A rare early European Celtic knife with part of its original sheath. Small curving forwards iron blade with fuller, chiselled and engraved decoration, mineralized bolster band, most of tang remaining. Tubular bronze sheath with a marvellous deep green patination, visible geometric and linear engraved designs to the top and bottom. Most of the knife survives, the handle was probably composed of two peices of organic material, probably bone, wood or horn which would have been fitted eitherside of the tang. The bronze remaining probably was a covering to a wooden sheath. Total length 12.5 inches. Central/Eastern Europe 1st/2nd century B.C.

$950