Western Asiatic Bronze Seal Matrix with Lion

Carved in the round with sockets to the eyes, drilled ears, wavy beard descending to the chest; genitals and stub legs; peg to top of head and another beneath feet, square panels at the arms; possibly a votive, or one element from a larger frieze. 7.37 grams, 59 mm



From the collection of a London antiquarian, 1980s.

Rebound as a hardback with leather binding to spine and fore-edge envelope flap, marbled boards, title page with triangular block of text in red and black, notes in a different hand below; text pages typically 11 lines of wide-spaced naskh script in black ink with red title and diacritics, six-pointed stars, marginal notation, red-framed numerical and other tables; damaged pages repaired and restored; dense blocks of script to both end pages. 553 grams, 15 x 20.3 cm



From an important family collection started in the late 1950s. Property of a West London, UK, gentleman. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12272-220411.

The text is 'The Secret of Al Azhar and the Red Sulphur' (known as 'The Light of Lights and the Secret of Secrets') by al-Hakim Al-Khemai Dhul-Nun Uthman bin Suwavd Al-Akhmaimi, written out by Yususf bin Yagoub Al Ashiuli in 933 A.H. (1526 A.D.).

Plano-convex stamp seal with design of two crouching quadrupeds placed tête-bêche; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 37.4 grams, 40 mm



Acquired in Europe in 2002. European private collection.

The motifs have been created using a drill, hence the rounded appearance.