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LOT 0333
Viking Iron 'ULFBERH+T' Silver and Laten Inlaid Sword
9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.
38 1/2 in. (1.1 kg, 98 cm).
A double-edged Petersen Type X sword, tapering blade with shallow fullers and wide cutting edges, the fuller bearing an inlaid inscription of 'ULFBERH+T' to one side and remains of 'II IXI' (or an interlace pattern) to the other side; the lower and upper-guards, as well as the pommel inlaid with vertical lines of silver and copper, the pommel of tea-cosy type divided into section with well-marked lines. [No Reserve]
ProvenancePrivate collection formed in Europe in the 1980s.
Westminster collection, central London, UK.
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. 12617-235587.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. Petersen, J., De Norske Vikingsverd, Oslo, 1919; Oakeshott, R.E., The Archaeology of the weapons, London, 1960; Jakobsson, M., Krigarideologi och vikingatida svardstypologi, Stockholm, 1992; Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; the sword finds good parallels in various similar Viking age specimens, a similar sword is in the Musée de l'Armée, Paris (inv. no. JPO 2253, s. Peirce, 2002, pp. 118-119); for the inscriptions see Peirce, 2002, pl.III, lett.2bc.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0333
Viking Iron 'ULFBERH+T' Silver and Laten Inlaid Sword
Sold for (Inc. bp): £16,900
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Viking Age Bearded Battle Axehead
Early 11th-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
A Baltic hand-forged iron axehead with scooped socket, broad blade with extension to the lower edge, hole to the blade. 532 grams total, axe: 14.7 cm
Acquired on the London art market, 1990s. Private collection, London. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The more common weapons of Finno-Ugrian people were axes, commonly found from all Finnic areas, as well as spears. Among Baltic-Finnic people, especially in Finland and Karelia, knives called 'puukko' were common, as well as axes, spears, flat bows and longbows, while swords were usually imported from Germanic areas, Sweden or from elsewhere Scandinavia, some having often typically Scandinavian animal ornaments. Iron axeheads of this typology show a sub-trapezoidal asymmetrical blade, often perforated through the centre. They are characterised by two projecting spurs from the top and the bottom of the back of the shaft-hole. -
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15th-16th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,300
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Private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s. Westminster collection, central London, UK. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The spearhead likely belonged to a family fighting in the Balkanic wars among Christian and Ottomans in the late 15th century A.D. Spears with such shape are dated to the 16th century and are defined by specialists as ‘schefflin’ type. The ornament of the blade imitates Ottoman decorative models. -
Greek Period High Quality Large Bronze Arrowhead Collection
5th-3rd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
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From an English collection formed before 2000. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.