Northern Syrian Bronze Female Figure

Bulbous body with rounded base, flattened rim with a small strap handle to the side. 320 grams, 13.3 cm wide



with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.

Comprising a tapering sidewall with carination and convex underside, trumpet-shaped foot with beaded rim; D-shaped thumb-pad to the rim with narrow chamfered handle and spur beneath; frieze of fronds reserved against a pounced field. 67.7 grams, 86 mm



Old Belgian private collection, 1970s. Acquired on the Brussels art market, 2008. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12908-242700.

Footed silver cups with ring handles were well known in Central Asia and were common in Sogdian silverwork of the 7th – 8th century A.D. The low beaded foot and the ring handle with lobed thumb rest are well documented in Sogdian silver attributed to the same period. The plant and floral decoration finds parallel with a silver bowl from Xijao (Marshak, 1999, fig.6), which shows the same low beaded foot of our cup. This decoration is also visible on a vessel from the Malaya Perescepina treasure, sent by the Emperor Heraclius to the Bulgarian Khan Kuvrat. Heraclius took it together with other precious objects as war booty after defeating the Sasanians in 627-628 A.D.

Restrung designer necklace string of globular, oblate and other types with polyhedral and annular pendant centrepiece. 12.4 grams, 33 cm



London, UK, collection, 2000s.