7th Century Garnet & Gold Embellished Sword

Estimate: £15,000 - 18,000
US$ 24,000 - 28,000

Provenance: Ex A.G. Collection, Zurich, Switzerland, 1968.

Literature: A very similar example was found in Monsieur G. Lefevre’s excavations at Paley (Seine et Marne) on 13 November 1912 and was exhibited at the Musée Alfred Bonno, Chelles in 1961; cf. André Clement. Exhibition catalogue: La Reine Barthilde et son temps, (1961), no.1. Bathilde was the Queen of the Merovingian King Clovis II (Louis II) (A.D. 639-657) and founded the Nunnery at Chelles. The Paley sword was offered [Un Epée Royal] at the Hotel Drouot (Experts: MM. Robert Jean Charles and Jean Roudillon) on 20 March 1970, lot 115, pl. V. It is worth noting a similar garnet enhanced sword from Bad Kreuznach-Planig, Germany found with a Byzantine solidus of Leo I (A.D. 457-474). It is now in the Landesmuseum at Mainz, cf. Exhibition Catalogue: Die Franken / Les Francs, (1996-97), no.V.4.4. There is a further comparable example with similar garnet decoration and gold sheathing from Rhein-Nectar-Kreis, Bad Würtemberg in the Reiss-Museum, Mannheim, cf. Alfreid Wieczorek & Patrick Périn, Das Gold der Barbarenfürsten, (Stuttgart 2001), p.121.

Source: www.bonhams.com