Ancient Viking Jewellery for sale

Ancient Viking jewellery designs inherited the design traditions of the Germanic world under the influences of western European, Byzantine, Insular British and Irish, Anglo-Saxon and Slavonic taste. Viking taste often included bold geometric designs alongside knotwork and animal ornament. Various interpretations of the artistic motifs have been proposed, but any understanding of Viking designs must take into account the desire to impress the viewer. The best pieces of Viking age metalwork were intended to enhance the authority and prestige of the users and owners. Within these pages you will find some enchanting and impressive items produced in Scandinavian and Baltic workshops in the time of the Viking trade networks.

Customers and site-visitors may have noticed that the Anglo-Saxon site pages have been revised. As part of our ongoing programme of improving the quality and reliability of our site, the ‘Viking’ pages are been amended in the light of further detailed research. We aim to roll this out across the rest of the site in due course. Please check back for updates.

Viking antiquities Main MenuViking antiquities Main Menu


Viking ‘Double-Link’ Brooch-and-Chains Ensemble 011721

Rare Viking 'Double-Link' Brooch-and-Chains Ensemble
Copper-alloy, 170 grams, 715 mm. Brooches 61.58 mm & 61.18 mm. Circa 9th-10th century AD. A rare complete ensemble of two pierced plate brooches and their decorative chain attachments, complete and with both pins intact. The brooches are tinned, with a pierced rectangular headplate and pierced expanding triangular footplate. Behind each brooch is a spiral fitting to secure the ends of a pair of finely-wrought chains, each formed from double-links. The two chains are of unequal length in order to allow the outer one to hang below and parallel to the inner. Reference: Lehtosalo-Hilander, P-L.,Luistari (Finland), A History of Weapons and Ornaments, grave 1260; plate 57 item 7. Very fine condition; Ex European collection.

£850.00

more info
Viking ‘Double-Link’ Brooch-and-Chains Ensemble 011721
Baltic Viking 'Triple Twist' Bracelet 013631

Baltic Viking 'Triple Twist' Bracelet
Copper-alloy, 9.71 grams, 60.60 mm. 10th-12th century AD. A carefully made late Viking bracelet comprising a single rod of copper-alloy wire bent into three adjacent strands, the ends looped and the central portion skilfully twisted to give a plaited effect. Bracelets of this kind were popular with middle-ranking Viking females in the eastern Baltic as a substitute for the higher-status twisted silver wire bracelets. Reference: cf. twisted wire bracelet from Jakstaiciai grave 35 in Griciuviene, E.Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvijas Vestures Muzejs, 2005, p.77 item 374. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

£75.00

more info
Baltic Viking 'Triple Twist' Bracelet 013631
Baltic-Scandinavian / Viking 'Brooch, Chain and Ring' Dress Suite 012766

Extremely Rare Baltic-Scandinavian/Viking 'Brooch, Chain and Ring' Dress Suite
Silver, 18.29 grams, 255 mm. 12th century AD. A D-section penannular brooch with clubbed ends, surmounted by rectangular studs, its pin formed as a round-section rod with D-shaped attachment panel decorated with punched roundels in lines. Attached to this by a silver loop is a trichinopoly chain with conical finials ending in loops. At the other end is a flat annular plate with punched pellet and triangle decoration. Reference: cf. similar from grave 138 at Pavirvyte-Gudai in Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigalians, Latvia, 2005, item 438. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

£1,450.00

more info
Baltic-Scandinavian / Viking 'Brooch, Chain and Ring' Dress Suite 012766
Baltic Viking 'Plaited' Neck-Ring 1000

Baltic Viking 'Plaited' Neck-Ring
Copper-alloy, 220 grams, 16.35 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A skilfully made neck-ring formed from four sturdy zinc-rich copper-alloy rods, each thicker at the centre (about 6mm) than the ends (about 3mm) to give an expanding profile to the finished article. The rods were first wound in pairs, then formed into the final complex plait, with the ends carefully fused to form the hook-and-eye closure. Each end has a collar of much finer wire (about 1mm) bound around the lower 1.5cm from which the hook and eye elements emerge. The form of the arm-ring is distinctively Scandinavian, and the find-spot is in the Kingdom of York where there was extensive contact with both Scandinavia and the Viking-dominated port and markets of the Isle of Man and Dublin. Similar rings were among the treasures of the Cuerdale hoard from Lancashire which was deposited in the opening years of the tenth century (from the coins, a date circa AD 905 is considered likely, although dates drawn from purely numismatic evidence can be revised from time to time). The form of the ring is of a standard ‘East Baltic’ type. Reference: Hårdh, B. Silver in the Viking Age. A Regional Economic Study, Stockholm, 1996, p.191ff. Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume 2 - Middle Saxon & Viking, Witham, 2010. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

£9,995.00

more info
Baltic Viking 'Plaited' Neck-Ring 1000
Baltic Viking 'Broad Axe-Head' Pendant 018131

Baltic Viking 'Broad Axe-Head' Pendant
Copper-alloy, 17.91 grams, 53.15 mm. 10th-12th century AD. A pendant in the form of a square-end axe-head with a discoid lobe on the inner face, embellished with an inner double border, a series of punched roundels and incised triangles, and pierced centrally through the blade. The thick neck is centrally pierced for suspension. Reference: cf. the later medieval example published in Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, item 1114. Good very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

£650.00

more info
Baltic Viking 'Broad Axe-Head' Pendant 018131
Baltic Viking 'Expanding Terminals' Bracelet 018094

Baltic Viking 'Expanding Terminals' Bracelet
Copper-alloy, 25.01 grams, 55.27 mm. 8th-10th century AD. A thin flat-sectioned band with a central discoid panel and expanding terminals. Ring-and-dot motifs are placed along the outer edges of the expanded sections and centrally on the rest of the band, and punched geometric designs are placed in panels around these. Bracelets of this type are associated with the eastern Baltic Selonians in the Viking period. Reference: Griciuviene, E. Seliai - The Selonians Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus, 2007, p.154-5. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

£125.00

more info
Baltic Viking 'Expanding Terminals' Bracelet 018094
Baltic Viking 'Scrolled' Bracelet 013613

Baltic Viking 'Scrolled' Bracelet
Copper-alloy, 27.44 grams, 51.05 mm ext.dia. 10th-13th century AD. A late Viking period female bracelet made from a cast longitudinally ribbed bar with the terminals formed by scrolling. Reference: cf. Sedov, V.V. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhy Srednevekoviya, Moscow, 1987, Finnic p.291 figs.10,12 and Baltic p.440, fig.19, p.456 fig.21. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old European collection.

£125.00

more info
Baltic Viking 'Scrolled' Bracelet 013613
Viking Baltic 'Rockerwork' Bracelet 018096

Viking Baltic 'Rockerwork' Bracelet
Copper-alloy, 9.09 grams, 52.42 mm. 8th-10th century AD. A flat-sectiondc band with panels of geoetric decoration executed in 'rockerwork' whereby the blade is rocked back and forth across the surface to produce a continuous zigzag line. The central panel features a ring-and-dot with four petals radiating from the ring; flanking this are two panels with a central ring-and-dot and short radiating lines in a starburst motif; next are panels with double-line opposed lunate arcs, and the terminal panels share this design extended over a greater length. Bracelets of this form are associated with the eastern Baltic Selonians in the Viking period. Reference: Griciuviene, E. Seliai - The Selonians, Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus, 2007, p.154-5. Extremely fine condition with a beautiful even light brown patination. Provenance: from an old English collection.

£225.00

more info
Viking Baltic 'Rockerwork' Bracelet 018096
Viking Baltic 'Latticework' Bracelet 018095

Viking Baltic 'Latticework' Bracelet
Copper-alloy, 17.96 grams, 52.95 mm. 8th-10th century AD. A shallow flat-sectioned band with punched and incised decoration: the central panel features a double-line saltire between punched lunate motifs; the outer panels both feature a median dividing line separating panels of incised latticework with punched lunate motifs on the outer margins and the median line. Bracelets of this form are associated with the eastern Baltic Selonians in the Viking period. Reference: Griciuviene, E. Seliai - The Selonians, Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus, 2007, p.154-5. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

£225.00

more info
Viking Baltic 'Latticework' Bracelet 018095
Baltic Viking 'Stamped' Bracelet 017792

Viking 'Stamped' Bracelet
Copper-alloy, 41.44 grams, 64.83 mm. 8th-10th century AD. A lentoid-section band with stamped geometric decoration typical of eastern Baltic cultures of the Viking Period. The outer face is segmented with collars of transverse bands separating incised and stamped saltires and triangular punched rows; the central panel features four triangular features converging on a central point with punched roundel detailing. Reference: Griciuviene, E. Seliai - The Selonians Lietuvos nacionalinis muziejus, 2007, p.154-5. Good very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

more info
Baltic Viking 'Stamped' Bracelet 017792
Buy product
Viking 'Cross-Hatched' Bracelet 012630

Viking 'Cross-Hatched' Bracelet
Silver, 25.38 grams, 60.87 mm. 8th-11th century AD. A circular-section silver rod formed into a curved band. The ends are decoorated with two collars of cross-hatched banding with a plain panel between. Rings of this type were made by casting a thick rod and carefully bending it round a former. Similar rings were found in the Viking period Alvara silver hoard on Öland (Sweden). Reference: Härdh, B. Silver in the Viking Age: A Regional-Economic Study, Stockholm, 1996 fig.37. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection, found Continental Europe.

£225.00

more info
Viking 'Cross-Hatched' Bracelet 012630
Viking ‘Serpent Heads’ Bracelet 015032

Viking ‘Serpent Heads’ Bracelet
Copper-alloy, 86.81 grams, 74.60 mm. Circa 10th century AD. A heavy cast bracelet with a slightly flattened D-shaped section. The terminals are formed as a thick, rectangular brow-ridge with saltire incisions developing into a thinner, upturned muzzle decorated with transverse banding. The design emulates the twisted construction of the standard Viking torc or neck-ring, and the serpent’s body with a head at each end is a symbol of protection used by Scandinavians, Franks, Anglo-Saxons and other Germanic cultures since the Late Roman Iron Age. Reference: Lehtosalo-Hilander, P-L.,Luistari I, The Graves pl.67 and Luistari II, The Artefacts, Vammala, 1982. Very fine condition.

more info
Viking ‘Serpent Heads’ Bracelet 015032
Buy product
Viking Serpentine Spiral Arm Ring 014631

Viking ‘Serpentine Spiral’ Arm Ring
Copper-alloy, 80.94 grams, 131.36 mm. 10th-11th century. A substantial arm ring of Baltic Viking provenance. The expanded central portion is decorated with moulded spiral band decoration in imitation of the usual twisted-rectangular bar rings. The terminals are thinned and flattened; one is narrow and pointed and the other is spatulate. Reference: Reference: Lehtosalo-Hilander, P-L.,Luistari (Finland), A History of Weapons and Ornaments, Helsinki, 2000, p.118-21. Very fine condition.

£450.00

more info
Viking Serpentine Spiral Arm Ring 014631


Back to previous page largerBack to previous page
0
£0.00