Bidspirit auction | RARE VIKING OR NORMAN CONICAL

RARE VIKING OR NORMAN CONICAL HELMET WITH INLAID DRAGONS - Ca. AD 900 - 1100.A fabulous Viking or Norman conical helmet inlaid with dragon motifs on the brow and nose guard. The helmet is made from two parts; the cone, which is hammered from a single sheet of iron and the T-shaped nasal guard, which is attached to the rest of the helmet with five rivets. The dragon inlay is apparent on the brow and one appears on either side of the nasal guard. On the nasal guard itself, there is further inlaid decoration. At the base of the helmet is a series of holes that would have most likely supported a helmet lining. Size: 300mm x 235mm; Weight: 1.45kgProvenance: English Art gallery, acquired in the 2010s; Ex. Private South German collection, formed in the 1980s-2000s; formerly in Kenneth John Hewett collection, London, 1960s-1980s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.This piece is accompanied by a historical report from Alessandro Neri, an international Cultural Heritage expert based in Florence, Italy.