A scarce, seldomly offered, hemispheric stamp seal, probably Luristan or Susa area, pre-historic period, 5th.-4th. millenium BC.

The seal of an excellent style and nice carved in a serpentine black stone with a star radiating from a circular borders and a central dot.

Size: c. 20 mm...

Wonderful large Tabloid seal in greenish-black Serpentine stone, North-Mesopotamian, 2nd. half of the 4th. mill. BC.

The seal rectangular - tablet formed - engraved with architectorial elements, likely Ladders and line decoration.

Size: 35 mm. tall and 29 mm. wide.

The Tabloid seals represent a special group of later 4th. millenium seals, often decorated with long ladder-like elements, perhaps representing a way to the heavens...

Fine stamp seal made in white stone, South Mesopotamia, Late Uruk / Jemdet nasr period, 3300-2900 BC.

Hemispheric seal carved with dots in the drill style.

Size: 26 mm. in diameter.

Comes with the original collection ID-Card from the Oberländer collection!

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

A fine stamp seal in a greenish black serpentine stone, probably Northern Mesopotamia, 5h.-4th. millenium BC.

A very early hemispheric seal with a fine free style engraving of an animal on the face and a loop at the back.

Size: 21-22 mm...

Attractive and impressive large stamp seal, engraved with a standing mufflon, Anatolia, c. 4th.-3rd. millenium BC.

A thick seal in a square gable form, deeply engraved with a vivid motif in the black serpentine stone.

Size: c...

A wonderful large stamp seal with stag and perhaps a young stag below, Anatolia, c. 4th.-3rd. millenium BC.

A thick seal deeply engraved with a vivid motif in a serpentine stone.

Size: c. 34-35 mm...

A scarce to rare hemispheric stamp seal with loop at the back, probably Luristan, pre-historic period, 5th.-4th. millenium BC.

The seal of an excellent style in a greenish-black stone, carved with a star radiating from circular border and a central dot / Leaf-shaped pattern.

Diameter: c. 19 mm...

Important large stamp seal made in pale green calcite, South Mesopotamia, Late Uruk / Jemdet nasr period, 3300-2900 BC.

Hemispheric seal with a wonderful free carving in a drill style of birds in a highly attractive and rare stone for the period. Pronounced collar round the ends of the perforations. This particular feature is rarely seen on such a large Uruk seal.

Size: 38 x 33 mm. 16-17 mm...

Interesting lot of three amulets, two in stone and one in bronze dating from ca. 2000 BC-1000 AD.

The lot consists of a larger Islamic bronze pendant or amulet, 55 mm. long and another serpentine stone amulet with engraved decoration or writing (Hittite?), ca. 1st. millenium BC and a third amulet in stone, grooved and likely a fertility amulet Anatolia or Mesopotamia, 2nd.-1st. mill BC.

Nice lot that calls for more research!

Ex. German Private Collection

A very nice assortment of Ancient Near Eastern cylinder seals, Mesopotamia, ca. 2200-1800 BC.

The selection consists of three Old Babylonian and Isin Larsa types with a worshipper before the throne of Ea, along with provincial types. They are carved in different types of hardstones

The largest seal measure 28 mm...

Interesting seal carved in a hard black stone, likely Serpentine with a handle, 4th.-2nd. millenium BC.

The seal in engraved with what looks like ancient scriptsigns, but it needs further research.

Size: 25 mm.

Condition: Very fine and intact with nice ancient wear overall.

Ex German Collection from Hessen, aquired before 1970.

A large and very nicely carved stamp seal in black stone, Anatolia/Levante, 2nd. millenium BC.

Lovely engravings of a horned bull attacked by a Lion on one side and on the other side, an impressive winged Goat, with small bearded human head above.

Interesting and very rare!

Size: 3,4 cm. in diameter and ca. 1 cm. thick.

Condition: Very fine and basically intact with central piercing at a later time and some flaking.

Ex German Collection...

Highly interesting collectors lot of three different types of stamp seals, Anatolia, 3rd.-1st. millenium BC.

The lot includes a scarce 2nd. millenium Hittite type of 4-side stamp with 4 different impressions of humans and plants, a triangular seal with a knob handle and engraved with a floral pattern and lastly, a cone-shaped seal with round base engraved with scriptssigns(?). All carved in black serpentine.

Interesting lot for study.

Condition: Choice, two sea...

A wonderful old Mesopotamian / Sumerian Cylinder seal, 4th.-early 3rd. mill. BC.

A vividly carved seal in high relief (shaped like an hour glass), engraved with stylized animals, pre-dynastic very early seal.

Size: 19-20 cm. tall and 14 mm. wide.

Ex. German Private Collection

Lot of 6 handpicked superb larger quartz beads, Greco-Bactrian Empire, ca. 2nd. cent. BC-1st. AD.

Interesting beads from Bactria, Balkh Area, made during the Greco-Bactrian Empire and with remnants of later dying in Cobalt and torquise during the Islamic Dynasties, 9th.-10th. century AD.

These types of beads are expertly carved in the very hard Quartz material, with rating of 7+ on the hardness scale for semi-precious stones with panels/faceted. These beads were once classi...

A wonderful small collection of 10 handpicked superb larger quartz beads, Greco-Bactrian Empire, ca. 2nd. cent. BC-1st. AD.

Interesting and rare selection of 10 beads from Bactria, Balkh Area, made during the Greco-Bactrian Empire and with remnants of later dying in Cobalt and torquise during the Islamic Dynasties, 9th.-10th. century AD.

These types of beads are expertly carved in the very hard Quartz material, with rating of 7+ on the hardness scale for semi-precious sto...

The seal is carved in rock-crystal and is very attractive, Sasanian, ca. 3rd.-6th. century AD.

The base of this hemispheric seal is engraved with a firealter that gives a very high relief impression in wax.

Size: 16 mm. wide.

Condition: Very fine and intact.

Ex. Danish Private Collection

A rare and lovely Scaraboid stamp seal in a pink stone, Assyrian, ca. 12th.-10th. century AD.

The shape emulates the Egyptian scarabs from the period, but made in a rare pink hardstone and with a typical later Assyrian stylized design of the seal plate.

Size: 15 mm.

Condition: Superb for type, very hard stone.

Ex. Danish Private Collection

A very interesting and rare Scaraboid seal of the Phoenician type, ca. 800-600 BC.

The seal of perfect high scaraboid shape with a low relief stamp of a war elephant engraved in the seal plate. Horisontically pierced for mounting. Extremely rare shiny greenstone used, perhaps a Fluorite, semi-transperant with cloudy green inclusions. Finely patinated and weathered.

Size: 15 x 13 x 10 mm.

Condition: Choice.

Ex. Danish Private Collection

A large and very beautiful cloudy Chalcedony stamp seal, Neo-babylonian period of Mesopotamia, 9th.-7th. century BC. A large and very beautiful cloudy Chalcedony stamp seal, Neo-babylonian period of Mesopotamia, 9th.-7th. century BC.

Pyramidal shape. Decorated with a stylized image, hole through the top.

Very nice stone quality.

Size: ca. 36-37 mm.

Ex. German Private Collection

A massive ancient Chlorite stone Chalice with handle, Intercultural style of ancient near East / Bactria, 3rd. millenium BC.

The vessel carved in a massive chlorite stone with thick walls and high stemmed foot. It has a large handle going from the top to the foot and with a nsculptured rams head at the top. The vessel is decorated with palm trees with small Scorpios on them. Scorpios and snakes are often seen on Southern Kerman and Bactrian stone carvings in the 3rd. millenium, with s...

A rarely seen scaraboid stamp seal, carved in Onyx stone, Assyrian, ca. 12th. century BC.

Attractive stamp seal carved with the scetchy image of a bull, scarab-shape after Egyptian model of the New Kingdom.

Size: 11 mm.

Condition: Choice, light chips around the horisontical piercing as usual othervise perfect.

Ex. Austrian private Collection, ca. 1970.

A set of two stamp seals with animal and Nisa Emblem, Sassanian, 4th.-6th. century AD

Beautiful Hemaetite stones used.

Size: ca. 14 mm. and 12 mm in diameter.

Condition: Choice, light chips to the emblem seal.

Ex. Austrian private Collection, ca. 1970.

Important collection of 11 stone axes and tools, Egyptian, 4th. millenium BC.

A selection of different tools in Basalt, Jasper, Gneist and perhaps Jadeite, mainly small axe shapes for grinding spices and cosmetics. Lot also include a wonderful fully polished fragment of a cosmetic palette.

A gem collection with some beautiful colours!

Sizes: 2,3 - 4,3 cm.

Condition: Mostly intact with a few with smaller nicks.

Ex Collection of Karl Jakob M�...

Gandhara stone panel with the Buddha and an attendant in the lower frame. The partially preserved Buddha is seated on a pedestal in the dhyana mudhra gesture. He is dressed in Gandharan style and showing a wavy hairstyle topped with the raised ushnisha.
On the left a man in daring contrapposto and exaggeratedly turned upper body. The attendant is wearing a long garment and holding what could be a tambourine or an offering.
The top adorned with an acanthus leaf design and a semicirc...

A beautiful and very scarce stamp seal, scaraboid shape, Neo-Babylonian, ca. 8th.-6th. century BC.

The seal superbly polished in a multi-layered banded agate stone. On the base carved with a winged beast.

Size: 18 mm.

Condition: Choice!, signs of much ancient use with wear around the edges of the horisontical piercing.

Ex. Egeskov Private Collection, ex Senatus Consulto, 2003, formerly in a German Private Collection 1970-1989.

Marple stone stamp seal, Anatolian / Levantine, late 2nd. mill. BC.

The seal of a pyramidal form, pierced through in the top and engraved on the face with the image of a Stagg or antilope with large horns within a frame.

Size: ca. 14 mm. tall

Condition: Choice and intact.

Ex. German Collection (Berlin), collected from the 1980s and onwards. Comes with collectors own notes and photos mounted on filt with a hard wax impression.

A beautiful and rare stone stamp seal, carved in black serpentine with a high handle, Western Anatolia or Syria, Neo-Hittite States, late 2nd. mill. BC - early 1st. millenium BC.

Triangular seal plate, engraved with a small 4-legged animal reclining on another 4-legged animal with horns, finely made knob handle with piercing and engravings on the top!

Diameter: 18 x 18 mm. height 10,5 mm.

Condition: Superb.

Ex. German Collection (Berlin), collected fro...

Interesting stone bead with three bands of drilled concentric circles, some of them linked with lines. Remains of red pigment in the cavities.
The Ghaznavid dynasty originated from Turkic slave-guards and lasted from 977 to 1186 AD. At their greatest extent the Ghaznavids controlled large parts of Iran, Afghanistan, much of Transoxiana and the northwest of the Indian subcontinent.
For related examples, cf. Art Curial Paris, Archéologie et Arts d'Orient, 24 May 2016 sale, lot no. ...

A very fine lot of four larger stamp seals in superb stones (Banded carnelian, Calchedony), Sassanian, 3rd.-6th. century AD.

The lot includes different motifs on 4 nicely polished elipsoid seals.

Size: 21-23 mm. wide.

Condition: Choice and intact, finely patinated.

Ex. Egeskov Collection, an important and rare collection of Sassanian seals, handpicked over 30 years of collecting.

Very large and impressive early Dynastic or pre-dynastic stamp seal, Mesopotamia, ca. late 4th.-early 3rd. millenium BC.

The seal hemispheric, drilled through the top in a greenish-black stone with a high relief engraving of a 4-legged animal.

Size: 30 mm. in diameter and 16,5 mm. high.

Condition: Choice, fine patina and wear but intact.

Ex. German Collection (Berlin), collected from the 1980s and onwards.

Comes with collectors own notes a...

A scarce Sumerian stamp seal in greenish black stone, Mesopotamia, ca. 4th. millenium BC.

The seal predynastic and very interesting in that it has a double image of animals and a labyrint.

Size: 28 mm. long and 19 mm. wide.

Condition: Choice, fine patina and wear but intact.

Ex. German Collection (Berlin), collected from the 1980s and onwards.

Comes with collectors own notes and photos mounted on filt with a hard wax impression.

A beautiful and rare stone stamp seal, carved in black serpentine with a high handle, Western Asia, Neo-Hittite states, c. 1000-700 BC

Triangular seal plate, engraved with a reclining 4-legged animal, finely made knob handle with piercing and engravings on the top!

Diameter: 20 x 20 mm. height 12,5 mm.

Condition: Superb.

Ex. German Collection (Berlin), collected from the 1980s and onwards.

Reff. See Ashmolean collection AN1914.53 for a...

Rare Anatolian (costal region) stone seal with handle and a depiction of a Ram or Goat, Neo-Hittite States, 1st. millenium BC.

Finely carved seal with an elaborate handle and some great details. The Goat is a symbol or personification of the storm god in the Hititte Pantheon.

Height 16 mm., the square seal-plate, 17,5 x 16,5 mm.

Condition: Superb.

Ex. Important German Collection (Berlin), collected from the 1980s and onwards.

Hogarth, D.G....

Alabaster amulet finely carved to represent a falcon with a tiger head protruding from its tail. Two holes on top of the falcon wings allow attachment to a necklace. Mesopotamia, ca. 2000 B.C. Height: 7.5 cm. Old accident on its top, restored since, slight abrasion, otherwise very good condition

This large disk-shaped ritual object from central Asia - the Bactrian-Margiana Archaeological Complex - is made of marble. Dated in the 3rd to 2nd millennium century BC, it has a smooth, curved-in side, and the concave surface of the face is well-polished. The abstract vein pattern in the marble offers colours of pink-purple, beige, and grey. The use of this kind of object is still uncertain. Some believe these are purely ritual objects. Other theories suggest they might have also been used fo...