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LOT 1638
Western Asiatic Artefact Group
1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
3/8 - 1 5/8 in. (25.6 grams total, 11-42 mm).
Comprising: discoid token with incised chevrons; iridescent glass counter; terracotta bird figure with impressed texture; stone scarab fragment with incuse text to underside and impression. [4, No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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:
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LOT 1638
Western Asiatic Artefact Group
Estimate £40 - 60€46 - 70 (for guidance only)$54 - 81 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£5 (EUR 6; USD 7) +BP*
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Western Asiatic Engraved Carnelian Calligraphic Intaglio
Late 19th-20th century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
A rectangular intaglio with densely arranged inscription. 1.32 grams, 15 mm
Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Private collection, London. -
Western Asiatic Triple Gold Bead
Circa 1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £80 - 100 (+bp*)
Bids: 1 | Current Bid: £5
Formed as three connected globular elements with filigree collars. 0.39 grams, 12 mm
Ex late Japanese private gentleman's collection, 1970-2010. Accompanied by a previously illustrated catalogue card with provenance. -
Neo-Babylonian Chalcedony Stamp Seal with Horned Ibex
6th-4th century B.C.Estimate: £500 - 700 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £250
Tongue-shaped in profile with incuse image of an advancing ram beneath a crescent moon, arrow in the field. 4.40 grams, 18.46 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
The ibex, a wild mountain goat with distinctive curved horns, was a popular and meaningful motif in ancient Near Eastern art. It often appears in Mesopotamian and Persian imagery, where it could symbolise strength, agility, and a connection to the natural and divine worlds. In some contexts, the ibex is linked with fertility and abundance, particularly through its association with flowing water and vegetation. Its elegant form also made it well suited to small-scale objects such as seals, where its image could serve both a decorative and symbolic purpose, reflecting the beliefs and environment of the cultures that produced them.
