Western Asiatic Bronze Bowl

Composed mainly of biconical and barrel-shaped beads with a biconical banded agate feature bead at the centre; restrung with a modern clasp. 70 grams, 53.5 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 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.

Depicting seated god facing three standing figures, restrung pair of red stone beads, old handwritten label '1648'; accompanied by a copy of an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of Cream Fossil Shell, 35 x 22 mm. On the right sits a god, bearded, hair done up in a bun, wearing a horned tiara and a long, flounced robe, and raising one hand' before him stands a deity in a long robe falling in pleats and holding by the wrist a worshipper behind, who is bringing a kid as a gift to the seated god. The worshipper's wife stands behind him, with different hair style but similar clothing, holding a bucket in one hand. There is a crescent moon in the sky and between the two gods an oblong filled with circles; and a fish. This is an Akkadian seal from Mesopotamia or West Iran, c. 2300-2200 B.C. The presentation scene it shows was meant to be understood as the seal owner and his wife being introduced to an important god who could help them. The oblong object with circles in not certainly understood, but it may be a tray in which small cheese were put to drain.'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 30.9 grams, 35 mm



Armand Trampitsch, Glyptique Archéologie, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 13-14 May 1992, no.23 [Part]. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in 1992. 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.

Bifacial Master of Animals motif atop a collared tubular stem with flared foot; comprising two addorsed rams with their forelegs tied together; two addorsed birds standing on the rams' backs looking towards two birds' heads facing downwards and joined to slender crescentic boars with ridged backs and gaping mouths, each in the grip of the Master standing crowned between them; the Master with tubular body, animal-like ears, prominent nose above a small mouth and wearing collars, neck rings and tiered headdress; waisted socket below; mounted on a display stand. 930 grams total, 43 cm including stand



Acquired in Iran, 1967. Private collection, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12824-241323. 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.

According to current knowledge, one type of Luristan standards consisted of two symmetrical animal figures standing upright on their hind legs and facing each other with an anthropomorphic character at the centre. Like the "zoomorphic standards", the "zoomorphic standards with a human head" and the "idols", this type has two faces, which means that it was conceived to be viewed from all sides.