Mesopotamian Stone Frog Amulet

Carved in the round with integral rectangular base; of sturdy build with thick shoulders, rump and legs; latticed hair texture to the brow. 1.14 kg, 14 cm wide



Mrs Janssens, Belgium, 1970s. Private collection, London, UK. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S000119291. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12980-245246.

In Sabaean religion, the bull signalled strength, fertility, and divine protection, and is often linked by scholarship with the moon-god Almaqah, the principal deity of the kingdom. Small alabaster figures of this type were likely set up as temple offerings or served as fittings within cultic furnishings; flat undersides or discreet mounting points on some examples suggest attachment to a larger ensemble.

Comprising a matched pair of cheek-pieces, each a winged gryphon standing on a baseline with head turned to face the viewer, curled tail to rump, lateral horns to the brow; pierced at the shoulder to accept the bit; mounted on a custom-made stand. 423 grams total, 10.4-10.7 cm (1.07 kg total, 26 cm wide including stand)



A.P. family collection, Europe, from 1969, partly transferred to the United Kingdom in 1981. London art market, after 2000. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12975-245210.

Horse equipment was an important symbol of status and power in the Iron Age Near East. Elaborate bits with decorated cheek-pieces were not only practical items for controlling horses but also served a display function, reflecting the wealth and rank of their owners. The sphinx, a creature combining human and animal features, was a common protective figure in the art of the period. Winged sphinxes, in particular, were associated with divine guardianship and the protection of rulers and warriors. The use of such imagery on horse gear underscored the prestige of cavalry and chariotry in the 8th–7th century BCE, when mounted warfare played a central role in the expansion of Near Eastern empires.

Conical in profile with ring foot; glazed inner face with reserved cross and panels of calligraphic text; text to underside inside foot; old collectors' labels to sidewall. 142 grams, 13.8 cm



with Christie's, London, Islamic Manuscripts, Miniatures, and Works of Art, 10 October 1989, no.485. Private collection, London.