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LOT 0245
Sumerian Terracotta Bulla Envelope with Impressed Decoration
URUK PERIOD, 5500-3100 B.C.
2 1/8 in. (74 grams, 55 mm).
Spherical and hollow-formed with moulded animal and other ornament to the outer face; clay tokens inside.
ProvenanceSpecialised collection of cuneiform texts, the property of a London gentleman and housed in London before 1988.
Thence by descent to family members.
Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The collection is exceptional for the variety of types, including some very rare and well preserved examples.
Accompanied by a copy of a previous two page illustrated cataloguing note.
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.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0245
Sumerian Terracotta Bulla Envelope with Impressed Decoration
Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,820
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Bactrian Decorated Stone Vessel
3rd-2nd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,235
Drum-shaped with squared rim, sidewall with reserved decoration in three registers, hatched panels to the rim above stepped geometric forms above vertical ribbing. 305 grams, 85 mm wide
Acquired before 1983. Ex London gallery, 1990s. 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. -
Western Asiatic Ceramic Bowl Depicting a Bird with Inscription
10th-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
With detailed depiction of a bird of elongated form on a dense field of flowing, intricate vegetal motifs with turquoise-coloured detailing; exterior ringed with a Kufic inscription, probably a blessing or prayer for the owner, written in a stylised script; heavily restored with overpainting. 569 grams, 20.5 cm
Acquired prior to 1998. Private collection, London. 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.
The Sultanabad region was renowned for its high-quality ceramics during the Seljuk period. While the precise translation of the legend is uncertain, such inscriptions were commonly used to invoke protection or good fortune, making the object not only a functional piece but also a meaningful, personal artifact. -
Urartian Black Stone Four-Sided Stamp Seal
Circa 8th-7th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £468
A cuboid seal with longitudinal piercing, each side with a different motif: a roaring lion(?), a foot imprint, a crouching lion, and a hand with snake to the side; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 17.9 grams, 26 mm
From the 'S' collection, acquired 1970-1990s. The collection was seen and studied by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993. Accompanied by a copy of a report from Peter Gert Van der Veen, senior lecturer of Levantine Archaeology Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. 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.
