Catalog (98)

Interesting pair of horse straps in bronze with thick silver plating, c. 9th-10th. century.

Size: c. 3 cm.

Ex. Hafnia Coins inventory (Copenhagen), aquired in the late 1990s.

Large bronze cross pendant in a hollow style with two halfs put together.

Likely Eastern Europe, 12th.-14th. century AD.

Size: c. 38 mm. quite heavy.

Ex. Hafnia Coins stock, bought in Denmark in the late 1990s.

A wonderful and very elaborate larger fragment of a bronze belt plaque, Northern Europe, 9th.-11th. cent. AD

Nice Darkage-Viking style, made with multible twisted wires and held by a triangular and nicely decorated finial, two loops at the end.

Size: 42 mm.

Ex. Hafnia Coins inventory (Copenhagen), aquired in the late 1990s.

A highly attractive massive finger ring with a high round bezel, with elaborate cross design, Byzantine, c. 10th. cent.

Interesting hexagonal shape of the ring itself.

Size: The ring is 30 mm. tall, and the ringsize is c. 19 mm.

Condition: Extremely fine for this type, of exceptionally metal, very sharp and wearable. Brown patina.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection of seals between 1985...

A pair of elaborate filigree openwork earrings, Viking age, c. 800-1000 AD.

Size: c. 2,2 cm. in diameter.

Condition: Fine for type, with losses to the bows, patina.

Ex. Dutch auction sale and private collection

An interesting and high attractive large carved ivory spindle whorl, finely decorated with bulls eyes, Byzantine or Sasanian, probably Egypt workshop, 3rd.-7th. cent. AD.

Size: 45 mm. in diameter, so an impressive carving in hand!

Condition: Good Very fine, unusually well-preserved with a fine darker patina.

For almost similar specimens, see for example Metropolitan Museum Accession Number: 10.130.2530 (Atribb. to Egypt)

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer ...

A large pendant (?) usage unknown, but perhaps verification or ownership, Byzantine, 5th.-7th. century AD.

A lead pendant (amulet?) in form of a round disc with bar and monogram and greek letters.

Massive piece weighing 43,8 grams and 4,1 cm. long.

Ex. German Private Collection, 1925-1979.

A nice domed hemispheric bronze stamp seal with high handle, Byzantine, 9th.-11th. cent.

The engraving deep and artfully made.

Size: 2,2 cm. tall.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection of seals between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections. Gustav Oberländer specialized in early stamp seals from the pre-historic and Dynastic civilizations in the Near East / Mesopotamia, ...

A fine decorated bronze beaker, late Roman or Byzantine, ca. 5th.-8th. century AD.

The beaker with a high foot and conical shape as typical for late Roman and early medieval types; it's decorated with concenthric lines in the upperpart and slots that looks like key-holes on the lower part.

Size: 4,5 cm.

Condition: Intact, with attractive green patina.

A nice lot of three Early Byzantine bronze weights, dating to the early Byzantine period, later 1st. millenium BC.

The weights are all inscribed with letters and nicely patinated. The weights are: 79,1 grams (large!), 45 grams and 16,16 grams.

Provenance: Birgit og Bent Wolstrup Collection

A lovely large bronze ring of the Byzantine and early Islamic type, 6th.-8th. cent. AD.

The ring with a thick ring and oval bezel, which is engraved with an interesting relief engraving of structures or perhaps an ancient form of writing.

Ring-Size: 21-22 mm. Weight: 12.67 grams.

Condition: Superb! Very attractive dark green patina.

Ex. Collection of a German Goldsmith, 1960-1995.

Beautiful Byzantine silver ring, ca. 10th.-12th. century AD.

The ring very attractive with a high set bezel with an elaborate cross design.

Condition: Choice and wearable.

Ring-size: c. 15 mm.

Ex. Collection of a German Goldsmith, 1960-1995.

A very atractive bronze seal ring with two confronting figures, probably angels, standing, Late Roman-Byzantine, 4th.-6th. century AD.

The ring of a typical Roman design with raised shoulders and oval bezel.

Ringsize (inner diameter): 19 mm.

Condition: Good Very fine, attractive museum style cleaning and preservation. Fully wearable and strong!

Comes with the original collection ID-Card from the Oberländer collection!

Provenance: Gustav Ob...

An interesting collection of 22 metal and stone antiquities dating from c. 1st mill BC to Byzantine / Medieval period.

Lot consist of 5 spindlewhorls - 4 with decorations - three in lead and two in ceramic. 15 tokens and weights in bronze and lead and finally two bronze dices.

Sizes up to 23-25 mm.

Ex. Hafnia Coins stock, bought in Denmark in the late 1990s.

Early European iron key with a complicated slot with a cross and a round bow, typical for the medieval period.

The key can be dated to the 13th.-14th. century, Northern European.

Size: 13,5 cm.

Condition:_ Choice and nice metal, hairline crack at the bow, but sound.

Ex. Private collection of the art dealer and collector, Jens Larsen, with gallery in Møntergade, Copenhagen, 1950s-2012.

A nice and rare pottery lamp of a late Roman / Byzantine type, with inscriptions on the body, ca. 5th.-7th. century AD.

Interesting and intact lamp with only minor wear and small chips.

Size: 9 cm.

Condition: Choice and intact.

Private US Collection 1974-1994.

A larger for type Late Roman - Byzantine bronze bell, 4th.-8th. century AD.

Heavy walls and with finely patinated surface with green-brown patina. Very nice sound and would have been used for religious purposes.

Size: 8,3 cm. tall and 7 cm. wide, weighing 228 grams.

Ex. Private Collection, aquired before 1980.

Large and impressive silver 'temple' ring, Viking settlers from Scandinavia (Kingdom of the Rus or Kievan Rus), present day Ukraine, c. 800-1000 AD.

Beautiful and still wearable temple ring, in solid silver, which consists of a bow ring with a loop and three elaborately made knobbed beads. These rings were worn from a headband around the temples by Viking Rus women, hence the name Temple rings.

Size: c. 4 cm. Weight: 6,55 grams.

Condition: Very Fine for type. One...

Impressive filigree silver 'temple' ring of a very elaborate type, Viking settlers from Scandinavia (Kingdom of the Rus or Kievan Rus), present day Ukraine, c. 800-1000 AD.

Beautiful and still wearable temple ring, in solid silver, which consists of a bow ring with a loop and an elaborately carved filigree bead. These rings were worn from a headband around the temples by Viking Rus women, hence the name Temple rings.

Size: c. 3 cm.

Condition: Extremely Fine for ...

Interesting set of three large flower-shaped or bell- shaped pendants, Byzantine, ca. 600-900 AD.

The three pendants attached with smaller ancient rings to a larger ring, also ancient.

Size: ca. 6,5 cm. in length, weighing 22,58 grams!

Ex R.T. Private collection, since 1958 in Münich, Germany.

A fine group of ancient pottery oil lamps, Later Roman to Byzantine periods, ca. 3rd.-6th. century AD.

Group consists of a 86 mm. long Roman lamp, 2nd.-3rd. cent. AD, a small round terracotta type, quite rare, 70 mm. long, likely Early Roman (?) and a larger Holyland type, Palestine ca. 6th. century AD. with ribbed corpus (damage to mouth), 95 mm.

A nice lot for one price!

Ex. Private collection, since 1960s.

A very rare Early medieval / Byzantine bronze key c. 10th-12th. cent.

Interesting key first time in stock with a round bow and large rectangular slotted bit and hollow stem.

Size: 83 mm. long.

Condition: Nice VF, fine metal great patina, a small metal flaw from the making.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

A lovely seal of hard burnt pottery, depicted the bust of a knight with helmet and chainmail, ca. 7th.-10th. century AD.

Interesting depiction and likely Islamic but could be Byzantine as well.

Size: 6,8 cm. in diameter.

Condition: Superb for the fragile type with preserved handle at the back.

Ex. Old Private collection, 1895-1973.

A nice small collection of 19 seal bullae stamped in lead, dating from c. 12th.-14th. century for the oldest up to c. 17th.-18th. century!

Interesting group incl. several with Coat of Arms and perhaps also city stamps.

Size: Up to c. 4,8 cm.

Ex. Hafnia Coins stock, bought in Denmark in the late 1990s. These were priced from €40-€100 each!

Large and impressive openwork silver 'temple' ring of a very elaborate type, Viking settlers from Scandinavia (Kingdom of the Rus or Kievan Rus), present day Ukraine, c. 800-1000 AD.

Beautiful and still wearable temple ring, in solid silver, which consists of a bow ring with a loop and a large elaborately carved hanger. These rings were worn from a headband around the temples by Viking Rus women, hence the name Temple rings.

Size: c. 3,5 cm. Weight: 5 grams.

Cond...

A fine smaller iron key from a chest, Gothic type, early renaissance, c. 14th. century AD.

The key with a complicated S-shaped bit and gothic compartement bow. The stem is square and then round and solid.

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship. The motifs were frequently drawn from Gothic architecture, reproducing on a miniature scale complicated tracery patterns and even tiny statuettes. A number of these...

A nice and scarce early iron key probably from a passage door, European, Renaissance, c. Late 14th.-Early 15th. century.

The key with an oval bow and a square stem. The wide bit with a flat design.

Size: 11,7 cm.

Condition: Nice Very fine, intact dark iron patina corrosion but sound metal beneath.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

A rare and massive European Gate key, Late Medieval, ca. 14th.-15th. century.

A very heavy key with kidney-shaped bow and a very thick stem and bit. Remnants of copper plating on the surface.

Size: 21,3 cm. long and 8,3 cm. wide over the bow! Weight: ca. 300-350 grams.

Condition: Basically intact with very heavy patina and corrosion and loss of metal to the bit.

Provenance: Birgit og Bent Wolstrup Collection

A non-matching pair of really large and impressive silver & bronze 'temple' rings of a knobbed type, Viking settlers of Scandinavia, Kingdom of the Rus or Kievan Rus, present day Ukraine, c. 800-1000 AD.

Beautiful and still wearable temple rings, both of a type with three large globular hangers, one with fine miniature decoration and what looks like remnants of gilt. These rings were worn from a headband around the temples by Viking Rus women, hence the name Temple rings.

S...

Adorable bronze figurine from the medieval period, Islamic, Seljuq Empire, 10th.-11th. century AD.

The Lion standing on erect with stylized double-legs and incised details of the mane and head.

A classic antiquity from this period and does not come better or more charming.

Size: 45 mm. long and 35 mm. tall.

Condition: Superb for type, with very nice metal and great patina.

Ex Bavarian private collection, Germany between 1974-2015.

A nice wearable solid silver ring with monogram, Byzantine Empire, c. 700-900 AD.

Ring size: c. 19 mm. and round, weighing 5,68 grams. Solid silver.

Ex. German private collection since 1990. Comes with our COA and hard imprint.

A rare renaissance oval relief plaque with Skt. Peter, Escarvated in Birkenhard, Germany, ca. 15th.-16th. century or even earlier

A very interesting oval plaque in cast iron, medieval or early renaissance period. The motif is quite beautiful showing Sct. Peter ct. Petri with the key in his left hand and the almost unreadable inscription ''sct. Petri'' over his head. The backside bears evidence of the long history in Danish-German Collections, so it was found in the late 18th.-early 17...

An interesting large Roman-Late Roman bronze Oil Lamp, ca. 3rd.-5th. century AD:

The lamp round with two arrow-shaped nozzles / spouts and a lid.

Size: Max 11,5 cm. incl. nozzles.

Condition: Fine, fractured at one side and lid repaired. Nice green patina.

Ex. Hirsch Auctions, old private collection.

An attractive preserved and conserved intact iron axe from the medieval times, ca. 12th.-14th. cent. AD.

An axe with a square blade with a double bart, dated on old label from the 12th. century, we think it could be a bit later than that but not later than 14th. century.

Thus a rare early German axe, difficult to find in intact buriel condition from this period!

Ex. Danish Collection

Two different silver & bronze 'temple' rings, Viking settlers of Scandinavia, Kingdom of the Rus or Kievan Rus, present day Ukraine, c. 800-1000 AD.

Beautiful and still wearable temple rings, one with three 'knotted' pendants or beads in cobber or bronze with some silver and another in solid silver with cuprite inlays along the edge of the the 4 projecting decorative knobs. These rings were worn from a headband around the temples by Viking Rus women, hence the name Temple rings.
...

A superb condition larger iron key, European, Late Medieval, c. 13th.-14th. century.

The key with a doomed bow and the stem ending in a long spike. The bit with a cruciform slot. Probably a passage door key.

Size: 14,6 cm.

Condition: Extremely fine, completely intact with superficial black iron patina and fine metal beneath.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.