Gold and silver, 4.87 grams, 27 mm. Circa 5th century AD. A gold elliptical pendant with triple twisted wire border and moulded triple band suspension loop with pellet at junction; the central insert being an elliptical silver intaglio depicting a standing saint blessing a kneeling supplicant, with a chi-rho over and an uncertain inscription around. Extremely fine. Rare. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Silver, 22 grams, 62 mm. Circa 9th - 10th century AD. A reliquary cross pendant, both faces decorated with a saint in the orans pose; the suspension loop still articulating and both halves still riveted together. Very fine, complete and undamaged with suspension loop intact. Wearable. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Silver-gilt, 20.19 grams, 73.53 mm. 4th-8th century AD. A silver belt buckle with restrained use of gilding to highlight aspects of the design. The elliptical loop is dished and the sturdy tongue has a rectangular panel at the rear end; the tongue expands towards the forward edge where it curves over the recessed couch. The plate consists of a circular rear panel with a pair of scrolled panels in front: the upper and lower addorsed comma-shaped panels each bear a small human bust, while the circular panel encloses a bearded male head and shoulders wearing a square-necked tunic and with a gilded cross behind the head. Two attachment lugs are placed medially on the reverse, pierced to accept a securing wire or pin. The shape of the loop suggests a date in the 6th or 7th century AD. The overall form of the buckle is similar to many examples of Byzantine metalwork but the subject matter - Christ (and two of the apostles?) - is unusual for this period. The buckle was worn as an outward show of faith by a cleric or committed Christian magnate. Reference: cf. examples from Concesti grave 42 and Malaya Pereshchepina in Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 p.288 item I.6.3.1, p.311 item I.19.7. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Silver-gilt, 5.17 grams, 53.32 mm. 6th-7th century. A finely made earring based on an elliptical crescentic plate with a rectangular cabochon crystal set centrally in the upper zone. Around the edges of the cell are groups of granulation in triangular forms. Outside this is a double-band of ropework in a herringbone pattern, separated by a plain field from a triple-band of the same. At the top are two large granulations with adjacent triangular groupings; these are placed where the hoop joins the main body of the piece. Granulated decoration is placed on the outer face of the hoop itself. Reference: similar in overall design to the crescentic Byzantine earring in Bonham’s catalogue, 26th April 2007 item 229 and cf. granulation on 226. Good very fine condition.

Ceramic, 620 grams, 13 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Copper-alloy, 18.55 grams, 45.21 mm. Circa 6th-7th century AD. A cast copper-alloy buckle comprising an integral plate and loop and separate tongue. The loop is D-shaped in section and kidney-shaped in plan with a couch for the tongue, which is formed from a flat bar looped through a circular hole in the plate. The plate is provided with two holes: a crescent at the rear and a keyhole-shaped one in front. There are two pierced lugs on the reverse for attachment. Reference: cf. hinged-plate openwork buckle from Eski-Kermen in Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 item I.6.1.1. Very fine condition, complete. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Ceramic, 495 grams, 12.7 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Fuse nossle chipped, otherwise very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Copper-alloy, 7.64 grams, 37.56 mm. Circa 6th-7th century AD. A cast openwork buckle comprising an integral plate and loop and separate tongue. The loop is rectangular with everted corners and a couch for the tongue. The tongue is a flat bar inserted through the plate's piercing and coiled around the rear of the loop. The plate is D-shaped with a cruciform piercing and small knop at the rear, decorated with five ring-and-dot motifs. There are two pierced lugs on the reverse for attachment. Reference: cf. hinged-plate openwork buckle from Eski-Kermen in Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 item I.6.1.1. Very fine condition, complete. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Ceramic, 710 grams, 14.5 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Large chip to base, otherwise good very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Copper-alloy, 7.40 grams, 37.03 mm. Circa 6th-7th century AD. A cast openwork buckle comprising an integral plate and loop and separate tongue. The loop is rectangular with chamfered edges and a couch for the tongue. The plate is D-shaped with cruciform and crescent piercings and small knop at the rear. The tongue is a flat bar inserted through the plate's piercing and coiled around the rear of the loop. There are three pierced lugs on the reverse for attachment. Reference: cf. hinged-plate openwork buckle from Eski-Kermen in Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 item I.6.1.1. Very fine condition, complete. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Ceramic, 785 grams, 14.5 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Ceramic, 530 grams, 12.5 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Fuse nossle chipped, otherwise very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Copper-alloy, 13.29 grams, 46.69 mm. Circa 8th-10th century AD. A cast copper-alloy buckle with integral plate. The rectangular loop is chamfered on the outer faces and features a couch for the tongue. The tongue is a D-section bar passing through a cruciform void in the plate and curves over the leading edge of the loop. The plate is D-shaped with chamfered edges. On the rear is a palmette knop. On the reverse are three pierced lugs for attachment to the belt. Reference: Ross, M.C. Catalogue of Byzantine and Early Mediaeval Antiquities in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection, vol.2, Washington, 2005, pl.xxxiii. Very fine condition, complete. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Ceramic, 545 grams, 12.6 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Fuse nossle restored, otherwise very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Ceramic, 490 grams, 12.3 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Ceramic, 640 grams, 14 cm. Circa 10th century AD. A ceramic tear drop shaped vessel decorated with a geometric design. Accounts suggest that it was filled with a mixture of petroleum and designed to be charged with incendiary material, probably containing naphtha, the basis of Greek Fire. Referenace: W. Arendt 'Irene Granaten des 13-14. Jahrhunderts, die an der Wolga gefunden sind', Zeitschrift fur Historische Waffen-und Kostumkunde, 11 (1926-8), p. 42; W. Arendt 'Die Spharisch-konischen Gefasse aus Gebranntem Ton', Ibid., D. Ayalon Gunpowder and Firearms in the Mamluk Kingdom, London, 1956, p. 16. Very fine condition. Provenance: private collection, North London, UK; acquired from a London Arms & Armor dealer in the 1950's.

Copper-alloy, 17.73 grams, 47.62 mm. Circa 8th-10th century AD. A cast copper-alloy buckle with integral plate. The rectangular loop is chamfered on the outer faces and features a couch for the tongue. On the rear bar are two rows of punched-point decoration. The tongue is a D-section bar passing through a cruciform void in the plate and curves over the leading edge of the loop. The plate is D-shaped with chamfered edges, cruciform and crescentic voids and three ring-and-dot motifs. On the rear is a palmette knop. On the reverse are three pierced lugs for attachment to the belt. Reference: Ross, M.C. Catalogue of Byzantine and Early Mediaeval Antiquities in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection, vol.2, Washington, 2005, pl.xxxiii. Very fine condition, complete. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Copper-alloy, 9.85 grams, 37.94 mm. Circa 7th century AD. A cast buckle comprising an integral loop and plate, and a separate tongue. The rectangular loop has a chamfered outer border and a recessed couch for the tongue. The D-section tongue extends over the forward edge of the loop, and loops through a hole in the plate at the rear. The D-shaped plate is pierced by a large cross, with a small knop to the rear. On the reverse are three pierced lugs for attachment. Reference: cf. hinged-plate buckle from Eski-Kermen in Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 item I.6.1.1. Very fine condition, two lugs incomplete. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Copper-alloy, 24.24 grams, 68.87 mm. Circa 7th-10th century AD. A hinged buckle comprising three components. The loop is D-shaped, elliptical in section and held by two straps emerging from beneath the shield-shaped plate. The tongue is narrow with a ribbed collar at the inner end, looped over the rear bar of the loop. The plate is pierced by two rivets which secure the backplate. Reference cf. Plamonov, S. and Taryma, S. Platar Catalogue, Kiev, 2004 items 11.e,f and with a similar shaped plate cf. Menghin, W. The Merovingian Period. Europe Without Borders, Berlin, 2007 item I.2.2.1. Very fine condition, complete. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Copper alloy, 4.30/4.24 grams; 46.38/50.83 mm. Circa 10th-12th century AD. A matched pair of earrings with an interesting trident design and large attachment hoops. A beautiful pair of earrings in very fine condition.