Late Achaemenid Bronze Phiale Mesomphalos

Substantial mottled green and tan weight with arched handle; repaired. 11.6 kg, 35.5 cm



with Gallery Rosen Ancient Art, Tel Aviv, 1968. Property of a London gentleman. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12261-218639.

Among the most iconic intercultural style objects are the so-called 'lock' or 'hand bag' weights. These were probably not weights at all, but were likely badges of high office, carried to indicate authority. Similar objects have been found throughout Mesopotamia, the islands of the Persian Gulf, on the Iranian steppe, as well as the Indus Valley.

With a tongue-shaped handle placed perpendicular to the oval body; separately made intaglio with geometric motifs. 9.95 grams, 19 mm



From an important collection formed before 1988, London and Geneva.

Rebound as a hardback with full leather binding, central arabesque foliage panel to each cover; title page with triangular block of naskh text with red marks; first set of text pages typically with 31 lines of cramped naskh script in black ink with red highlighting, hand-drawn geometric figures with numerical notation relating to angles, etc; second set with looser script typically in 23 lines with marginal notes and red underscoring, tables and perpendicular text blocks. 232 grams, 16 x 21.5 cm



From an important family collection started in the late 1950s. Property of a West London, UK, gentleman.

The texts are: (1) 'Ghaniat alhisab' (In Arithmetic) the classification by Judge Jamal al-Din Ahmad bin Ali Ibn Thabit (2) 'Alkaayib' (In Calculating Mathematical Copies) by the computer scientist Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ha'im al-Magdisi, written out by Yusuf ibn Hussein Hamouda Al-Habibi in the year 1095 A.H. (1683 A.D.).