Viking Age Silver Bar Bracelet

Squat-bodied and triangular in form; short tab with rivet hole to apex, ledge with rivet to reverse of the lower edge, displaying high-relief interlaced serpent design with head above the lower edge. 22.3 grams, 32 mm



Acquired early 1990s. From an East Anglian private collection.

The mount is not included in Williams's study of Anglo-Scandinavian stirrup mounts, which is now more than twenty years old. However, it is evidently an example of Class B, while lacking the bear-mask and openwork features. Its design appears to derive from a Class A type (Williams's nos.380, 383) which shares the feature of the facing serpent-head placed centrally on the lower edge.

Composed of a flat-section discoid body with pelletted border, low-relief motif of an advancing beast in regardant pose, tail curled beneath the body, the mouth open; pin-lug and catchplate to the reverse; Baltic workmanship. 9.17 grams, 26.61 mm



Ex property of a Dutch collector before 2014. From the collection of a North American gentleman

The brooch is a later Scandinavian copy of a 9th century Anglo-Saxon brooch type with a regardant horse. The present example has a more dragon-like beast in similar pose with serpentine head and extended tongue.

Lozengiform bezel with stud to each angle, incised hatched design. 2.32 grams, 22.68 mm overall, 19.91 mm internal diameter (approximate size British S 1/2 , USA 9 1/4, Europe 20.63, Japan 19)



Acquired 1970s. From the private collection of a Northern Ireland gentleman. Ex private Merseyside, UK, collection.