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LOT 1599
Luristan Bronze Dagger
13TH CENTURY B.C.
10 5/8 in. (88 grams, 27 cm).
With lentoid-section blade, tongue-shaped in plan, with integral tapering hilt with flared finial, lateral flanges to accept a panel of bone to each face forming the grip.
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Cf. Khorasani, M.M., Arms and Armour from Iran - The Bronze Age to the End of the Qajar Period, Tübingen, 2006, p.381, cat.13.
FootnotesThe art of Luristan can be described as the art of nomadic herdsmen and horsemen with an emphasis on the crafting of small, easily portable objects, among these a great number of bronze weapons. The rich and noble aristocrats of the Luristan, Elamites, Hurrians, Lullubians, Kutians, and Kassites, went to battle splendidly equipped and wore magnificent bronze armour, using maces, spears and daggers as offensive weapons, alongside spears, bows and arrows.
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AUCTIONS:
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Greek, Egyptian and Luristan Bronze Arrowhead Collection in Display Case
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £845
Including triangular-section, leaf-shaped, barbed-and-tanged and other types, some with inked find spot and accession data, wired onto a velvet board in a glazed wooden frame. 965 grams total, 26.2 x 24 cm
From the collection of Dr Hugh Alderson Fawcett (1891-1982). Acquired Oxford, UK. From the private collection of Kenneth Machin (1936-2020), Buckinghamshire, UK; with collection no.BA21; his collection of antiquities and natural history was formed since 1948; thence by descent. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Dr Hugh Alderson Fawcett (1891-1982) was a general practitioner and antiquarian who built up an important collection of ancient implements, weapons and ornaments that eventually numbered some eight thousand items. It was he who alerted the British Museum to the discovery of the fabulous Mildenhall treasure after being shown it by Sydney Ford during Easter in 1946. The bulk of his collection is now in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, but Fawcett previously sold or traded many pieces in order to improve his collection. -
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Broad sheet-bronze halter-shaped collar with dentilled outer edge, in two offset overlapped layers; bands of repoussé domed pellets to the outer and inner edges, rectangular cells to accept glass or organic inserts, two clusters of circular cells surrounding rectangular ones; the surface with dense hatching and reserved tendril and leaf motifs; attachment loops to reverse. 638 grams, 34.5 cm
German art market. European private collection, 1970s-early 2000s. Acquired from the above; thence by descent. Private collection, London. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12282-221445. 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. -
Byzantine 'Greek Fire' Ceramic Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade
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A piriform missile with domed filler-hole, raised vertical ribs and impressed teardrop-shaped motifs to the body, intended to be filled with explosive liquid and wick, used as a hand grenade. 547 grams, 15.3 cm
From an important specialist collection, London, UK, 1990s onwards. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 15 July 2019 and titled 'Eastern Roman Empire - Greek Fire Bomb or Hand Grenade (μεσαίον kακάβιον) 9th-11th century AD'. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
