10th-11th century AD. A bronze openwork mount in the form of an s-shaped beast decorated with panels of hatching interlaced with openwork tendrils, scrolled ends turning to form the frames for the attachment rivets; the design including hatched body panels of the earlier Jellinge style, with later mesh of tendrils and lentoid eye of the Ringerike Style. Cf. the enmeshed animal mount from Hertfordshire in Backhouse, J., Turner, D.H. and Webster, L. The Golden Age of Anglo-Saxon Art: 966-1066 London, 1984 item 107. 26 grams, 62mm (2 1/2"). From an important American collection; acquired 1990s. The Jellinge style takes its name from the ornament on a silver cup found in the north mound of the Danish royal site at Jelling, Jutland, in the burial chamber thought to be that of King Gorm, dated 958/59 AD from wooden fragments in the same site. The small cup stands on a pedestal foot and is decorated only around its bowl with a pair of interlaced animals. These beasts are typical of the Jellinge style with ornament ribbons and heads shown in profile. The long pigtail and spiral hip joint are also characteristic of the Jellinge style animals. These animals are descendants of those of the Broa style, by way of Borre. It seems to have evolved during the ninth century and was in fashion for most of the tenth century.

Very fine condition. Very rare.