A fine solid bronze figure of a Rooster / Cockerel, ca. 10th.-12th. century AD.

A beautiful figure, sculptured in the round in a naturalistic manor, very attractive and scarce.

The Rooster has finely engraved feathers on the body and tail. A hole at the top for the loose mohawk which is now missing.

Size: 8 cm. long and 7,8 cm. high. Dark green patina with redish highlights...

This is a very interesting bronze, socketed spear from ancient Greece or Persia. It has a slightly swollen midrib accented with incised lines. The socket is split at the original seam and there are some losses. The blade has what appears to be ancient battle damage, making this quite a unique piece for any collection. The overall length is roughly 18 cm and the weight is 130 grams.

A fantastic and exceptional thick and heavy ancient silver bracelet, Uratian-Achaemenid period, dating 800-500 BC.

A heavy silver armring evolving into a huge spiral, very complicated and beautiful silverwork for the period.

Size: ca. 7,1 cm...

A fine silver ancient Islamic belt buckle from the earliest fase in the Islamic domination of the world, 7th.-9th. century AD.

A beautiful and perfectly intact belt buckle completely covered in black patina and in solid silver. Fine ornamentation.

Size: ca. 6 cm. long.

Condition: Superb! A partidularly fine specimen with completely black patina.

Ex. Ib Olsen Collection

This week I am posting several Bronze Age weapons from the Middle East including a set of 5, very unique, crescent-hilt daggers from the Marlik culture (circa 1000 BC). These all came from the same private collection. For a nearly identical example see "Arms and Armor from Iran" by Manoucher Khorasani p 50 figure 1 and page 53. This specimen appears to have been cleaned partially so I have included a 35X micrograph of an area of the surface showing crystallization common on ancient bronze...

Rhyton with a cylindrical shape progressively widening toward its top to give an overall conical aspect. The rython is decorated with two feminine deities figures in relief on both sides, wearing horns and having a posture similar to the one of Osiris statues. The body of the rhyton itself is decorated with superimposed geometric designs in slight relief. The piece is made of bronze, with an encrusted green patina. Mesopotamia, probably Bronze Age, ca. 3000 to 1500 B.C. Height: 11.5 cm...

Nicely modeled bronze figure of a horse with elongated body, stiff legs and long tail.
The head shows a flattened muzzle with incised mouth, domed eyes and alert ears.
The tail with hatched incisions. Suspension loop at the base of the neck.
Bronze
Luristan, 8th-7th century BC
L. 6.7 cm (2.6 in)
H. 3.8 cm (1.5 in)
Intact and fine...

Rare Seljuk bronze key with an eagle standing on the back of a rooster while pecking at the head of its prey. The rooster has a small crest and protruding eyes.
Birds play an important role in the Seljuk decorative repertoire, and in this case they probably evoke a demonstration of power.
Cast into a two-piece mold and showing a casting seam.
Bronze
Islamic, Seljuq Period, 11th-12th century AD
L. 9.1 cm (3.7 in)
Rare piece. Surface slightly corroded...

Interesting and very rare pendant or finial of the Hittite period in Anatolia, c. mid 2nd. millenium BC.

The finial shaped with a bull head on top of another bull.

Size: 6 cm. long and 4,5 cm. tall.

Condition: Fine, earthern green patina, somewhat flaking at the edges, but sound enough.

Ex. Hafnia Coins inventory from c. 1990s.

This is a very early specimen of a bronze dagger or spear from the ancient middle East. It is solid and stable with only minor losses. It has a plain blade and tang typical of the earliest pieces from the region. It weighs 162 grams and measures roughly 20 cm in length. This is a great piece to start off your collection or to pick up a very early type at a reasonable price.

A choice broad bronze ring, Ancient near Eat 2nd. part of the 1st. millenium AD.

Looks like a caligraphic ring and very early as such.

Ringsize: c. 19 mm. (max).

Condition: Very Fine for this type, nice metal and brown patina.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection of seals between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections...

Interesting and very impressive massive armring, the bronze mixed with some silver to make a whiter alloy, Achaemenid or pre-Achaemenid period, ancient near east, 1st. mill. BC.

Thick and massive bracelet with complicated bimetalic design with twisted copper-wire, and larger twisted rods and ending in stylised animal heads. The bracelet with a lovely warm brown find patina.

Size: 83 mm. wide, weighing 407 grams.

Condition: Choice and intact.

Ex. Old ...

This specimen is a large bronze dagger or spear from ancient Lebanon. I do not have a specific cultural attribution for it as of yet but often these types get the blanket classification of Luristan. It may also be Marlik. There are some losses to the blade edges but the rest of the piece appears solid and stable with no signs of repair or restoration. It measures right at 32 cm in length and weighs 213 grams.The blade is over a cm thick near the center and a half cm at the tip.

Ancient Near East, Luristan, ca. 1200 to 800 BC. An elaborate bronze cloak pin, cast via the lost wax (cire perdue) process with a Zoomorphic beast terminal.

Used to fasten clothes, in this case due to the unusually heavy fabric and decoration, likely leather for presentation use - perhaps for a very thick cape or leather armor.

Size: 11,2 cm.

Condition: Superb! Wonderful dark-green patina.

Ex German Collection from Hessen, aquired before 1970.

A large bronze seal with a loop on the back and elaborate design with smaller cross in the center, Bactria, 3rd. millenium BC.

The seal belongs to the group of varied mostly circular metal stamp seals relief cast in bronze or copper alloy, classified as so-called compartmented seals (a term first used in 1943 by the British archaeologist Stuart Pigott – 1943. P. 179–180, fig. 4) Reff. See Sandro Salvatori Bactria and Margiana Seals: A New Assessment of Their Chronological Positio...

Extremely fine specimen of the earliest metal daggers known, BMAC / Indus, Chalcolithic period, 4th.-3rd. millenium BC.

Large and impressive dagger in hand. Flat, leafshaped blade and very long, straight tang.

Size: 23,7 cm long.

Condition: Extremely fine, choice green patina and great metal. Uncleaned with earthern deposits.

Ex. Danish private Collection, aquired at the Copenhagen antiques market in the 1990s.

Interesting bronze seal of a cone shape with a small top without drill, Western Mesopotamia / Lake Van area, c. 2nd. mill. BC.

First time in stock for this type with is also decorated on the sides with a figure?.

Size: 19 mm. tall and 16 mm. wide.

Condition: Very fine, needs more manual cleaning.

This seal comes with hard impression and original ID-card from below collection, see pictures.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberlän...

Extremely rare cloak pin cast in silver, Ancient Near East, 'Luristani', ca. 1200 to 800 BC.

While examining this massive cloak pin, we discovered that it is not made in the usual cuprite-red bronze alloy, but in silver! A elaborate and heavy cloak pin, cast via the lost wax (cire perdue) process with poppy flower shaped terminal.

Used to fasten clothes, in this case due to the unusually heavy fabric and decoration, likely leather for presentation use - perhaps for a very ...