Copper-alloy and silver, 10.10 grams, 61.13 mm. 5th-6th century AD. An Anglian cruciform brooch of the trefoil-head type with a square headplate and waisted D-shaped extensions on three sides. The bow is 'stepped' in profile, slightly carinated in section. The footplate is narrow with a ridged collar above an expanding finial. The pin-lug is in place on the reverse, as is the majority of the catchplate. The brooch is exceptional in several ways: the headplate is not decorated with the usual punched detailing; the bow is very angular rather than the normal curved profile; the silvering on the footplate is very heavy and is on both the outer face and the reverse. It seems likely, from the lack of punching and the silvered elements remaining, that the brooch's decorative quality derived from the reflective metallic surface. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), BAR British Series 230, 1993, pp.104 item 12.24. Some loss from headplate but otherwise very fine condition. Provenance: found Thetford, Suffolk, England.

Copper-alloy, 46.72 grams, 100.10 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A large robust example of the cruciform brooch type associated with the Anglian settlement area. The rectangular headplate is flanked by expanding lateral wings with a cut-out in the lower edge. Above the headplate is a collared top-knob cast in the round. The deep bow has facetted sections at each end and a broad carination. The footplate features transverse rib collars above a horse-head finial with protrusive discoid eyes and inverted chevron ribbing above the nostrils. The pin-lug on the reverse contains the ferrous residue from the pin's upper end while the deep catchplate also contains the remains of the pin's shaft and point. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, 1993, p.98 item 12.6. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: found Lincolnshire, England.

Copper-alloy, 115 grams, 146 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A good example of the larger form of cruciform broooch. The rectangular headplate is decorated with punched decoration in the form of a triangle with a roundel at the apex. The top-knob consists of a short shank surmounted by a collar and upturned animal face with prominent brow and eyes. Two trapezoidal expanding wings flank the headplate which extends to a deep, carinated bow with facetted ends. The footplate is flanked by two spiral lappets and evolves from a transverse banded collar to a stylized horse-head with flared nostrils and pelta-shaped finial. The catchplate and spring-lug are still present. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), BAR British Series 230, 1993, pp.101 item 12.16. Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume I - Early Anglo-Saxon. Good very fine condition.

Copper-alloy, 160 grams, 181.52 mm, 7.16 inches. Circa 6th century AD. A large, very fine quality, unique hybrid type brooch based on the cruciform and square-headed bow-brooches. The headplate of the brooch is surrounded by three wings or lappets; each consists of a banded column flanked by two birds’ heads facing outwards, their beaks pierced, supporting flat panels decorated with sheet silver. The central panel of the headplate consists of a billeted border enclosing an upper zone with three elliptical pellets; below this is a rectangular field with Style I decoration surrounding a central square panel. The bow has raised lateral ridges and a broader central ridge with a central cell. The footplate is divided into three zones. The upper zone features a central rectangular panel with Style I motifs flanked by fields of Style I zoomorphs; outside these are flat lappets covered with silver sheet. An addorsed pair of birds’ heads with pierced beaks forms he second zone. Below this an expanding trapezoidal field develops into a further lateral pair of birds’ heads with pierced beaks, flanked by c-scroll details with silver-sheet inlay. The central trapezoidal field bears a Style I zoomorph. The lower edge abuts a further sheet-silver plate, rectangular with two small rectangular flanches removed. The brooch is a hybrid form, unpublished in the standard publications but clearly based on the more developed cruciform types (compare MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, 1993, p.106 items 12.28, 12.37) but with details taken from great square-headed brooches. The decoration is crisp, the gilding remains across the surface in the incisions and the silver sheet is largely intact. Reference: Hines, J. A New Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Great Square-Headed Brooches, Woodbridge, 1997. Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume I - Early Anglo-Saxon. Good very fine condition. Found Leicestershire.

Copper-alloy, 26.93 grams, 46.82 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A large developed form of Anglo-Saxon cruciform brooch. The trapezoidal headplate is flanked by two lateral extensions and surmounted by a cast collared top-knob moulded as a ‘halfround’ D-section. The outer edges of the headplate and extensions are decorated with a series of punched semicircular motifs; these extend along the bow in two files flanking the median rib which is billeted. The facetted bow extends into the footplate which has a transverse collar and median rib, its decoration mirroring that of the bow and headplate. The spring-lug and catchplate are present; the piece was fractured in antiquity at the point where the catchplate ends. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, p.100 item 12.12. Extremely fine condition.

Copper-alloy, 26.27 grams, 83.72 mm. Circa 7th century AD. The raised rectangular headplate is surmounted by a cast top-knob with domed terminal and ribbed collar, with two rectangular lateral wings. The bow bears a central rib decoration, abraded in the central portion, and transverse ribbing. The footplate bears a rectilinear panel and animal-head decoration with prominent eyes and rounded nostril detailing. The catchplate is intact, complete with remains of the iron pin. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, 1993, p.97 item 12.4. Very fine condition.

Copper-alloy, 14.69 grams, 69.76 mm. 5th-6th century AD. The small-long brooch is a standard Anglo-Saxon form of garment closure, mainly used in pairs to fasten peplos-style dresses at the shoulders. This example has a rectangular headplate, with annular punchmark detailing around the perimeter. The bow is decorated with facetted zones at the upper and lower edges. The footplate features bands of transverse banding. The terminal is a flared, flat trapezoid with annular punchmark decoration. The iron spring-attachment is corroded but in situ; the catchplate is also present. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, 1993, p.129 item 15.19. Good very fine condition. Ex property of a gentleman, found Hertfordshire.

Copper-alloy, 12.28 grams, 62.07 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A good example of the small-long brooch type. The rectangular headplate is pierced at each stepped corner to form three T-shaped components similar to the trefoil pattern of some cruciform brooches. The carinated bow is facetted at both ends and develops into a narrow footplate with expanding terminal. A transverse collar is formed from two ribbed transverse bands. The finial is a thickened band with segmented decoration. The spring-lug bears remains of the iron pin; the catchplate is complete. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, p.135 item 15.43. Good fine condition. Provenance: found Winchester, England.

Copper-alloy, 28.02 grams, 64.93 mm. 6th century AD. The headplate consists of a rectangular central section with a rectangular internal panel and a billeted border. Lateral plates are mostly present and the upper border marks the extension into the a further billeted panel. The bow is divided into three zones: two opposed ‘T’-shaped panels with billetted borders, a central square stud with saltire decorative motif, and two lateral panels with median billeted decoration. The footplate’s upper panel is mostly present, flanked by lappets in the form of animal heads. Spring lugs and catchplate are in situ on the reverse. The surface bears portions of its original heavily-gilded surface. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, p.110 item 12.38. Very fine condition.

Copper-alloy, 19.25 grams 71.76 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A developed early form of cruciform brooch in which the lateral wings have expanded to surround the headplate on three sides. The bow is facetted at each end and the footplate has almost lost its animal characteristics – the brow is represented by the transverse rectangular band and the muzzle has become a simple, flat trapezoid. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, 1993, pp.97,104 items 12.3, 24. Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume I - Early Anglo-Saxon. Very fine condition. Found Cambridgeshire.

Copper-alloy, 12.76 grams, 35.46 mm. 5th century AD. A nice example of a very early form of cruciform brooch. The single top-knob is cast in the round, its collar joining directly to the headplate which bears an incised saltire. The bow is plain apart from facetted ends and a single cast roundel in the mid-upper section. The footplate consists of a ribbed collar above a stylized animal-head with flared nostrils. The pierced lug and catchplate are intact; the pin was lost in antiquity. The early Anglo-Saxon cruciform brooch is a derivative form of the standard Late Roman fibula, used to fasten female garments such as the peplos dress. The decorated headplate is an unusual feature at this date. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, p.96-7 item 12.2. Very fine condition.

Copper-alloy, 14.55 grams, 43.73 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A good example of an Anglo-Saxon small-long brooch, it features a rectangular headplate with five lobes each containing an inset punched pellet. The carinated bow has facetted ends extending to two transverse ribbed collars above a spatulate footplate with a pelletted lower border. The pin-lugs and catchplate are still in place. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), Oxford, 1993, p.135 item 15.41. Very fine condition.

Copper-alloy, 8.77 grams, 55.97 mm. 5th-6th century AD. The small-long brooch is a standard Anglo-Saxon form of garment closure, mainly used in pairs to fasten peplos-style dresses at the shoulders. This example has a pierced rectangular headplate, a feature which echoes the form of contemporary cruciform brooches. The bow is decorated with transverse banding. The footplate terminates in a ribbed collar detail. The spring-attachment lug was damaged in antiquity and replaced by a new fitting, attached to a rivet inserted from the front of the brooch. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, 1993, p.145 item 15.78. Very fine condition. Ex property of a gentleman, found Hertfordshire.

Copper-alloy, 28.05 grams, 85.81 mm. 5th-6th century AD. The brooch features a rectangular headplate and wide lozengiform side-plates. The top-knob is missing. The deep bow features faceting at top and bottom. The plain footplate joins a terminal in the form of a beast’s head with prominent eyes and flared nostrils. The restored footplate is pierced above the animal-head. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, 1993, p.98 item 12.6. Good fine condition. Ex property of a gentleman, found Hertfordshire.

Copper-alloy, 7.17 grams, 59.10 mm. 5th-6th century AD. An unusual early type of cruciform brooch. The headplate is flanked by two lateral wings which meet above; there is no top-knob. The carinated bow is facetted at each end and the footplate has almost lost its animal characteristics – the brow is represented by a transverse rectangular band and the muzzle has become a simple, flat trapezoid. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals) BAR British Series 230, Oxford, 1993, pp.97,104 items 12.3, 24. Fine condition. Provenance: found Cambridgeshire, England.

Copper-alloy, 9.73 grams, 60.53 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A good example of the small-long type of brooch. The rectangular headplate bears two circular piercings close to the right edge, mirrored by similar on the left which broke away in antiquity. The headplate is decorated with a double-contour border which corresponds to the incised facetting at the upper and lower ends of the carinated bow. The footplate is in three zones: the upper one with transverse decoration, the central one carinated and the lower expanding to a stylized animal-head. The pin-lug and catchplate are present. Reference: MacGregor, A. & Bolick, E. A Summary Catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon Collections (Non-Ferrous Metals), BAR British Series 230, Oxford, 1993, p.135 item 15.43. Fine condition. Provenance: found Cambridgeshire, England.