Loading, please wait...

Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing
Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge
Details

LOT 1683

Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing

11TH CENTURY A.D.

2 1/8 in. (95 grams, 55 mm).

Formed as an openwork outer shell, inner container and bottom plate; the upper face with central conical boss and four small satellite bosses each with a silver surface disc; to the outer face four pierced tongue-shaped panels with D-shaped finials proud of the upper face, each with a silvered element to the upper end; the bottom plate with integral catchplate and central void, four attachment pins to the underside; the upper face and sidewall executed in Urnes style zoomorphic openwork; the inner element a plain sheet-bronze container.

Provenance

Acquired in the 1950s.
Ex private collection, South West England.

Published

Exhibited at the Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, 27th August-10th December 2025; accompanied by a copy of a photograph of the artefacts on display.

Literature

Cf. MacGregor, A. et al., A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, items 1.8,9, for type.

Footnotes

On the Baltic island of Gotland, high-ranking females wore 'box' (or 'drum') brooches to secure their outer garments at the shoulders. The inner container may have been used to hold small valuables.

CONDITION
VETTING:

TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process


AUCTIONS:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 1683

Viking Bronze Openwork Box Brooch with Silver Detailing

Estimate £600 - 800€700 - 930 (for guidance only)$810 - 1,080 (for guidance only)

Print page

RELATED LOTS
  • Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Bronze Bound Odin Openwork Stirrup Apex Mount Upper Section
    Anglo-Scandinavian Viking Bronze Bound Odin Openwork Stirrup Apex Mount Upper Section
    11th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £208

    Of an excessively rare example of Williams Class A, Type 3 showing a standing nude man with beard and long moustache, an animal-like form around the man's waist extending towards the flanking serpents on each side. 14.8 grams, 41 mm



    Found Gloucestershire, UK.

    Based on comparable examples, when complete the serpents' tails wrapped around the man's legs, and their open jaws gaped on either side of his head.

    Lot Details

  • Pre-Viking Bronze Owl Mount
    Pre-Viking Bronze Owl Mount
    Finno-Ugric, 6th-8th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £364

    Modelled in the half-round, mount with lugs to the reverse, ropework border; Polomskoy Culture. 11.4 grams, 40 mm



    From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.

    Lot Details

  • Viking Age Iron Socketted Bearded Axehead
    Viking Age Iron Socketted Bearded Axehead
    Circa 10th-11th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £598

    With slender ridged blade and chin to the lower edge, round socket with rectangular flanges, flattened rear edge; professionally cleaned, conserved, and restored. 788 grams, 17.5 cm

    Cleaned, conserved and restored.

    From the family collection of a South East London collector; formerly acquired in the late 1950s.

    The type appears to be related to the Y-type of Viking axes. Slavic battle-axes also came into use in Scandinavia, especially in the eastern part of Gotland, Sweden and Denmark. The old Norse word Taparöx probably come from Topor, the Slavic word for axe. Eastern axes are also characterised by an almost completely round hole for the shaft.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list