Viking Era Medieval silver brooches | Viking Era

An extraordinary pair of penannular brooches from the Finno-Ugric cultural sphere is for sale.

Age: 12th–13th century AD
Size: Diameter with closed pin 7.4 cm and 7.2 cm.
Total weight: 42.5 g
Condition: Very good condition

These two finely crafted pieces of jewelry—a pair of penannular brooches from the Finno-Ugric cultural sphere—clearly demonstrate the craftsmanship and independence of the Baltic region in the High Middle Ages.

The Vikings maintained lively trade contacts with Finno-Ugric groups via central river routes such as the Neva, Volga, and Dnieper, from whom they obtained sought-after goods such as furs, wax, and honey. In regions such as Ladoga and Novgorod, permanent settlements were established and there was close cultural mixing between the Varangians and the Finno-Ugric populations.

Both brooches consist of an approximately circular, open shaft (penannular shape) that ends in flat discs. These ends are characteristically decorated: they feature cell decorations with framed blue glass cabochons, accompanied by vertically protruding spur-like projections that give the jewelry a three-dimensional effect.

The accompanying flat needles are each wrapped spirally around the shaft, a technique typical of Baltic-type fibulae that allowed them to be attached securely but flexibly to clothing. Their careful workmanship and harmonious design make them outstanding examples of high medieval jewelry art beyond the classical Viking Age range of forms.

Provenance: Acquired on the British art market A.T. from the private collection of a London gentleman whose grandfather had established the collection before the early 1970s.

Please notice:
Due to the German Cultural Property Protection Act, an export licence is required for this item for shipment within the EU or to a third country.
There is a one-time application fee of €25, which must be paid separately by the buyer. This fee covers the entire application, regardless of how many items are included.
We will submit the necessary documents and handle the application process free of charge.
The processing time is approximately 7–10 working days.

Authenticity: As with all our objects, authenticity is guaranteed without time limitation. Each object is delivered with a signed certificate of authenticity.

Protection of cultural property: All artifacts offered by us come from private old collections or were acquired at art auctions.