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LOT 1268
Viking Period Lock and Key Group
CIRCA 10TH-12TH CENTURY A.D.
4 1/8 - 4 5/8 in. (250 grams total, 10.7-11.8 cm).
A group of iron keys and a lock; three keys with square pierced finials; one with a disc finial, two square voids; one with a cruciform head. crimped edges and void; iron barrel padlock with hasp. [6, No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1971-1972.
From the collection of the vendor's father.
Property of a London, UK, collector.
Cf. Arbman, H., Birka I: Die Gräber, Uppsala, 1940, plate 108.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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:
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Viking Age Silver Twisted Bracelet
Circa 8th-10th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
A penannular silver bracelet with tapering terminals, twisted bar body. 49 grams, 71 mm
Early 1990s London collection. Acquired on the UK art market. From a private collection, Lancashire, UK. -
Viking Age Stamped Silver Pendant
Circa 8th-10th century A.D. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £182
A sub-rectangular silver pendant with ribbed suspension loop at the apex, the front face decorated with a repoussé disc, surrounded by stamped triangles and annulets; Latvian workmanship. 7.31 grams, 52 mm
Acquired in the 1990s. From a North Yorkshire private collection, UK. -
Viking Age Gold Elf Shot Pendant
9th-12th century A.D. or earlierSold for (Inc. bp): £260
A gold 'elf shot' pendant with arch-shaped body and collared suspension loop, set with a polished garnet or amethyst stone. 1.31 grams, 16 mm high
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
This amulet was believed to offer protection against 'Elfshot'. The attack of elves was believed responsible for mysterious suffering in men and livestock. 'Elfshot' described sudden shooting pains localised to a particular area of the body, such as in rheumatism, arthritis or muscle stitches or cramps. Elves were thought to shoot darts or arrows where such pains had no obvious external cause. Belief in elfshot persisted into the 20th century in rural areas, and as proof, country folk would sometimes find small arrowheads (the remains of Neolithic or Mesolithic flints, or naturally-occurring spear-shaped stones) that were believed to be the magical weapons that caused the afflictions. Belief in elfshot began in the Pagan Germanic period.
