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LOT 1208
Mesopotamian Cuneiform Tablet
2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.
2 in. (43.5 grams, 50 mm).
Pillow-shaped clay tablet with cuneiform text to one broad face and one edge; chipped. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceSpecialised 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.
This small collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well preserved examples.
Cf. MacGregor, N., A History of the World in 100 Objects, London, 2010 (cat.no.15, pp.90-94).
CONDITIONTimeLine 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:
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Western Asiatic Bronze Attachment Group
Circa 12th-14th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Comprising: one side of a feline padlock with Kufic inscription to the flank; foreparts of a feline figurine with ledge to rear; each mounted on a display frame. 152 grams total, 63-79 mm including stand
Ex European collection since 1970. with Hermann Historica, Munich, Germany, Auction 95, no.6031 (Part). Property of a French collector. -
Western Asiatic Limestone Mortar
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
With short columnar base and bulbous upper body, broad rim with pouring lip. 4.85 kg, 13 cm
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
The later (2nd -3rd century A.D.) Rabbinic tradition emphasised the difference between the permanent mortar (makhtesh kevua) and the movable one (makhtesh metaltelet), with the first being automatically sold with the house, but the second sold only if expressly stated by the vendor. This form of movable mortar was common in the Levant throughout the second half of the 1st millennium B.C. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Bracelet Group
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Comprising two penannular D-section bracelets with hammered finials. 22.8 grams total, 61-63 mm
UK private collection before 2000. On the UK art market. Property of a London gentleman.