Viking Period Silver Penannular Brooch Pair

Comprising: two elliptical bronze tortoise brooches, each domed with raised ornament of four Borre-style faces with pellet eyes to the centre of a panel of body parts and hatching with two more faces to the narrow ends, wide flange, catchplate, pin-hinge and pendant attachment bar to the reverse; two suspension links, each an omega-shaped loop with lateral coiled ends and ring above; three swags of graduated beads (restrung) - upper: pale blue glass oblate beads, crystal annular beads, melon beads; middle: deep blue and dark green glass and lapis lazuli polyhedral and annular beads; lower: oblate and polyhedral amber and glass beads. 310 grams total, 57 cm total long



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

The most characteristic items of Viking period women's jewellery are oval brooch pairs, called 'tortoise brooches' in the literature. As in this example, the brooches themselves were usually connected by swags of coloured beads or by chains supporting tools such as tweezers or a small knife, as well as amulets.

A rectangular bronze pendant formed as a pair of addorsed horse-heads in profile and openwork panel; bar with seven articulated chains each terminating in a pendant formed as the foot of a wading bird, Finno-Ugric type. 146 grams, 15 cm



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

Formed as a keeled sub-triangular plaque, convex in profile with bulbs on the flanks extending to a short rounded projection; integral catchplate to reverse and remains of ferrous pin. 15.4 grams, 46 mm

Fine condition.

Acquired early 2000s. East Anglia, UK, collection.

This form of brooch developed from Scandinavian Iron Age forms of bow brooch with crossbar, bow and footplate; it later evolved into the standard form of boar-head brooch.