Catalog (1880)

South Asia, India, ca. 18th-19th century.

A solid cast bronze alloy figure depicting Krishna the "Butter Thief" as a youth holding a ball of butter that he stole from his stepmother. Baby Krishna or Bala Krishna is crawling with a ball of butter in his right hand. As mischievous children/babies, Krishna and his older brother Balarama stole jars of butter and yogurt from their families and neighbors.

Size: 63 mm. tall. - weighing c. 100 grams.

Condition: Intact, ...

A large and fine archaic style serpentine stone stamp seal of the gable type, Ubaid period of Anatolia and Syria, c. 4th. millenium BC.

Recent research clearly indicates that highly advanced city cultures allready existed in the Ubaid period of Anatolia and Syria in the early 4th. millenium BC and perhaps even before that. This predates the Mesopotamian Uruk period, so it's a question who inspired who?.

Lovely scarce seal, sharply engraved with a stylized scorpion.

Interesting conoid shaped stamp seal in black stone, probably serpentine, engraved on the base with a deer with large antlers and on the upperside with unidentified engravings. Greater Mesopotamia area and porabably from the Ubaid/Urum period 4th.-3rd. millenium BC.

Super nice stylized engraving of the deer! There's certainly some engravings on the upperside as well but uncleaned and unresearched.

Size: 255 mm. in diameter and c. 18 mm. tall.

Condition: Good Ve...

A large and rare stone stamp seal, carved in black basalt with high knobbed handle, Neo-Hittite period, made in the Anatolia/ Levante, late 2nd. millenium BC.

Triangular seal plate, engraved with a larger bull in lovely archaic style and a smaller animal above and crescent below. Finely made knob handle with piercing.

Diameter 25 x 24 mm. height 17 mm.

Condition: Extremely fine for type, only light smooth wear and patina.

Ref. see the Ashmolean collect...

Large stamp seal in a fine greyish green stone, probably Chlorite, Anatolia / Northern Syria Ubaid period, c. 4th. millenium BC.

The base of the seal is engraved with a fine symethric arrangement, probably showing antlers or something floral. A nice Gable seal type with perfect symethri and sharp lines.

Size: 42 mm. long and 24-25 mm. wide. Unusually large and thus attractive

Condition: Extremely fine, smooth glossy patina with no wear or damage.

This...

A fine lot of 4 choice bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 10 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsas with different forms of bases and spikes etc. and with clear 6-ray verification marks. Lot includes a scarce low base type!

Weight: 161,8 - 161,28 - 163,85 - 161,14 = 10 tical.

Condition: Very Fine to near Extremely fine, finely tinned greyish silver or brown surfaces.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Coll...

An pair of scarce 2 tical bronze Toe beast Opium weights, Burma, c. 18th. cent.

One with a beautiful glossy excarvated enamel patina and the other finely preserved, featuring different tails and details as well as a square and a octagonal base. Both with verifications marks of 9-rays below the bases.

Conventional wisdom tells us that the octagonal base is the oldest, but we're not certain, both types might be significantly older than Gear and others state.

Weig...

A fine lot of two large Hamsa birds, Shan Empire and Arakan, Burma around 1780-1820 AD.

The Hamsas with one spike, standing on hexagonal bases, different styles of heads/beaks and both V-tails. One is probably early Arakan style and lower weight-standard.

Weight: c. 265 grams & 310 grams = 20 tical.

Condition: F-VF, The burma very good condition, the Arakan Near VF, typical high amount of wear for the Arakan types. brown and green patinas.

Refference:...

A fine lot of two large Hamsa birds, Shan Empire, Burma around 1780-1820 AD.

The Hamsas with one spike, standing on hexagonal bases, different styles of heads/beaks and both V'tails.

Weight: c. 310 & 315 grams = 20 tical.

Condition: Nice VF, brown and green patinas.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from...

A fine lot of two large Hamsas, later Shan, but still Burma around 1800-1820 AD.

The Hamsas with one spike, standing on hexagonal bases. Clear 6-ray verification marks on both. Both V'tails.

Weight: c. 318 & 319 grams = 20 tical.

Condition: Nice VF, brownish patina

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from...

A pair of large and impressive bronze opium weights of 20 Tical, square bases, c. 1780.

Nice specimens with great patinas! Different tail types and perhaps issued with 20-30 years apart, but both later 18th. century.

Weight: Both weighs are close to 300 grams = 20 Tical

Condition: F-VF, moderate wear and fine patinas

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the ...

A large and finely patinated bronze opium weight of the 20 Tical, square base, c. 1750-1780.

Sharp 9-ray verification / currency mark. Beautiful green patina and a super attractive specimen!

Weight: c. 310 grams = 20 Tical

Condition: Good very fine!

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from German British and Danish dealers. Comes with COA and p...

A set of superb bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 5 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsas with varieties of spikes and other features, all standing on elongated hexagonal bases. 6-ray or bird verification marks.

Weight: c. 79,5-80,6 grams = 5 tical.

Condition: VF-EF, Very nice surfaces and metal for types.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium we...

A set of superb bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 5 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsas with varieties of spikes and other features, all standing on elongated hexagonal bases. Clear 6-ray verification marks.

Weight: c. 79-80 grams = 5 tical.

Condition: Near EF, finely tinned greyish silver surfaces and redish brown.

Rarity: Common but exceptional and thus scarcely found specimens.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

Prove...

A nice group of only 2 tical currency weights in Burma & Shan Empire from c. 1750-1850.

The group consists of different varieties in spikes and other features, weighing: 31,22 grams, 31,59 grams, 31 grams, 31,45 grams.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of c. 250 Opium weights, hand-picked from 1991-2006, by the collector from German, British and Danish dealers. Comes with COA and provenance.

Nice different specimens of the old Karaweik bird type 5 tical bronze opium weight, Burma (from Ava, Rangoon, Amarapura), 18th. century.

All on octagonal base, with three neck-ridges and spikes, with different varieties of backcovers etc.

Weight: 73-81 grams = 10 tical.

Condition: Nice Very Fine with rich brown patinas

Refference: Gear Group 2/3. Mikkelsen p.137, figure 75.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private col...

A pair of superb bronze Hamsa bird opium weights of 10 tical, Late Shan Empire, c. early 1800s.

The Hamsa with 1 spikes, both standing on symethric hexagonal bases. One with V-tail and the other with U-tail. Clear verification marks of a bird and a 6-rayed star.

Weight: 161,5 & 162 grams = 10 tical.

Condition: Near EF, choice brown and light tinned bronze surfaces.

Rarity: Common but very nice specimens.

Refference: Gear Group 1/2.

...

Nice different specimens of the old Karaweik bird type 10 tical bronze opium weight, Burma (from Ava, Rangoon, Amarapura), 18th. century.

Both on octagonal base, with three neck-ridges and spikes, with different varieties of backcovers.

Weight: 152 & 156 grams = 10 tical.

Condition: F-VF, rich brown patinas

Refference: Gear Group 2/3. Mikkelsen p.137, figure 75.

Provenance: John Abrahamsen Collection, important Danish private collection of ...