GRASBRUNN, GERMANY — Hermann Historica offered more than 1,500 lots across two days of auctions: Art, Antiquities & Ancient Art on November 20 and Antique Arms and Armor on November 21. Standing out among all of the lots and selling on the second day was a Tenth Century Viking battle axe engraved with intricate, swirling animal-form details. According to the auction catalog, “The axe blade and the shaft tube [were] decorated with inlays of gold and silver in the highest quality, representing exquisite examples of Nordic animal ornamentation in the Jelling style.” The axe, which came from a South German private collection inherited in the late 1990s, measured 2¼ inches long and the height of the cutting edge was 5½ inches. It sold well above its €9/18,000 estimate, ultimately hitting €49,000 ($51,059) with buyer’s premium. More results from both days will be covered in a later issue.