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Details

LOT 0238

Sasanian Chalcedony Stamp Seal Inscribed with 'Behnam, Overseer of Work for the King of Kings'

224-651 A.D.

7/8 in. (29.9 grams, 23.48 mm high).

Plano-convex in profile with Pahlavi inscription to the underside; transliterated as: 'Vahnām ī shāhānshāh-kārframān' (meaning 'Behnām, Overseer of Work for the King of Kings'); Bivar notes in his summary: 'This specimen represents a previously unrecorded variety of the so-called "administrative seals" which are engraved only with an inscription defining an office, and have no pictorial motif. It is unusual in apparently bearing a personal name, and in designating its bearer as kārframān "Overseer of Work"....'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression.

Provenance

with Christie's, London, 25 April 2001, no.464 [Part].

Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note typed and signed by A.D.H. (David) Bivar, 9 May 2009.
Accompanied by copies of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages.
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.

CONDITION

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AUCTIONS:

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LOT 0238

Sasanian Chalcedony Stamp Seal Inscribed with 'Behnam, Overseer of Work for the King of Kings'

Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,460

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