OUTSTANDING VIKING SILVER-INLAID BELT BUCKLE WITH CROSS

Ca. AD 700 - 800. A silver-inlaid iron belt buckle of rectangular shape with a rounded terminal. The main panel contains a cross with expanded arms between stylised animals and circular ornaments. The surrounding border is filled with interlaced zoomorphic motifs and rosettes, with attachment rivets along the edges. The use of silver inlay on iron is exceptionally rare, as corrosion of the ferrous ground commonly causes the inlay to loosen or disappear. For similar see: K. Reynolds Brown, Migration Art, AD 300 - 800, fig. 38. Size: 150mm x 70mm; Weight: 325g Provenance: Private collection of a Cambridgeshire gentleman; formerly with Allison Barker, 1990s–2007. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.

Estimate:$2,679.04

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