilt Pendant with Interlaced Beasts

Rectangular-section bar of penannular form with reversed coil finials; incised blocks and saltires with punched-point detailing and hatching. 33 grams, 71 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.

A flat-section Mordvinian type brooch comprising a penannular band and two trapezoidal plates; the tongue round-section with flat scroll around the band; the plates each with raised pellets. 12.5 grams, 63 mm



Private European collection formed before 2000. UK art market. Property of an Essex gentleman.