Western Asiatic Bronze Deer's Head

With frieze depicting a worshipper and a goddess both facing an enthroned king holding a cup in one hand, sun-disc and crescent above; the king wearing a cap and tiered robe, the throne raised on a dais and covered with a fringed cloth; the worshipper youthful with hands clasped before his chest, wearing a floor-length garment over his shoulder; the goddess wearing a tiered headdress and flounced floor-length robe, with hands raised in salutation; two pairs of smaller figures, one with a toothed weapon; column of cuneiform text reading 'ᵈNin-subur, sukkal an-na' ('Ninshubur, the approved vizier', or 'heavenly vizier'); supplied with a museum-quality impression. 17 grams, 26 mm



From an important London, UK, collection, 1980-1990s. Accompanied by a previous two page illustrated catalogue report. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12249-222296.

Miniature paper Qur'an, each page with dense Nasta'liq text in black ink with a red double-border and green outer border; decorative title page with floral ornament and liquid gold; several pages of handwritten notes at the end; probably from North Africa. 55 grams, 86 x 86 mm



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.

Complete and of spherical form, containing clay 'tokens'; the outer face impressed with enigmatic motifs. 229 grams, 65 mm



Specialised 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.

The impressed detailing on the outer face of the sphere presumably gives an indication as to the contents, but since so few of these items survive intact there is little certainty on the subject.