Western Asiatic Bulbous Terracotta Jar

Square in section, sides tapering to the pierced apex; sequence of four intaglio figures: female on a hatched seat offering food to a goose; advancing female with hair in a single braid to the rear, holding a bowl and alabastron; male in knee-length tunic with lion-skin hood, holding an inverted spear; advancing female with hair in a single braid to the rear, holding a wreath and flower; rhyton to the underside. 9.8 grams, 25 mm



Acquired 1970-1999. London collection of the late Mr S.M., thence by descent. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12540-231460. 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.

Plano-convex in profile with Pahlavi inscription to the underside; transliterated as: 'Vahnām ī shāhānshāh-kārframān' (meaning 'Behnām, Overseer of Work for the King of Kings'); Bivar notes in his summary: 'This specimen represents a previously unrecorded variety of the so-called "administrative seals" which are engraved only with an inscription defining an office, and have no pictorial motif. It is unusual in apparently bearing a personal name, and in designating its bearer as kārframān "Overseer of Work"....'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 29.9 grams, 23.48 mm high



with Christie's, London, 25 April 2001, no.464 [Part]. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note typed and signed by A.D.H. (David) Bivar, 9 May 2009. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages. 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.

Cylinder with cord and bead handles; 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 faience, Green, 30 x 15 mm. The designs, which is marked off by a rule above and below, consists of a stag or other such horned animal and three sideways men. The stag [is] half on its haunches, and with its head turned sideways for effect. The three men have match-stick legs, but better-formed bodies and effective heads. The seal is in very good condition. This is a Mitanni common-style seal, c. 1500-1200 B.C., and may have come from a wide area of the Near East, from Palestine, Syria, southern Anatolia or Northern Meesopotamia [sic]'; accompanied by a museum-quality impression. 8.32 grams total, 8.1-30 mm



UK private collection, acquired 1980-1983. Accompanied by a copy of a scholarly note, typed and signed by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert in August 1990. 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.