9th Century Petersen Type H / Wheeler Type II Sword ii

[Jack Loomes]

In excavated condition, with broad tapering double-edged blade with wide very finely pattern-welded shallow central fuller over its entire length on each side, hilt comprising thick oviodal cross-piece and two-piece 'cocked-hat' pommel inlaid overall with close-set vertical brass lines (some losses), the pommel with the remains of its medial strand of twisted silver wire .

82.5 cm. blade, 97.2 cm. overall

Cf. a sword with a similar blade in Bergen Museum, Norway (inv. no. 883)

For examples of pattern-welding see A.L. Lorange, Den Yngre Jernalders Sværd, 1889, pl. VI reproduced in Ian Peirce, Swords Of The Viking Age, 2002, pl. I; and ibid, Lee A. Jones, Blade Construction and Pattern-Welding, pp. 145-151.

Source: www.bonhams.com/auctions/20803/lot/145/