Personal Bronze Tag of Zahra Governor of Esphahan

Funnel-shaped with stepped foot, cream-glazed inner face with bold orange Kufic script motif; repaired. 324 grams, 17.2 cm wide



From the private family collection of Ersula Barter-Hemmerich, the longest serving member of staff working at the United Nations, her private collection formed in the 1950s and 1960s; thence by descent to her grandson. 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.

With standing divine figure and animals, restrung pair of red stone beads, old handwritten label '1605'; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Yellow Chalcedony with Ivory Coating in Part. 33 x 16 mm. The engraving shows a standing god dressed in a long robe open at the front, from which one leg projects, holding off on either side a winged quadruped which is facing backwards. This is typical Late Assyrian or Late Babylonian seal dating c. 800-600 B.C., engraved with a combination of cutting wheel and drill. The purpose of the scene is to display the power of the god, no doubt meant as the god of the seal owner, but there is nothing to indicate exactly which god the seal engraver had in mind. Apart from a chip off the upper edge not reaching the design, the seal is in very good state of preservation.'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 16.7 grams, 33 mm



UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in 1991. 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.

Cylinder with standing figures and animals, restrung pair of red stone beads, old handwritten label '1659'; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Black Stone, 40.5 x 19.5 mm. The deeply engraved design shows two warrior gods, standing, wearing short kilts with one hand raised the other holding an object the one holding a spear, the other an unidentified item represented by a vertical line. Before each standing warrior god is a sideways horned animal in one case and a sideways donkey in the other. There is a row of symbols along the top of the area: a circle with cross inside, an inverted crescent and dot, and a bull's head. There are horizontal rulings above and below the scene. This is a North Syrian or Anatolian seal c. 2000-1800 B.C. This is a rare type, and a nice example. The points on the top of the heads of the gods are no doubt spiked helmets, and the short kilt also fits the Anatolian storm god, which was worshipped in a variety of different forms. The style of engraving is deep but uncluttered and has a considerable charm.'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 30.8 grams, 40 mm



Armand Trampitsch, Glyptique Archéologie, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 13-14 May 1992, no.23 [Part]. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in 1992. 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.