Western Asiatic Terracotta Tripod Footed Pouring Dish

Pyramidal in profile and square in plan with design of a hunter and an ibex; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 3.5 grams, 16 mm



From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Tongue-shaped in profile with incuse image of an advancing ram beneath a crescent moon, arrow in the field. 4.40 grams, 18.46 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

The ibex, a wild mountain goat with distinctive curved horns, was a popular and meaningful motif in ancient Near Eastern art. It often appears in Mesopotamian and Persian imagery, where it could symbolise strength, agility, and a connection to the natural and divine worlds. In some contexts, the ibex is linked with fertility and abundance, particularly through its association with flowing water and vegetation. Its elegant form also made it well suited to small-scale objects such as seals, where its image could serve both a decorative and symbolic purpose, reflecting the beliefs and environment of the cultures that produced them.

Sheet bronze plaque fragment with repoussé design of a facing male mask above large folded wings and a lion-head roundel; addorsed eagle-heads flanking the mask and leaping lions at the sides; border with volute tendrils, rosettes and other motifs; mounted on a custom-made stand. 35 grams, 12.5 cm



From the collection of Dr Desmond Fitzgerald. Ex Charlie Watts collection. Acquired from Bearnes Hampton Auctions, 2026. Accompanied by a copy of the auction catalogue page (£1,000-£2,000).