Lot 34
Northern Europe, Scandinavia, possibly Denmark, Viking or Norse culture, ca. 9th to 11th century CE. A wonderful silver arm cuff of quite large form and boasting elaborate decoration. The exterior of the bangle is extensively adorned with stamped and incised with target, triangular, and dot motifs, as well as 8 deep, vertical, undulating bands and 3 vertical stripes at each finial. The center of the bracelet is further embellished by applied decoration of 4 columns of twisted silver wire and 3 stripes of raised nodules, while the top and bottom peripheries showcase patterns of incised circles and slashes. A gorgeous piece of jewelry, highlighting rich examples of Viking iconography and artistic virtuosity! Size of band at thickest: 1.5" W (3.8 cm);of opening: 0.9" W (2.3 cm); of bracelet : 3.7" L x 3" W (9.4 cm x 7.6 cm); silver quality: 96.98 to 99.99%; weight: 173.7 grams
The Vikings - groups of people who left Scandinavia to plunder and colonize northern Europe (and who travelled as far afield as northeastern North America and the great kingdoms of the Middle East) - had a distinctive artistic tradition, although many of the metals that they had were acquired through conquest and the silver for this bracelet likely was melted down from other silver objects, perhaps some acquired by looting a monastery or trading in the Mediterranean. Silver jewelry also had the dual role of being a form of currency and possibly also ritual offerings - most of our knowledge of Viking jewelry comes from buried hoards.
A similar silver bangle can be found in National Museum of Denmark under item number DNF 14/48.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private Kaliningrad (Koenigsberg) and then Latvia collection; found on the Baltic Sea coast prior to 1982
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#190733
- Condition: Age-expected surface wear with some rubbing and abrasions, but otherwise, intact, wearable, and in overall excellent condition with good remaining detail. Rich patina throughout.
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