Achaemenid Bronze Flower Finial Collection

Hemispherical in profile with basal ring, painted rim and trefoil motif on a textured field. 651 grams, 25 cm wide



Acquired before 1978. Private collection, UK. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Cylinder with cord and bead handles; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Description of Cylinder Seal of soft black stone, 29 x 12 mm. A standing human-looking figure with short kilt and mane of hair (or helmet with mane) holds a spear in one hand, a stone(?) in the other. He is facing a horned quadruped with raised tail, and between them there is a tree and smaller, distinct quadruped. There are two linear devices on the base-line, and a rule above encloses the engraving. This is a rare type of seal, probably from Syria or Anatolia, and c. 1000-800 B.C. The plume is the most significant point, but knowledge is not yet so far advanced that this seal can be confidently attributed to a particular culture. As such, it is extremely interesting. The condition is fine.'; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 7.65 grams, 23 mm



UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in October 1987. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Cylinder with cord and bead handles; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Translucent Green Stone 28 x 21 mm. The design consists of three rows of three fish, two rows moving in one direction, one row moving in the other direction. Tis is a seal in the Jemdet Nasr Style, dating to c. 3000 B.C., from Sumer or south west Iran. the design is deeply cut and the seal is in very good state of preservation. The fish is probably a symbol of the god Enki god of the waters below the earth, and in later periods of art often associated with fish.'; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 22.7 grams, 28 mm



UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in May 1992. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.