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LOT 1188
Western Asiatic Chalcedony Gaming Piece
3RD-5TH CENTURY A.D.
1 1/4 in. (39.7 grams, 31 mm).
Square in plan and plano-convex in section with tessellated triangles on the dome, horizontal grooves at the sides, incuse octofoil to the underside.
ProvenanceEx Mayfair, London, UK, collection, 1980s.
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 1188
Western Asiatic Chalcedony Gaming Piece
Estimate £400 - 600€460 - 700 (for guidance only)$540 - 810 (for guidance only)
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Monumental Luristan Bronze Armband Pair with Dragon Heads
Late 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £845
A matching pair of penannular armbands, each with a round-section body and dragon-head terminals, one terminal on each band separately made; the dragons with ring-and-dot eyes and linear decoration, slit mouths and flaring nostrils. 1.19 kg total, 13-13.1 cm
Ex London, UK gallery, 1971-early 2000s. Private collection, London.
Bronze armbands of this scale and quality are characteristic of Luristan, an important centre of metal production in western Iran during the early 1st millennium B.C. The region is renowned for its distinctive cast bronzes, including weapons, horse trappings, and items of personal adornment, often decorated with powerful animal imagery. The dragon, with its elongated body and open jaws, was a common motif in Luristan art, symbolising strength, protection, and the supernatural. Armbands with dragon-head terminals likely carried an apotropaic function, serving both as impressive ornaments and as protective charms for the wearer. Monumental examples such as this pair are rare survivals, attesting to the high status of their original owner and the extraordinary skill of Luristan bronze workers. -
Greek and Luristan Bronze Arrowhead Collection
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Mainly small leaf-shaped and triangular-headed tanged types. 136 grams total, 3.8-11.1 cm
Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s. -
Western Asiatic Ceramic Oil Lamp and Ladle
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Comprising: an oil lamp with pinched, trefoil-type spout; a coarseware ladle with deep bowl and short, thick stem. 249 grams total, 7.7-15.7 cm
with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.
