Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0944
Achaemenid Bronze Phiale Mesomphalos
5TH-4TH CENTURY B.C.
6 1/2 in. (186 grams, 16.5 cm wide).
With flanged rim, central mesomphalos boss surrounded by radiating lotus petals.
Provenance
From the collection of M. Cummings, UK, 1990s.
Literature
See Godard, F., The Art of Iran, London, 1965, for discussion.
Footnotes
Phiale mesomphalos (literally: bowl with central boss) were the most popular form of vessel and were produced in a number of materials, including clay, bronze, silver and gold. They are a distinctive type of Achaemenid tableware, made by hammering or raising sheet metal, with decoration added in repoussé. They were used in banquets held by the nobility and for pouring libations at religious festivals. Phiales of this kind were a common gift from the Achaemenid king to the nobility which helped cement alliances among the different tribes of the Empire. The central boss to the underside allowed the user to secure their fingers and ensure a solid grip whilst drinking or pouring.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0944
Achaemenid Bronze Phiale Mesomphalos
Estimate £300 - 400€350 - 460 (for guidance only)$410 - 540 (for guidance only)
RELATED LOTS
-
Luristan Bronze Hair Pin Collection
Circa 2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
With poppy-shaped head and flared collar beneath, one with balustered finial. 55 grams total, 10-14.5 cm
Private collection formed in the 1990s. Acquired from a central London gallery. Property of an Essex gentleman. -
Old Babylonian Clay Cuneiform Tablet, Recording Distribution of Items to Named Individuals
Late 18th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,080
Bearing an administrative text including numbers; roughly pillow-shaped; pierced. 182 grams, 10.8 cm
Specialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman and housed in London before 1992. Thence by descent to family members. Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well preserved examples. -
Western Asiatic Painted Ceramic Animal on Base
Circa 9th-12th century A.D.Estimate: £400 - 600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £200
Feline with stocky body, erect tail, thick neck developing to a flat head, loop handle from the shoulder to the rump; painted with bands of geometric designs, facial detailing to the head; mounted on a hollow rectangular block with painted hatching to the upper face and edges. 1.46 kg, 16.5 cm wide
From the Steel family collection, 1950s-late 1990s.
