Loading, please wait...
LOT 0250
Syro-Hittite Terracotta Man Riding Bull
12TH-7TH CENTURY B.C.
2 1/2 in. (41.5 grams, 64 mm).
Standing bull with a rider on its back holding onto the horns, leaning forwards, staring the bull in the eyes and applying what is possibly a bridle decorated with a series of impressed 'dots'; the rider seated forward on the shoulders, applied eyes with central impressed 'dot', a series of dots impressed in an X-pattern between shoulders and hips at the rear and three bands of impressed dots to the legs; bull's tail held firmly between his back legs, applied eyes, shallow dots and incised line representing muzzle and mouth, applied collar at the neck decorated with three lines of impressed 'dots'. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx important Mayfair, London, UK, collection, before 2000.
From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
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.
-
.jpg)
Bactrian Manuscript Fragment of a Letter
6th-7th century ADSold for (Inc. bp): £468
A near-complete fragment of a letter in Avestan on leather, recto bearing eight lines of cursive script, faded but largely undamaged; verso bearing traces of at least two lines of text; irregular in shape. 5.57 grams, 15.5 cm
Fair condition.
Collection of Bruce Ferrini, USA. Central London gallery, acquired c.1994. Property of a UK collector. For UK buyers only, this item is not exportable from the UK. -
Monumental Luristan Bronze Armband Pair with Dragon Heads
Late 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £845
A matching pair of penannular armbands, each with a round-section body and dragon-head terminals, one terminal on each band separately made; the dragons with ring-and-dot eyes and linear decoration, slit mouths and flaring nostrils. 1.19 kg total, 13-13.1 cm
Ex London, UK gallery, 1971-early 2000s. Private collection, London.
Bronze armbands of this scale and quality are characteristic of Luristan, an important centre of metal production in western Iran during the early 1st millennium B.C. The region is renowned for its distinctive cast bronzes, including weapons, horse trappings, and items of personal adornment, often decorated with powerful animal imagery. The dragon, with its elongated body and open jaws, was a common motif in Luristan art, symbolising strength, protection, and the supernatural. Armbands with dragon-head terminals likely carried an apotropaic function, serving both as impressive ornaments and as protective charms for the wearer. Monumental examples such as this pair are rare survivals, attesting to the high status of their original owner and the extraordinary skill of Luristan bronze workers. -
Khorasan 'Muhammad Bin Husayn' Bronze Cauldron
11th-12th century A.D.Estimate: £500 - 700 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £200
With a deep hemispherical bowl and three stub feet, two lateral trapezoidal flanges to the rim, each with an arched handle; similar flange to forward edge with reserved panel of scrolled foliage; to the rear, flange with shallow median socket decorated with scrolled tendrils, two lateral discs each with a star of intersecting triangles; signed by Muhammad Bin Husayn. 5.75 kg, 43.5 cm
with Christie's, South Kensington, Art & Textiles of The Islamic & Indian Worlds, 8 April 2011, no.150. Private collection, UK.
