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LOT 1298
Western Asiatic Agate Bull's Head Pendant
1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
1 5/8 in. (28.9 grams, 40 mm).
Finely carved as a stylised bull's head with short horns and bulbous eyes, incised nostrils and mouth, perforated at the back of the neck for suspension.
ProvenanceEx property of the late Mr S.M., London, UK, 1969-1999, thence by descent.
Accompanied by a previous typed cataloguing card.
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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Large Western Asiatic Terracotta Painted Jug
8th-9th century A.D.Estimate: £400 - 600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £200
With squat profile, broad shoulder, wide neck and flared rim; strap handle with thumb-pad to the rim; bands of reserved tendrils on a hatched field. 818 grams, 18.5 cm
UK collection, 1990s. Acquired on the UK art market, before 2000. Private collection, Mr M.V., a London-based businessman. -
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Luristan Bronze Horse Bit Cheek-Pieces Modelled as Winged Gryphons
8th–7th century B.C.Estimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,250
Comprising a matched pair of cheek-pieces, each a winged gryphon standing on a baseline with head turned to face the viewer, curled tail to rump, lateral horns to the brow; pierced at the shoulder to accept the bit; mounted on a custom-made stand. 423 grams total, 10.4-10.7 cm (1.07 kg total, 26 cm wide including stand)
A.P. family collection, Europe, from 1969, partly transferred to the United Kingdom in 1981. London art market, after 2000. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12975-245210.
Horse equipment was an important symbol of status and power in the Iron Age Near East. Elaborate bits with decorated cheek-pieces were not only practical items for controlling horses but also served a display function, reflecting the wealth and rank of their owners. The sphinx, a creature combining human and animal features, was a common protective figure in the art of the period. Winged sphinxes, in particular, were associated with divine guardianship and the protection of rulers and warriors. The use of such imagery on horse gear underscored the prestige of cavalry and chariotry in the 8th–7th century BCE, when mounted warfare played a central role in the expansion of Near Eastern empires. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Jar with Incised Decoration
Circa 19th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £72
Squat with broad rounded base, narrow neck and flared mouth; incised decoration including calligraphic text, annulets in a band, freehand image of a wolf attacking a deer. 605 grams, 12.7 cm
Believed to have been in the collection of George Adolphus Gray (c.1850), Captain of a merchant vessel and avid collector. Acquired by the present owner circa 15 years ago, reportedly recovered from a skip.
