Lot 560

Viking Iron Short Sword | Pierced Lattice Handle | Oval Pommel

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Viking Iron Short Sword | Pierced Lattice Handle | Oval Pommel

Estimate: $800 - $1,200

Starting Bid: $400

(0 Bids)

June 12, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
Louisville, CO, US

Description:

Eastern Steppes, Southern Europe, ca. 9th - 11th century CE. Eastern Steppes / Southern Europe, Viking Age, ca. 9th–11th century CE. A finely crafted hand-forged iron short sword of elegant and purposeful form, featuring a long tapered double-edged blade of commanding presence. The triangular hilt guard provides a clean transition to the distinctive openwork handle — a technically demanding construction in which the iron grip has been pierced and worked into a latticed form — terminating in a flat oval pommel.

The double-edged blade, tapering to a sharp point, was designed equally for cutting and thrusting, reflecting the versatile combat demands of the Viking Age warrior. Short swords of this type — sometimes referred to as a sax or long knife in the Norse tradition — were among the most personal and prized of a warrior's weapons, worn constantly and serving as both sidearm and tool. Size: 21.125”L (53.7cm).

Provenance: Emily & Walter Mead Collection, Santa Fe, NM., active 1960’s - 1990’s. (Mead Paper Corporation family).

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Item # 71462

  • Condition: Overall black-brown surface patina. Intact.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $749 $25
$750 $1,499 $50
$1,500 $2,999 $100
$3,000 $7,499 $250
$7,500 $14,999 $500
$15,000 + $1,000