Viking Age Silver Double Axehead Pendant

Comprising: two dome-headed dress pins; three pieces of hack-silver ingot; five miniature axeheads; a mitre-shaped finger ring; and other items. 42.8 grams total, 9-53 mm



Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s. From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman.

With integral loop; the openwork plaque with banded border and four panels, internal stylised zoomorph with hatched panel to the hip, gripping three-fingered hands to the body and border, two detailed feet, clearly visible facing mask below the loop with pellet eyes. 5.7 grams, 35 mm



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

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.