Early Achaemenid Stone Cylinder Seal with Later Silver Casing

A pillow-shaped tablet, with cuneiform text to the broad faces and an edge, reading: '36 sar of orchard, planted with palm trees, next to Batuli and next to Kutanum, Sin-pilah bought from Bedi-el. He paid its full price 10... of silver. He swore in the name of the king that in the future no one would dispute. Before ... Before Sîn Dayan In front of Naqimum In front of Damu In front of Munakum In the month of Kislimu, the 4th year of the priest of Nanna.' 39 grams, 47 mm



Ex private collection. with Bonhams, Antiquities, London, 21 October 1999, no.260 (Part). Private central European collection. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12244-219769.

Fragments of a monochrome lustreware footed bowl; the tondo with dense figural scene including (i) left, four females wearing patterned burqa garments beneath a wreath of floral panels; (ii) right, mounted male in riding jacket on an advancing bridled horse with attendant to his rear holding a fan, hunting dog beneath the horse's legs and an attendant in striped clothing walking beore the horse carrying a spear or pole-arm over his shoulder; (iii) above the pearberaer, two bearded figures in patterned robes watching the horseman; border with reserved calligraphic Kufic text above a band of cursive writing; pellets to the rim; outer face with reserved arcade, dense arabesque scrolls and rosettes; mounted in a plain modern ceramic matrix. 414 grams, 21.3 cm wide



Private collection, UK.

Hemispherical in profile with thin rim. 140 grams, 92 mm



Ex 1990s collection and with a central London gallery.