Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World: Near Eastern (712)

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...

A lovely high relief Cylinder seal in a greyish brown hard and glossy stone, Mesopotamia, Uruk period, 4th. millenium BC.

OBS! Comes with the original ID card from below collection.

Interesting leafy design that we've seen on much earlier stamps from Halaf-Ubaid.

Size: 22 mm. x 12 mm...

A rare and elaborate bronze battle axe, Late bronze age or early Ironage, Caspian steppe ca. 1200-800 BC.

A finely made late bronzeage axe that combines stylistical elements of the Indo-European nomadic style with the Indo-Iranian style.

A heavy axe with a large oval socket with 4 ridges and a broadening downward curving blade. Peculiar for this culture is the large pronounced ridge on top on the blade near the socket

Size: 12 cm. long, 8 cm...

A lovely and unusually large scaraboid seal, Middle-Neo-Assyrian, c. 12th.-9th. century BC.

Winged Deity, probably Ashur tending the Tree of Life, all within an oval frame. Stylized scarab carved in an attractive greenish brown stone.

Size: 32 mm. long and 27 mm...

An extremely rare seal made of solid silver c. late 2nd.-early 1st. millenium BC.

The seal of a familiar type of cone-formed seals, known in stone and bronze, as Western Mesopotamian types from Urartu and other Neo-Hittite / Neo-Assyrian client states further south. The seal engraved in the base with two figures.

Seals of silver are extremely rare from any of the ancient cultures, especially a seal this early. We've had only 3 other silver seals in stock for 25 years...

A set of two very decorative Islamic tiles with floral motifs in fine colours, Qajar or earlier, c. 17th.-19th. cent. AD.

Unresearched but guaranteed at least from the 19th. century, probably older. With fine crackles in the glaze and a wonderful brownish patina on the backside.

Size: Each c. 14,7 cm. tall and 9 cm. wide.

Condition: Extremely fine! An intact pair.

Provenance: P. Treffz-Eichhöfer collection, Stuttgart.

Carved in black stone with a winged deity between horned animals, fishes and a Scorpion, Kingdom of the Mitanni, 15th - 14th cent BC.

Finely composed and engraved in drill style.

Size: 19 mm. tall and 11 mm. wide.

Condition: Good Very fine.

Provenance: Old German collection of fine cylinder seals, Karl Müller, 1950-1977.

The large seal of the hemispheric form and probably Parthian or early Sasanian, so like 0-500 AD, could be earlier though.

Done in a fantastic stone type - black with a spiders web of lighter colours. Attractive in hand. The shape of this stamp seal was probably invented by the Neo-Babylonians and continuued to be made in the near east until the end of the Sasanian period. The base is engraved with an unidentified cruciform symbol.

Size: c. 22 mm. wide...

Interesting pottery jar with handle and fine decoration in red on beige ground, Ancient Near East c. 2nd. millenium BC.

Size: 15,8 cm. wide and 11,3 cm. tall.

Condition: Very fine, with short crack and small chip nicely restored and not visible.

Ex. Old Danish Collection.

Ancient Egyptian carved amulet in red stone with finely polished details, Late Period, 26th-30th Dynasty, 664-332 BC

Size: c. 16 mm. wide and 11 mm. tall.

Condition: Good VF, intact with patination.

Provenance: Formerly in the private collection of Eberhard Hanfstaengl (1886-1973). He was a famous German Art director and head of the Berlin National Gallery as well as other higher positions. Educated as Art Historian. Comes with COA.

A lovely and rare stamp seal depicting two horned animals mating, West-Mesopotamia, c. 2nd.-1st. mill. BC.

The seal is exceptionally well-carved for the type with a four-side and pierced handle atop of the rectangular base...

A lovely intact late neolithic period stamp seal, found in Amung-Ebene / Antioch, and dating around the 4th. mill. BC.

Hemispheric stamp seal with a fine high-relief carving of a sun-symbol in the base - attractive!

Size: 22 mm. in diameter and 11 mm. tall.

Condition: Good Very fine, choice and with fine patina.

This seal was aquired 1994 and comes with hard impression and original ID-card from below collection.

Provenance: Gustav Oberlände...

An interesting a rare cylinder seal in bronze, Eastern Mesopotamia / Greater Persia, c. 2nd. mill. BC.

A very attractive cylinder carved with animals walking on a decorated border below.

Size: 35-36 mm. tall and c. 8 mm. thick.

Condition: Good Very fine, nice light green patina.

Comes with hard impression and COA.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, boug...

A fine cylinder seal carved in an attractive beige-orange stone, Mesopotamia under the Achaemenid Empire, c. 7th.-5th. century BC.

Nice low relief depiction of the Great King wrestling with stags.

Size: c. 28-29 mm. tall.

Condition: Near VF, intact with some dirt deposits

Ex. Danish Private Collection, this seal aquired in the early 1990s.

A really nice and impressive stamp seal wuth a tall handle, Western Mesopotamia, c. 2nd. mill. BC.

The seal is inspired by early Assyrian iconography and shows a finely carved Lion on it's hind legs grapping or fighting a monster with multible legs - here the Lion is probably the king or leading god, while the Lizzard creature is the evil one.

Size: c. 20 mm. wide and 20 mm. tall.

Condition: Near Extremely fine.

Comes with hard imprint!

Pro...

Ancient North Mesopotamian or Anatolian stamp seal of the round type, 4th.- early 3rd. millenium type of the later Ubaid / Uruk period.

Very attractive large seal in smooth dark serpentine and carved with a stylized zoomorphic depiction.

Size: 30 mm.

Condition: Very fine, light wear to the drilled holes from use, othervise intact with attractive smooth patina.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important...

A nice early cylinder seal in white marple, carved with the 'eye' or circle/rhomboid form - a characteristic and significant design for the Period.

The Jemdet Nassr Period in seal manifacturing,3300-2900 BC, were spreading from Southern Mesopotamia, where a great number of administrative cuneiform tablets and seals came from. Such seals was used to impress pictures or descriptions into soft, prepared clay. These seals guaranteed the authenticity of marked ownership: as such, they were...

A scarce and seldomly offered ancient stamp seal in good condition with a nice Zig-Zag design, South Caspian Sea area, 5th.-4th. millenium BC.

An low oval stone seal, as peculiar for this type is that it's symethric and does not have a flattened base with a seal engraving as is typical with the earliest seals. Carved in a brownish stone and with Zig-Zag at one side and with a few fainter engraved symbols on the other siden.

Size: 21 mm. in diameter.

Condition: Go...

Interesting North-Mesopotamian type and probably from the Halaf period, although the round shape is rare for this period, we date this 6th.-4th. millenium BC.

Size: 27 mm. in diameter - a substantial seal.

Condition: Very fine, with the top the handle lost to extensive use, othervise attractive.

Comes with the original collection Id-card and imprint.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection b...

A large gable seal carved in black stone with a Geomethric leaf pattern under the base, Western Mesopotamia, 5th. mill. BC. A very early seal of the gable type.

Size: 36 mm long and 23 mm wide, 11 mm thick.

Condition: VF, basically intact with minor wear to the edge.

Added to the Oberländer collection in 2002. Comes with original ID card from the Oberländer collection and imprint!

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his ma...

A fine thick cylinder seal carved in green-black stone, Old Assyrian Empire, local Levantine provincial style, Early 2nd. millenium BC.

Relatively large and attractive seal engraved with a running man or deity, a horned animal and a palmtree, crescent above.

Size: 23 mm. x 14 mm.

Condition: Extremely fine and intact with deposits and patina.

Ex. German Private Collection

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...

The cylinder seal is carved in fine white-beige stone, and can be dated to Mesopotamia, Late Jemdet Nasr period, c. 3000-2900 BC. (Collon, period 1B).

The impressive seal is carved with 4 horned animals in very deep relief all the way around the thick cylinder.

Size: 30 mm. tall and 24 mm. wide.

Condition: Very fine, intact with some wear and corrosion and quite attractive.

Ex. Private Collection of Jens Knudsen, Hamburg, from c. 1980-1998. Comes with ...

A nice seal, carved in black stone with a knob handle, Western Asia, Neo-Hittite states, c. 1200-700 BC

Triangular seal plate, engraved with a 4-legged animal, snake below and another animal above!

Size: 18-19 mm. in diameter.

Condition: Nice very fine.

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

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important coll...

Interesting and rare seal, probably made out of a Spindlewhorl, carved in serpentine and a with a deep relief carving, nicely composed with globules, Mesopotamia, probably Uruk period, later 4th.-3rd. mill. BC.

Size: 22 mm. in diameter.

Condition: Good Very fine.

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

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collect...

An interesting and scarce stamp seal, carved and finely polished in white stone, perhaps marple, and engraved in the base with globules, Uruk period, 4th.-3rd. millenium BC.

Size: c. 16 mm. and 13 mm tall.

Condition: Near Extremely fine.

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

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, ...

A superb and large specimen of an Old Elamite / Mespotamian type of bronze battle axe, c. early 2nd. mill. BC.

The axe well-modelled, the blade flares outward in a spectacular curve, its edge delineated as a thinner border. Thick socket with two spikes on the back and decorated with concenthric rings. The socket looks like the open mouth of a beast when viewed horisontically.

Size: c. 115 mm. wide and c. 88 mm. tall. The blade is c 80 mm. broad!

Condition: Near...

Interesting large round seal with a finely made engraving in the base, East-Anatolian, 3rd.-2nd. mill. BC.

Highly interesting engraving!

Size: 30 mm. in diameter and 13 mm. tall.

Condition: Near Very fine.

This seal was aquired 1991 and comes with hard impression and original ID-card from below collection.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at repu...

Very attractive thick early geomethric style cylinder seal, carved in marble or another calsite stone, Mesopotamia, Jemdet Nasr period, c. 3300-2900 BC.

Nice substantial piece!

Size: 21 mm tall and 15 mm. thick!

Condition: Nice very fine, intact with minor wear.

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

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and import...

Interesting stamp seal in stone with 4 stamps, Mesopotamian, 4th.-3rd. mill. BC.

A scarce stamp seal with a warrior with sword at one side and a horse in drill style at the other side, West-Mesopotamian, 4th.-3rd. mill. BC

Size: c. 17 mm. x 18 mm.

Condition: Nice VF, intact.

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

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and importa...

A fine authentic ancient pottery bowl, Islamic, 12th century A.D. (494 AH – 597 AH). Ancient near East.

Cream, blue and black glazed pottery dish on a short foot. The center decorated with faint floral patterns in relief in the manor of the Seljuqs.

Condition: Very fine, a few cracks basically restored. Exceptional silverish iridescence patina that is difficult to picture.

Size: ca. 15,5 cm. wide (diameter)

Ex. Danish Private Collection, from the Lon...

Fine seal carved in Quartz-Diorite, engraved with winged animal, likely a Griffin, on the base, Neo-Assyrian, 9th-6th. century BC.

Very attractive stone carved in a pyramidal shape with small piercing at the top. The use of diorite in art was most important among very early Middle Eastern civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, Babylonia, Assyria, and Sumer. It was so valued in early times that the first great Mesopotamian empire—the Empire of Sargon of Akkad—listed the taking of dio...

A rare bone seal with a finely carved base, Western Mesopotamia, dating to the late 3rd.- early 2nd. mill. BC.

The seal in the oval gable form, looking much like a scaraboid, and engraved with a a pair of goats heads and it's probably made by the Hattites / early Hittite people.

Size: 25 mm. by 22 mm. and 9 mm. tall.

Condition: Fine, intact with hairline cracks. Typical damage with this seal material and to have it at all is actually quite a miracle given the 400...

Scarce Anatolian or Syrian square stone seal with tall handle and a depiction of a Griffin or Sphinx, Neo-Hittite states, Early 1st. millenium BC.

Finely carved seal with an elaborate handle and some great details.

Size: 16 mm. wide and 11-12 mm. tall

Condition: Extremely fine.

Comes with a hard wax impression.

Reff. See Ashmolean collection AN1913.58 for a similar style seal, attributed to Aleppo, Syria. Hogarth, D.G., Hittite seals - with...

A wonderful large round stone seal with loop at the back and a fine square cross-line design on the seal, Mesopotamia, 6th.-5th. millenium BC.

Size: 33 mm. in diameter.

Condition: Nice VF, some wear, especially to the loop from ancient use.

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

A collectors lot of 5 stamp seals in different kind of stones incl. serpentine and chlorite, made in semi-autonomous Neo-Hittite states of Syria and Levante, during the Neo-Assyrian period, early 1st. millenium BC.

The seals mostly of the tall pyramid shape, but there's also a 4-side rectangular seal, engraved with symbols on all 4 sides and vertically drilled. Another fine seal is cones-shaped and with a high relief engraving of the base.

Size: Up to 15 mm. max height. ...