Copper-alloy, 6.99 grams, 45.17 mm. Circa 11th century AD. A cast copper-alloy plaque formed as a narrow plate with lobed outline, thick transverse collar and lozenge-shaped terminal with a knop to the three outer corners. The plate is pierced in two places for attachment. The terminal has a central depression. A similar design appears on Anglo-Scandinavian stirrup mounts of Williams's Class A Type 12. Reference: Williams, D. Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts, CBA Research Report 111, London, 1997 p.71ff. Very fine condition. Provenance: found in Lincoln, 1990.

Silver, 3.08 grams, 18.92 mm. Circa 10th-11th century AD. A cut section from a square-section bar of silver with flattening to one end where the bar has been hastily chopped. As the Scandinavian economies were not monetised until the 11th century, exchange was made possible by the use of small pieces of silver and less often gold which were used in the barter system in place of coinage. Reference: Hårdh, B. Silver in the Viking Age: A Regional Economic Study, Acta Archaeologica Lundensia Series in Octavo no.25, Stockholm, 1996. Fine condition. Provenance: from an old European collection.

Silver, 2.69 grams, 19.67 mm. Circa 10th-11th century AD. A cut section from a hexagonal-section bar of silver. As the Scandinavian economies were not monetised until the 11th century, exchange was made possible by the use of small pieces of silver and less often gold which were used in the barter system in place of coinage. Reference: Hårdh, B. Silver in the Viking Age: A Regional Economic Study, Acta Archaeologica Lundensia Series in Octavo no.25, Stockholm, 1996. Fine condition. Provenance: from an old European collection.

Copper-alloy, 80 grams, 295 mm. Circa 5th-7th century AD. A cast copper-alloy dress-pin with long ribbed collars, large spherical bulb and conical finial with three lines of convergent billetting. The pin tapers gently to a rounded point. A small hole at the top of the bulb may have held the attachment loop for a chain. The pin was used as a showy dress and cloak fastener durin the Merovingian period in the southern Baltic. Reference: cf. Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, item 438-9. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Copper-alloy, 70 grams, 255 mm. Circa 5th-7th century AD. A cast copper-alloy dress-pin with long ribbed collars, large spherical bulb and conical finial with three lines of convergent billetting. The pin tapers gently to a rounded point. A small hole at the top of the bulb may have held the attachment loop for a chain. The pin was used as a showy dress and cloak fastener durin the Merovingian period in the southern Baltic. Reference: cf. Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, item 438-9. Fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Copper-alloy, 6.45 grams, 32.70 mm. Circa 10th century AD. A cast copper-alloy buckle with D-shaped plate and rectangular-section tongue. The loop is formed with a round-section rear and flat sides developing into a broad plate with bird-heads to the outer edges and a central human face executed in Jellinge Style. The tongue is formed from a short pointed rod looped around the rear bar; there is a small recess where it rests on the loop. The conjunction of a central male face and bird-heads to each side suggests the god Óðinn (Odin) and his ravens, Huginn and Muninn, who circle the world each day and bring him news. Reference: cf. late 10th century D-shaped buckle in Backhouse, J., Turner, D.H. and Webster, L. The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art: 966-1066, London, 1984 item 97. Good very fine condition. Provenance: found East Anglia, UK.

Copper-alloy, 4.43 grams, 21.65 mm. Circa 10th-14th century AD. A small decorative crotal bell comprising a hollow bulb and trapezoidal plate with attachment hole. Small tinkling bells were worn as part of female costume in the Baltic region. Reference: cf. necklace from a woman's grave at Dobele in Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, page 183. Uncleaned, 'as found' condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

Copper-alloy, 3.34 grams, 26.27 mm. Circa 10th-14th century AD. A sheet copper-alloy decorative mount, rectangular with central perforation and rivet, from a belt or harness strap. On the outer face a border and saltire in square punched points, with roundels between the arms. Reference: Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, page 130. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

Copper-alloy, 1.74 grams, 18.61 mm. Circa 10th-14th century AD. A sheet copper-alloy decorative mount, D-shaped with central perforation, from a belt or harness strap. On the outer face a border and saltire in square punched points, with roundels between the arms. Reference: Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, page 130. Fine condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

Copper-alloy, 3.30 grams, 17.80 mm. Circa 10th-14th century AD. A small decorative crotal bell comprising a hollow bulb and trapezoidal plate with attachment hole. Small tinkling bells were worn as part of female costume in the Baltic region. Reference: cf. necklace from a woman's grave at Dobele in Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, page 183. Uncleaned, 'as found' condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

Copper-alloy, 2.72 grams, 17.21 mm. Circa 10th-14th century AD. A small decorative crotal bell comprising a hollow bulb and trapezoidal plate with attachment hole. Small tinkling bells were worn as part of female costume in the Baltic region. Reference: cf. necklace from a woman's grave at Dobele in Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, page 183. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

Copper-alloy, 3.15 grams, 24.65 mm. Circa 10th-14th century AD. A sheet copper-alloy decorative mount, trapezoidal with central perforation and rivet, from a belt or harness strap. On the outer face a border and saltire in square punched points, with roundels between the arms. Reference: Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, page 130. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

Copper-alloy, 3.63 grams, 19.81 mm. Circa 10th-14th century AD. A small decorative crotal bell comprising a hollow bulb and trapezoidal plate with attachment hole. Small tinkling bells were worn as part of female costume in the Baltic region. Reference: cf. necklace from a woman's grave at Dobele in Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, page 183. Uncleaned, 'as found' condition. Provenance: from an old collection.

Copper-alloy, 34.67 grams, 60.08 mm. Circa 11th century AD. A cast openwork Ringerike Style mount or plate in the form of a rectangular frame containing a complex interlaced zoomorphic panel. The design comprises a large s-curved lupine creature with long muzzle and a spiral hip, facing over its back towards two serpents which encircle the larger animal's hind-legs. Four attachment rivets are still present in the shorter sides. The scene appears to depict the binding of the monstrous wolf, Fenrir, one of the dangerous supernatural offspring of the god Loki. The gods undertook several attempts at binding the wolf, because they believed it to be a menace to the order of the world, but all the fetters they devised failed; eventually they created a binding from magical, non-existent ingredients (the roots of a mountain, the beard of a woman, etc.) but the wolf refused to allow the gods to place the fetter on him without some form of surety of their good faith. Eventually, the war-god Tyr agreed to place his hand in the wolf's mouth as a pledge: the wolf proved unable to break the fetter and was thus captured. All the gods laughed at this except Tyr, who lost his hand. When the wolf finally breaks free from his fetter, the ending of the world will ensue. Reference: Allan, T. Vikings - The Battle at the End of Time, London, 2002 p.62 and cf. openwork execution of an Anglo-Scandinavian figurative mount in Williams, D. Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts, CBA Research Report 111, London, 1997 item 481. Extremely fine condition, complete. Provenance: found East Yorkshire, England.

Copper-alloy, 6.27 grams, 20.05 mm. Circa 10th-11th century AD. A cast copper-alloy fitting in the form of an animal's head with pierced lobes above the hollow ears. The fitting is U-shaped in section and D-shaped in plan, with a prominent median ridge for the nose and annular ridges for the eyes. The fitting seems to have been designed to accept a pair of cords or thongs through the upper holes and to cover the point where they were spliced into a thicker band. The design of the face is similar to a series of disembodied beast-head elements found in the decoration of manuscripts from the later 10th and 11th centuries, incorporating both Carolingian and Scandinavian influences. Reference: cf. beast-head motifs in the Ramsey Psalter (BL Harley MS2904) folio 4 initial B and The Rule of St. Benedict (BL Harley MS5431) folio 7 published in Backhouse, J., Turner, D.H. and Webster, L. The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art 966-1066, London, 1984 fig 27 (Rule) and plate IX (Psalter). Very fine condition, crisply moulded and complete. Provenance: found Wiltshire, England.

Copper-alloy, 6.51 grams, 99.59 mm. 5th-6th century AD. A dress pin comprising a pointed shaft rising to a bifurcated section, flattened and involuted to form a pair of opposed scrolls. Reference: West. S. A Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Finds From Suffolk, East Anglian Archaeology 84, Ipswich, 1998 p.214 fig.96(6) and Webster, L. & Backhouse, J. The Making of England. Anglo-Saxon Art and Culture AD 600-900, London, 1991, p.98 item 69(j, k). Extremely fine condition. Provenance: found Lincolnshire, England.

Copper-alloy, 4.53 grams, 22.52 mm. Circa 11th century AD. A concave disc mount with raised border and decorative field containing three radiating bear-head motifs with interstitial tongue-shaped elements. The bear-heads are similar to those appearing on contemporary 11th century Anglo-Scandinavian stirrup mounts of Williams's Class B Type 1 Group 1. Reference: Williams, D. Late Saxon Stirrup-Strap Mounts – A Classification and Catalogue, CBA Research Report 111, Oxford, 1997, p.86. Fine condition. Provenance: found Norfolk, England.

Gilt copper-alloy, 13.94 grams, 35.43 mm. Circa 10th-11th century AD. A heavy cast belt loop with elliptical front plate and narrow band behind, enabling it to slide on the belt or strap. The chip-carved design comprises a cross pattée with rounded ends to the upright and an elliptical depression to the ends of the arms. Between the arms are four s-shaped serpentine creatures. The rear bar is sharply angled and rectangular in section. Reference: cf. decorative motifs on a Late Saxon strap end from Leicester in Backhouse, J., Turner, D.H., Webster, L. The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art 966-1066, London, 1984 item 133. Very fine condition. Provenance: found Norfolk, England.

Gilt silver with niello, 13.77 grams, 42.17 mm. Circa 10th century AD. An unusual openwork mount in the form of a hollow spherical feature with incised beast-head decoration on the upper and lower surfaces, the eyes circular and the back of the head with incised crescents, probably representing fish-scales. The mouth of the creature gapes open to engage with a convex-sided feature with an openwork centre, into which four pairs of comma-shaped elements intrude; these alternate in appearance between chip-carved and gilded and those with notched leaves in niello inlay. Similar notched leaf decoration is present on the outer faces of the edge bars. At the lower end of the piece the convex bars converge onto a disc with hemispherical bulbs on the sides. The upper bulb is hollow at the rear. The bifacial nature of the decoration indicates that the piece was intended to be viewed from both sides, and the hollow bulb could accommodate a swivel mechanism; use as a tag or handle is possible, for example for an æstel or reading pointer. Stylistically, the beast-head has parallels in a gilded spouted jug presented to the British Museum in 1897 by Sir A.W. Franks which is now considered one of the earliest examples of Late Saxon Winchester Style metalwork, dating from the early 10th century AD. The openwork foliage centre is also parallelled by a number of tongue-shaped strap ends found in Winchester. Reference: Backhouse, J., Turner, D.H. and Webster, L. The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art 966-1066, London, 1984 items 72, 82, 83. Extremely fine condition, much gilding remaining. Provenance: from an old English collection, found Continental Europe.

Copper-alloy, 25.90 grams, 47.10 mm. 9th-11th century AD. A penannular mount formed from a round-section bar with faux 'ropework' twist effect on one face. The bar expands closer to the terminals which are tightly scrolled outwards. The pattern of wear on the outer face of the upper side of the mount is consistent with a penannular brooch, although the very pronounced rise of the terminals is not normal for penannular brooches of the Viking age, which tend to be D-section and feature opposed scrolls formed perpendicular to the bar. Reference: cf. Lehtosalo-Hilander, P-L., Luistari I - The Graves, Helsinki, 1982 plate I G9 item 1.1001. Very fine condition. Provenance: found Old Knebworth, Hampshire, England.

Copper-alloy, 8.96 grams, 41.66 mm. Circa 11th century AD. A cast openwork mount or strap end with convex sides featuring a serpentine creature executed in Urnes Style, the sinuous body enmeshed in a network of fine tendrils. The Urnes Style is the last mediaeval Scandinavian art style, replaced by the Romanesque in the later 11th century. Reference: cf. the carved sarcophagus in Cormac's Chapel at Cashel, Ireland, in Sawyer, P. (ed.) The Oxford Illustrated History of the Vikings, Oxford, 1997, p.104. Very fine condition. Provenance: found Suffolk, England.

Copper-alloy, 19.42 grams, 55.87 mm. 10th-11th century AD. A cast mount in the form of a cross with broad arms and pierced, triangular terminals. The centre of the cross is domed, with a circular piercing within each arm. Reference: cf. similar cruciform, domed mount in Hammond, B. British Artefacts Vol.2 - Middle Saxon and Viking, Witham, 2010 item 1.9-f. Very fine condition, complete. Provenance: found Dragonby, Lincolnshire, in 1999.

Copper-alloy, 14.60 grams, 41.14 mm. 10th-11th century AD. An unusual rectangular belt buckle of Scandinavian type. The forward bar is segmented with a triangular couch for the tongue (lost in antiquity); the side bars are chamfered, with segment detailing on both outer surface; the rear bar is round in section. At each corner is placed a triangular beast-head motif with square muzzle and two prominent, rounded ears, those on the forward edge facing forwards and those on the rear facing backwards. Buckles with similar decoration in triangular form are known from Viking period sites, but the rectangular style is very rare. Reference: cf. triangular example in Hammond, B. British Artefacts vol. 2 - Middle Saxon & Viking, Witham, 2010 item 1.2-c. Very fine condition, slight fracture to rear bar, uncleaned 'as found' condition. Provenance: found near Kemble, Glostershire, England.

Gilt copper-alloy, 9.99 grams, 36.73 grams. 9th-10th century AD. A hollow, pyramidal mount with inset triangular panels on the sides and a domed pad on the apex. Each panel bears a design of regular knotwork. From two edges develop facetted, crescentic extensions; there is evidence for missing additional (openwork?) plates on all four sides which would have allowed the mount to be attached to a strap. The whole piece is heavily gilded. Dr. Kevin Leahy of the Portable Antiquities Scheme writes: The reticular interlace and the crescentic notch can be paralleled on some of the mounts from Soma, Norway and the breaks suggest that it might have been part of a harness mount, like those from Soma. This material was made in Ireland in the second half of the ninth century and 'exported' by the Vikings. Reference: Youngs, S. The Work of Angels, London, 1990 pl.114. Very fine condition with almost full original gilding. Provenance: found Uttlesford, Essex and recorded with the PAS under reference ESS-37A438.

Copper alloy, 6.14 grams, 22.43 mm. Circa 8th-9th century AD. A beautiful mount ornamented with an interlace pattern forming the neck of two conjoint zoomorphic masks, each with an ear at the junction of the neck, the whole area is covered in chip carved gold. Between the masks is a circular piercing and on the back there is a pierced projection, both would have been used for securing the piece. Ref: purchased Bonhams sale catalogue 27th April 2006, lot 293; also see for similar examples The Work of Angels Masterpieces of Celtic Metalwork, 6th-9th centuries AD edited by Susan Youngs, page 119. Published in Hammond, B.M. British Artefacts vol.2 - Middle Saxon and Viking, Witham, 2010. A very important piece of early Irish artwork in very fine condition. Ex Bonhams. Found Lincolnshire 2002. This item is accompanied by an XRF ancient metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.

Copper-alloy, 5.68 grams, 42.59 mm. 9th-11th century AD. A sturdy Anglo-Scandinavian key comprising an annular bow developing into a bulbous, round-section shaft, from which emerges an openwork plate with two T-shaped extensions. Reference: Murawski, P. Benet's Artefacts of England and the United Kingdom, Ely, 2003 items V17-0102/3/4. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

A unique oppertunity to obtain the majority of metal items from a hoard found in East Yorkshire in 2007, reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme and all returned to the finder except item (X). The assemblage comprises: (A) A gilt copper-alloy cast male head with a long face [not included in the sale]; (B) A Scandinavian Swastika barrel weight; (C) A Viking embedded weight; (D) A Viking embedded styca weight; (E) An Anglo-Saxon cast convex-sided strap end; (F) An Anglo-Saxon convex-sided tag or strap end; (G) An Anglo-Scandinavian cast copper-alloy D-shaped buckle loop; (H) A Trefoil design Anglo-Saxon ring bezel; (I) An iron hook; (J) The central roundel from an Anglo-Saxon penny; (X) A small D-section silver ingot. [retained by York Museum, not included in the sale]. Reference: Portable Antiquities Scheme 2007 T226. Very fine condition. Provenance: found in East Yorkshire.

Copper-alloy, 7.50 grams, 54.22 mm. 10th-12th century AD. An unusual form of Viking / Anglo-Scandinavian key, with a plain lentoid-section shank featuring a slight bulb above the head. The handle is fashioned as an openwork discoid with lateral projections and a thicker base connecting to the shank. The head of the key is an openwork D-shaped plate with a corrugated internal upper edge and with the standard form of T-shaped projection to locate the key in the lock. Reference: Murawski, P. Benet's Artefacts of England and the United Kingdom, Ely, 2003 items V17-0102/3/4. Good very fine condition. Provenance: found Suffolk, England.

Lead and copper-alloy, 95 grams, 78.61 mm. 9th-11th century AD. A rectangular-section cast bar with rounded ends, slightly splayed on one face. The silvery metallic surface is visible beneath the cuprous patination. Reference: cf. ingots in Williams, G. and Ager, B. The Vale of York Hoard, London, 2010 and Hardh, B. Silver in the Viking Age: A Regional Economic Study, Acta Archaeologica Lundensia Series in Octavo no.25, Stockholm, 1996. Very fine condition. Provenance: found Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire, England.

Copper-alloy, 6.69 grams, 53.80 mm. 10th-12th century AD. The classic form of Viking / Anglo-Scandinavian key, formed with a D-section shank, with a notch below the handle. The handle is designed as an openwork discoid with lateral projections and a thicker base connecting to the shank. The head of the key is an openwork rectangle with lateral internal wards and a square extension on the upper end, and with the standard form of T-shaped projection to locate the key in the lock. Reference: Murawski, P. Benet's Artefacts of England and the United Kingdom, Ely, 2003 items V17-0102/3/4. Cracked, otherwise good very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection.

Copper-alloy, 13.37 grams, 16.40 mm. 8th-10th century AD. A cast copper-alloy D-shaped buckle loop with heavy ribbed decoration on the outer edges. The rear bar is comparatively narrow and shows some wear at the point where the tongue rested. Reference: cf. buckles from Coddenham in West, S. A Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Material from Suffolk, East Anglian Archaeology 84, Ipswich, 1998, p.136. Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume 2 - Middle Saxon & Viking, Witham, 2010. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection, found East Anglia, England.

Copper-alloy, 18.84 grams, 74.02 mm. 10th-11th century AD. A solid cast harness mount in the form of a bar terminating in a pair of lozengiform lobes with central circular piercings and small knops on the extremities. The D-section bar is provided with a central ribbed collar. Reference: Read, B. Metal Artefacts of Antiquity, vol.1, Langport, 2001, p.62. Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume 2 - Middle Saxon & Viking, Witham, 2010. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: found Hampshire, England.

Silver, 3.03 grams, 65.40 mm. 9th-11th century AD. A very unusual item made from silver sheet. The lower edge is fluted to accommodate the horn’s mouthpiece. The main panel bears a strip of niello-inlaid billeted decoration which follows the outline of the sheathing; the execution is reminiscent of the panels of a casket with Jellinge-style animals in the British Museum. Within this border there are traces of an incised cursive design. The upper edge has a lobed extension, pierced to accept the attachment rivet. The sheathing is curved and expanded to accommodate the shape of the horn within. Damaged in antiquity but complete. Reference: Backhouse, J., Turner, D.H. & Webster, L. The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art 966-1066, London, 1984, p.34-5 item 15. Published: Hammond, Brett. British Artefacts, volume 2 - Middle Saxon & Viking, Witham, 2010. Fine condition. This antiquity is accompanied by an XRF metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.

Copper-alloy, silvered, 39.95 grams, 235 mm. 10th-12th century AD. A very large sturdy dress pin of tapering lozengiform section. The upper 70 mm is flattened to accept a cruciform decorative mount, riveted to the shaft. The lobed cross is decorated with embossed concentric circles. Such pins were used by wealthy females to secure outer garments at the chest, often with a chain attached. Reference: cf. Griciuviene, E. Ziemgaliai - The Semigallians, Latvian National Museum, 2005, items 225-6. Good very fine condition. Provenance: from an old European collection.

Silver, 2.72 grams, 45.96 mm. 10th-12th century AD. An unusual form of female headdress in the form of a penannular fitting worn at the temples by leading women among the Rus (Baltic and Volga Vikings). The piece is formed as a flat band (0.6 to 0.9 mm thick) with three lobed expansions: two large ones placed equidistantly around the circumference and a smaller one acting as the terminal. The smaller lobe bears three punched pellets, while the larger ones bear four. The inner and outer edges are decorated with lines of square punched decorations, expanding to double-lines on the lobes; a single line of square punchmarks is visible on the reverse. The pointed end is thicker than the band at 1.4 mm. The present example with rhomboid lobes is characteristic of the Novgorodskii Slovenes of the Volga region. Reference: Franklin, S. and Shepard, J. The Emergence of Rus: 750-1200 (Longman History of Russia, vol. 1). London, 1996 and see also Stahlsberg, A. Varangian Women in Old Rus’: Who were they? in Kvinne i Arkeologi i Norge, 21, 1996,.p.83-101 and Thrane, H Steppens Nomader - Skovens Bønder: Ukraines arkhæologi i 2000 år (900 f. Kr - 1240)., Odense, 1994. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old European collection. This antiquity is accompanied by an XRF metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.

Silver, 11.02 grams, 63.88 mm (pendant) and 143 mm (chain). 10th-13th century AD. An unusual form of pendant used by high-status females in the eastern Baltic as part of their status display. The pendant consists of a broad, flat shank decorated with punched pellet detailing, narrowing at the lower end to a short foot with discoid finial, hollowed on one side to form a scoop. At the upper end, the shank develops into three flattened lobes with the attachment loop above. The chain is formed from silver wire loops in a plain Byzantine linkage. The scoop is very small and would have been used for medicinal or culinary purposes. Reference: cf. Sedov, V.V. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhy Srednevekoviya, Moscow, 1987, p.265 figs.13,14. Extremely fine condition. Provenance: from an old European collection. This item is accompanied by an XRF ancient metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.

Silver, 4.32 grams, 115.29 mm. 10th-13th century AD. A decorative dress pin of Finnic type. The carinated spherical head is hollow and decorated around its perimeter by a series of triangular perforations forming lozengiform pierced designs, and by series of linear depressions running from the knop. Below the head is a short collar from which emerges the shaft of the pin. On the upper surface of the head, offset to one side, is a delicate loop for the attachment of a cord or chain. Reference: cf. Sedov, V.V. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhy Srednevekoviya, Moscow, 1987, p.256 fig.19. Good very fine condition. Provenance: from an old English collection. This item is accompanied by an XRF ancient metal test certificate from Oxford X-ray Fluorescence Ltd.

Silver gilt, 10.22 grams, 12.19 mm. 10th-12th century AD. A beautifully detailed head from a substantial Norman / Anglo-Scandinavian or possibly slightly later pin. The top bears an incised circle enclosing a panel of gold foil. Each of the four sides is similarly decorated, but with an inscribed curvilinear lozenge filled with niello. The flattened upper corners bear roundels. The lower face is rounded to meet the shaft of the pin, lost in antiquity. Reference: reported to the PAS and published in the 2001 Treasure Report (Case 2002 T86): Description: A medieval, cube-shaped finial with slightly rounded facets, four of which are decorated with circles inlaid with gold and carrying a four point design drawn in niello. Within the spandrel formed by the meeting of these circles is placed another, smaller circle in relief. This decoration might indicate the ‘top’ of the finial. The top facet has gold inlay but without any niello, whilst the bottom has no decoration, merely evidence of a break where it has been wrenched from the object to which it was originally attached. Dimensions and metal content: Weight 10.2 g. X-ray fluorescence analysis conducted at the British Museum indicated an approximate silver content of 96 per cent. Very fine condition. Provenance: found North Ormsby, Lincolnshire, England on 24th November 2001 and disclaimed.

Copper-alloy, 125 grams, 90.29 mm (cheek piece) 49.42 mm (strap fitting). 10th-11th century AD. An elegantly designed cheek piece from the bridle of a horse. The assemblage comprises a single openwork casting for the cheek piece and a separate looped fitting for the reins. The looped fitting is a substantial D-section curve extending to two flat plates, pierced to take an attachent rivet. The junction of the loop and plate is decorated with geometric detailing and a facetted section. The cheek piece comprises a pair of addorsed serpentine heads with elaborate lappets which extend in a radiating series from the cest of the head across the void to rejoin the neck where they bifurcate. The lower lappet in each series bears two transverse ribs towards the lower end. Similar ribs mark the point where the necks join the D-shaped lower hoop to which the loop fitting is attached. The decorative plan is reminiscent of the Viking Ringerike Style which is found on some items from the recent Dublin excavations. Reference: cf. the carved wooden finial reproduced in Wallace, P & Ó Floinn, R. (eds.) Treasures of the National Museum of Ireland: Irish Antiquities, Dublin, 2002 plate 6:8. Very fine condition. Provenance: from an old London collection.