Viking Age Scandinavian Silver-Gilt Pendant with Regardant Beast

Richly decorated and with an applied backplate; the body of the brooch formed as a hollow-cast case with upstanding ears and a slightly 'clubbed' end to the muzzle with a narrow median raised band separating the face into two panels; both those and the upper panel (between the 'ears') decorated with interlaced ornament in low relief depicting serpents locked in combat, their bodies dramatically entwined; on the rear panel four 'lower arm and hand' motifs, radiating from a central lozenge with pellet; rectangular guilloche to the lower borders, muzzle-band, rear panel and median upper band; Jellinge Style scrollwork to the outer and upper faces of the conical 'ears'; a hinged pin to the underside with curved shield, applied plate to the underside with two bands of punched lozenge decoration. 141 grams, 66 mm



Private collection, New York, USA. with Artemis Gallery, Colorado, USA, 15 February 2018, no.58. Private American collection, New York, USA. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12073-211003.

Box-shaped hollow animal-head brooches were created on the island of Gotland, Sweden, although they have been found in other parts of the Viking world. They were made to be worn in pairs high on the chest of women's 'hangerok' apron-dresses with chains and swags of beads suspended between them. They are found in women's burials alongside utility items such as a knife or tweezers, and formed part of the costume of females from prosperous families. This example shows exceptionally fine decoration and would have been a treasured item, denoting the wealth and status of the family of the woman who wore it.

With volute scroll terminal, raised beast-head detail with niello inlay; attachment pin through as pierced lug. 8.6 grams, 36 mm



Found Cambridgeshire, UK.

A bowed anthropomorphic mount in the form of the face of Odin, with oval right and damaged left eye, beard and hair raised to form a convex shape, rounded cheeks, a triangular nose and a beard, moustache with lateral protrusion, the hair openwork and formed of entwined linear elements, five rivet holes present. 27.39 grams, 50.66 mm



Found by Steve Aldred whilst searching with a metal detector near Ferryhill, County Durham, UK, on Tuesday 8th March 2022. Recorded with the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and subsequently returned to the finder. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.DUR-834DAB, where this object is described as: 'a find of note and has been designated: of National importance'. Accompanied by a copy of the article about the circumstances surrounding the finding published in the February 2024 issue of Treasure Hunting Magazine. Accompanied by a copy of a photograph taken of the object when it was found on 8th March 2022. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12074-214165.

Comparison has been made with stirrup-strap mounts of Williams (1997) Class A, Type 9, and especially with variants of the form (see HAMP-B7C312). Although relatively few of these mounts have been found, and their distribution is spread across the country, there is an arguable focus on Yorkshire. Commenting on a 2007 Isle of Wight example (IOW-4FA904), Barry Ager (then of the British Museum) suggested a connection with horse-riding equipment, and in particular drew comparisons with a type of face-mask mount on the Danish harness-bow from Søllested (see Wilson and Klindt-Jensen, pl. 37).