Loading, please wait...
LOT 0217
'Professor Erlenmeyer’s First Cylinder Seal' A Neo-Sumerian Haematite Seal of Abbamu, Scribe, Son of Bazige
MESOPOTAMIA, THIRD DYNASTY OF UR, CIRCA 2100-2000 B.C.
1 in. (18 grams, 27 mm).
Finely carved in haematite with a formal presentation scene: a goddess sitting enthroned upon a dais, clad in a flounced robe and a multiple-horned tiara, her arm extended in reception; before her a similarly attired interceding goddess approaching, leading a robed worshipper into the divine presence; lunar crescent in the field, with three-line inscription within a panel: 'Abbamu, scribe, son of Bazige'; supplied with a museum-quality impression.
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of Professor Dr. Hans (1900-1967) and Mrs Erlenmeyer, Switzerland.
The Erlenmeyer Foundation, Basel Switzerland, since 1981.
with Sotheby's, Western Asiatic Cylinder Seals and Antiquities from the Erlenmeyer Collection (Part 1), London, 9 July 1992, no.109.
Private collection, London, UK.
Accompanied by copies of the relevant Sotheby's catalogue pages.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13283-253486.
Prof Hans Erlenmeyer was a noted Swiss collector from 1943 to circa 1960; he and his wife established the Erlenmeyer Foundation.
This seal is of particular note as the first cylinder seal given to Professor and Mrs Erlenmeyer. Its imagery belongs to the religious and political language of the Third Dynasty of Ur, when order was restored after the collapse of the Akkadian dynasty. In the eyes of the ancient Mesopotamians, that earlier collapse could be understood as a sign of divine displeasure; under Ur III, renewed piety and correct devotion assumed central importance. The presentation scene seen here reflects that world precisely: the seal owner is led by a minor goddess, or Lamma, into the presence of his personal deity. Seals of this class are valued for their exacting workmanship and disciplined clarity of design. Though they lack the freer energy of the Akkadian age, they possess instead a ceremonial gravity and devotional precision that are wholly characteristic of Neo-Sumerian art.
TimeLine 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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0217
'Professor Erlenmeyer’s First Cylinder Seal' A Neo-Sumerian Haematite Seal of Abbamu, Scribe, Son of Bazige
Sold for (Inc. bp): £8,450
-
Western Asiatic Zoomorphic Terracotta Rhyton
3rd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £650
With a flaring neck and zoomorphic spout, possibly a horse's head with a circular opening in its chest. 670 grams, 18 cm
with a London, UK gallery, 1971-early 2000s. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.281z11 from Oxford Authentication, 16 June 1981. -
Assyrian Gypsum Relief with Head of a Bearded Man
704-681 B.C.Estimate: £7,000 - 9,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £3,500
Rectangular frieze fragment with low-relief carving of a profile bust with short straight hair confined by a brow-band, segmented curls forming the beard, furrowed brow, one arm extended; handwritten label to rear 'from the Koyunjik palace of Sennacherib at Nineveh and incised legend 'KOUYUNJIK' and 'A'; mounted on a custom-made stand. 530 grams total, 11.6 cm including stand
Allegedly found in the Koyunjik Palace of Sennacherib. Ex property of a gentleman, UK, acquired in the 1970s. Ex private collection, Oxfordshire, UK, 1988. Anonymous sale, Christie's, London, 7 December 1994, no.235. Art market, New York. Ex private collection, Tokyo, Japan. Private European collection, 2009. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12880-241660. -
Anatolian Black Stone Idol
3rd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,340
Carved in the half-round with hatched detailing to the tunic and belt, discoid head with reserved annulet eyes and trapezoidal nose, and lateral stub ears. 156 grams, 10.1 cm
Ex Swiss collection, 1980s. Private collection, 1994. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12874-241677.
