Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Ancient World (1236)

One of the largest tablet or brick seals, we've ever offered. Bifacial tablet seals can normally be dated to around the 3rd. millenium BC. This is so delicately carved that it could be made somewhat later in the 2nd. mill. BC.

The black serpentine seal depicts a large Bee, filling the whole of the seal, and on the other side a Scorpion. Particularly, the Bee is masterfully engraved, so that even tiny details and textures of the bee can be seen...

A very beautifully carved and polished stamp seal, Syro-Levantine, c. 1st. millenium BC.

A very elaborately carved seal with a tall handle, carved in a cream stone, very glossy! The seal is carved with a depiction of a large bird attacking a smaller animal, perhaps a sheep. Highly unusual.

Size: 20 mm. tall.

Condition: Extremely Fine, uncleaned red dessert sand deposits in the devices.

Ex...

A high quality and massive Mesopotamian cylinder seal carved in dark serpentine stone, North-West Mesopotamia, c. 18th.-16th. century BC.

The seal is profusely engraved with a complex depiction of deities and animals. A central godess is sort of flying with her hands touching two creatures above. A worshipper in front with hands raised. Aray of animals and smaller figures including a Centaur below.

Size: 44-45 mm. tall. and 15 mm...

A nice wearable solid silver ring with monogram, Byzantine Empire, c. 700-900 AD.

Ring size: c. 19 mm. and round, weighing 5,68 grams. Solid silver.

Ex. German private collection since 1990. Comes with our COA and hard imprint.

Elaborate Roman silver ring, 1st.-3rd. cent. AD.

The ring is moulded with a large female bust on the top. She is either a deity or a high-born lady, with a tall draped hairdress and diadem.

Size: about 25 mm. wide. 9.60 grams. The ring-size is c. 19 mm.

Condition: Nice Very fine and intact. stable and Wearable. The surface with corrosion and brown deposits.

Ex. German private collection since 1990s, aquired at Gerard Hirsch Nachfolger Auctionhouse...

Another substantial Roman silver seal ring with a red carnelian intaglio, 1st.-3rd. cent AD

The ring a typical compressed Roman design and the carnelian stone engraved with a depiction of the Dioskouroi.

Size: c. 24 mm. wide and weighing 8.1 grams. The ring-size is c. 19 mm...

A nice terracotta head of Bes, fragmentary and corroded, but substantial and with fine classic features, Egyptian, Late-Roman Period, 500-100 AD. Comes attached to the original German gift letter from the 1920s-1930s.

Size: 70 x 55 mm.

Ex. Old German Private Collection.

A very nice lot of stringed glass bead and bird-amulets etc. also in coloured glass, including a perfect condition, Roman miniature glass jug with handle and openwork design, c. 1st.-4th. century AD.

Size: c. 40 cm. of beads and amulets in a single row, the jug is c. 21-22 mm. tall.

Ex. German Collection.

Interesting set of miniature work axes and amulets , c. 3rd. mill. BC.-1st. mill. AD.

The centerpiece is a mounted Roman or Darkage axe amulet (400-800 AD), here mounted to a wonderful modern repro of an ancient axe-shaft. It also cludes a European celt in bronze and Near Eastern axe amulets in Carnelian.

Size. The shaft of the silver axe is 41 mm. tall and 21 mm. wide for the amulet.

German collection.

Interesting lot, incl. two round bronze finials, finely decorated / finely engraved with swirly patterns, Roman or darkage, c. 400-1000 AD.

Size: 26-28 mm. tall.

Ex. Old German Collection.

Larger seal carved in almost black-green serpentine, the seal carved with an introduction to the enthroned almighty deity, by a worshipper dragged before the throne by a female deity. Dating The Third Dynasty of Ur, also called the Neo-Sumerian Empire, 22nd.-21st. century BC.

A nice seal with deep relief in the fine old style, cuneiform inscription behind the visiting worshipper.

Size: 24-25 mm. tall.

Condition: Very fine, intact with some wear to surface, but a...

Black Hematite seal with nice carvings, dated late in the Babylonian period, c. 18th-16th. cent. BC

Scene with intercessory goddess before God in ascending posture, male, crescent moon, fox, monkey, lion standard.

Size: 30 mm. tall and 13-14 mm. wide.

Condition: Nice Very fine, attractive seal and fully intact.

Provenance: The Karl Müller collection, Germany 1950-1977. Comes with COA and hard imprint.

A finely carved late- to Neo-Assyrian black stone cylinder seal, depicting a winged matured bearded deity with helmet hunting a running animal in high relief, above is star and crescent, mid-to late Assyrian.

Size: 21-22 mm. tall and 10 mm. wide.

Condition: Good Very fine and glossy, very sharp imprint.

Provenance: The Karl Müller collection, Germany 1950-1977. Comes with COA and hard imprints.

A very nice and quite interesting cylinder seal in a hard black stone with white inclusions on one side, Late-Assyrian to Neo-Assyrian period, c. 12th. cent.-9th. cent. AD.

A wonderful depiction of a 'Scorpioman' and a 'fishman', both depicted as winged matured men with long beards and pointy hats or helmets. Their lower bodies evolve into a fishtail and a scorpions tail. All within a heering pattern border.

Size: 29-30 mm.

Condition: Nice Very fine. Finely pr...

A lovely substantial Persian stoneware bowl, late 12th or 13th century AD

Stoneware under an opaque turquoise and cobalt glaze with floral design and markings in black. Wonderful 'grazing' of the glaze and with irriscence.

Diameter: 21,52 cm. and 10,2 cm. tall.

Condition: Near Extremely fine for type, completely intact with small area of touched up glaze on the back. No repairs and exceptional gloss and patina.

Ex. Old Bavarian collection, aquired bet...

A beautiful larger Persian ceramic vase, late 12th or 13th century AD

Ceramic ware under an opaque cobalt blue glaze and black markings, the surface with a spiders-web of golding irridescence!

Size: c. 19 cm. tall and 19 cm. wide, a substantial piece in hand.

Condition: Good Very fine for the type, almost 100% original glaze, perhaps some minor restaration to the lip of the rim, we're not 100% certain.

Ex. Old Bavarian collection, aquired between 1930...

A lovely larger Persian Cockerel-headed Ewer, late 12th or 13th century AD

Stonepaste ware under an opaque turquoise glaze. Wonderful 'grazing' of the glaze with irriscence.

Size: 21,5 cm. tall.

Condition: Nice Very fine for the type, almost 100% original glaze, repair to handle and a smaller few chips to the rim.

Ex. Old Bavarian collection, aquired between 1930s-1970s.

A finely carved late- to Neo-Assyrian black stone cylinder seal, depicting running animal in a superb style and very high relief, above is star and crescent, mid-to late Assyrian.

Size: 25 mm. tall and 12 mm. wide.

Condition: Near extremely fine and glossy, the cracks in the imprint depicted, are not in the seal!

Provenance: The Karl Müller collection, Germany 1950-1977. Comes with COA and his hard imprint.