Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 0391

Viking Silver-Gilt Bronze Boar's Head Brooch

CIRCA 9TH-11TH CENTURY A.D.

2 1/2 in. (141 grams, 66 mm).

Richly decorated and with an applied backplate; the body of the brooch formed as a hollow-cast case with upstanding ears and a slightly 'clubbed' end to the muzzle with a narrow median raised band separating the face into two panels; both those and the upper panel (between the 'ears') decorated with interlaced ornament in low relief depicting serpents locked in combat, their bodies dramatically entwined; on the rear panel four 'lower arm and hand' motifs, radiating from a central lozenge with pellet; rectangular guilloche to the lower borders, muzzle-band, rear panel and median upper band; Jellinge Style scrollwork to the outer and upper faces of the conical 'ears'; a hinged pin to the underside with curved shield, applied plate to the underside with two bands of punched lozenge decoration.

Provenance

Private collection, New York, USA.
with Artemis Gallery, Colorado, USA, 15 February 2018, no.58.
Private American collection, New York, USA.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12073-211003.

Literature

Cf. MacGregor, A. et al., A Summary Catalogue of the Continental Archaeological Collections, Oxford, 1997, item 3.20; an earlier and much plainer example is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, under reference 1992.59.3.

Footnotes

Box-shaped hollow animal-head brooches were created on the island of Gotland, Sweden, although they have been found in other parts of the Viking world. They were made to be worn in pairs high on the chest of women's 'hangerok' apron-dresses with chains and swags of beads suspended between them. They are found in women's burials alongside utility items such as a knife or tweezers, and formed part of the costume of females from prosperous families. This example shows exceptionally fine decoration and would have been a treasured item, denoting the wealth and status of the family of the woman who wore it.

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 0391

Viking Silver-Gilt Bronze Boar's Head Brooch

Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,575

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Viking Age Silver Decorated Axe-Shaped Pendant
    Viking Age Silver Decorated Axe-Shaped Pendant
    Circa 9th-11th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £72

    Trapezoidal in plan with punched pellets and pointillé border, central serpent motif. 1.95 grams, 30 mm



    Property of the vendor's grandfather, thence by family descent, circa 1985. From the private collection of a New York, USA gentleman.

    Lot Details

  • Scandinavian Viking Silver Equal-Arm Brooch with Animals
    Scandinavian Viking Silver Equal-Arm Brooch with Animals
    Circa 8th-10th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,170

    With flexed bow and trefoil ends, each with a granule to each lobe and incised geometric hatching, two small voids and applied bust of a bear with forepaws raised to the cheeks; central disc with hatched crown and knop finial; iron pin and catch to the underside. 64 grams, 80 mm



    From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12071-213599.

    The exact identity of the animals is disputed: on some examples, such as those from Birka published by Arbman, the animals have an ursine quality whereas the present ones look more like mice or squirrels.

    Lot Details

  • Pre-Viking Bronze Proto Boars Head Brooch
    Pre-Viking Bronze Proto Boar's Head Brooch
    7th-8th century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £78

    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.

    Lot Details

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