Viking Age Silver Stamp Decorated Bracelet

Composed of a sheet-silver domed discoid body with bands of applied filigree and granule detailing, cruciform design with interstitial facing masks, reeded strip detailing to reverse and hinged pin. 14.2 grams, 44 mm



Acquired in Germany in the 1990s. Formerly the property of a European gentleman living in Germany. Ex West London, UK, collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11730-200376.

The gradual spreading of Christianity among the Danish Vikings can be seen in certain pieces of jewellery, as here, where a cross is clearly traced among the filigree ornaments. Pagan amulets - such as Thor's hammer - were first combined with cross motifs and finally completely replaced by crucifixes.

Comprising a slender penannular hoop and hooked finials with conical bosses. 22.12 grams, 13 cm wide



From the collection of a North American gentleman, formed in the 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.200432.

During the Salian period, large treasures of silver coins, bars and jewellery were buried in the West Slavic settlement areas, east of the borders of the empire. This torc corresponds with a Slavic neck collar from the hoard of Farve, Schleswig Holstein. The collar is in silver, but the structure is identical to our torc.

Composed of a pair of brooches with pin to the reverse; attached to each brooch is a double rosette spacer with chain extending to other tortoise brooch; from the other rosette spacer hang two more chains, one with a needle case with openwork scroll pattern above, and one with a decorated lunate pendant; mounted on a large high-quality custom-made display stand by Colin Bowles Limited. 6.75 kg total, 55 x 47.5 cm including display frame

Fine condition. Rare.

Property of a professional collector; acquired before 1990. Ex London collection since 2016. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11736-201216.

The most characteristic items of Viking women's jewellery are oval brooch pairs, sometimes called tortoise brooches due to their shape, found in many Viking Age female graves. As in this example, the tortoise brooches themselves were sometimes chained together. These chains suspended from the pair of brooches also supported utilitarian objects such as tweezers, ear spoon, scissors and a small knife, as well as amulets. Sometimes the brooches suspended strands of beads of glass, silver, amber or jet.