Details

LOT 0784

Scandinavian Viking Equal-Arm Brooch

10TH CENTURY AD

3 1/4" (20 grams, 79mm).

A bronze bow brooch with hollow conical bow and symmetrical arms; the bow with central stud and facing masks above hatched bodies extending to the arms, each with lateral S-shaped animal elements, hands gripping the ribbon bodies and opposed facing mask at the outer edge; masks and lateral animals with silvered surfaces; hollow to the underside, pin-lugs and catchplate intact.

Provenance

Property of a London businessman, from his grandfather's collection formed after World War II; thence by descent, 1972; accompanied by an original positive X-Ray fluorescence metal analysis report number 00583-2015Vj by Oxford Labs, an original Art Loss Register certificate number 8576(21).AR dated 24 October 2015, and two academic offprints regards similar equal arm brooches found previously.

Literature

Cf. Arbman, H. Birka I: Die Gräber, Uppsala, 1940, pl.80, item 2; Arwidsson, G. Birka II: 2 Systematische Analysen der Gräberfunde, Uppsala, 1986, pl.98, item IIIC:1.

CONDITION