c.10th century AD. A gilt-bronze Scandinavian or Eastern Viking horse harness assemblage comprising: twelve piriform plaques each with a central cell; eleven smaller rectangular plaques; a chamfron or bridle cap with running interlace decoration to the rim, reserved images of human and animal figures, central plume-holder; a quantity of smaller fittings. Cf. Petru-Mircea, I., ‘Spar av vikingatid i Rumanien’, in Pilz, E., Bysans och Norden. Akta for Nordiska forskarkursen i bysantinsk konstvetenskap, 1986, Stockholm, 1989, pp.191-202; Gorelik, M., ‘Arms and Armour in South-Eastern Europe in the Second Half of the First Millennium AD’ in Nicolle, D., Companion to Medieval Arms and Armour, Woodbridge, 2002, pp.127-148. 468 grams total, 11-113mm (1/2 - 4 1/2"). From a central London, Westminster, collection; previously in a private collection formed in Europe in the 1980s; accompanied by a detailed report by Anglo-Saxon and Viking specialist Stephen Pollington and military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10920-181154. The decoration of the cap indicates that the items were commissioned by a chieftain with Scandinavian taste, although the workmanship is mainly eastern European. There is strong evidence of burning, indicating that the items were deposited after cremation. [74] Condition Report Fine condition. Rare.