A fine Old Babylonian cylinder seal in black serpentine, dating to 2192-2004 BC Presentation scene, with the deity facing left and Lama, the intervening goddess, presenting  More »

A fine Old Babylonian cylinder seal in black serpentine, dating to 2192-2004 BC Presentation scene, with the deity facing left and Lama, the intervening goddess, presenting worshiper. The seal is massive measuring 24x12 mm. Condition: Superb!   « Less

Exceptional Neo-Babylonian (?) cylinder seal, mid 2nd. millennium BC. Note the very detailed carving, Standing gods, flanked by a funny little dwarf, a monkey and other  More »

Exceptional Neo-Babylonian (?) cylinder seal, mid 2nd. millennium BC. Note the very detailed carving, Standing gods, flanked by a funny little dwarf, a monkey and other animals in the field. Size: 24mm. Condition: Nearly Superb.   « Less

Extremely fine bronze bowl, Persian Empire, c. 200 BC - 200 AD This bowl is very finely made with perfectly tapering sides and a distinct round base which can be seen from  More »

Extremely fine bronze bowl, Persian Empire, c. 200 BC - 200 AD This bowl is very finely made with perfectly tapering sides and a distinct round base which can be seen from both sides. The lip is curving slightly inwards. Size: 167 mm. wide and 58 mm. high. A very elegant work of bronze art from the classical period in antiquity and in a fantastic state of preservation!. Condition: Superb Mint! Exceptional dark green patina and very good metal with a relatively high tin content as is typical for the later bronze bowls. Ex. Danish Private Collection   « Less

An superbly carved mysterious ancient amulet, c.1st. millennium AD. The amulet is basically carved as an ancient spindle whorl in a hard white stone with red striation.  More »

An superbly carved mysterious ancient amulet, c.1st. millennium AD. The amulet is basically carved as an ancient spindle whorl in a hard white stone with red striation. The stone is possibly a form of marple. The amulet is covered with artful engravings. The central design is a woman with large breasts reclining on her back in full figure. The woman has an elaborate headdress and clothing and is drinking from a wine jug. It looks like there's a bootle between her legs. The amulet is covered in fine caligraphic-style writing. We haven't been able to establish the language, whether it's a variant of brahmic, aramaic or arabian. We suggest Hindu-Kush / Sassaian origin, pre-Islamic, but we are not certain. Please email us, if you have information on this enigmatic piece, Condition: Choice. Some ancient wear and patina attests to the old age. Provenance: Udzon Frank Collection (a very old and important Private Scandinavian Collection).   « Less

Choice quality Babylonian cylinder seal, dating to the late 3rd. millenium BC. A major deity, possibly Ishtar, seated on a throne, receiving a minor deity. Symbols in the  More »

Choice quality Babylonian cylinder seal, dating to the late 3rd. millenium BC. A major deity, possibly Ishtar, seated on a throne, receiving a minor deity. Symbols in the fields, perhaps and alter, a crescent, a star and a rising snake (?). Size: 20x14 mm. Ex Swedish private collection - purchased during the 1950s at Viktoria Lindströms Antikhandel, Stockholm. Her business card in the collection together with notes. Ex late 19th. century collection, note the old custom made brass mount with collection number (letter) hand-chiseled. Condition: Superb!   « Less

A very rare type of ceramic jar, Nishapur in Iran, dating to the 9th.-10th. cent. AD The jar is decorated with green, black and red on a white background. The jar is  More »

A very rare type of ceramic jar, Nishapur in Iran, dating to the 9th.-10th. cent. AD The jar is decorated with green, black and red on a white background. The jar is decorated with some beautiful caligraphy in kufic. Condition: Choice for type, some restoring and enhancing of some details   « Less

Important Iranian stamp seal from Elam, Kingdom of Elymais in the Zagros mountain region. The kingdom had it's capital in Susa and was a Parthian vasselkingdom. The seal  More »

Important Iranian stamp seal from Elam, Kingdom of Elymais in the Zagros mountain region. The kingdom had it's capital in Susa and was a Parthian vasselkingdom. The seal can be dated to the 1st. century BC by the style of the portrait, which has striking similarity to the known portrait of Kamiskires II, c. 80 BC Size: 26 mm. Condition: Pristine! Slight ancient wear and patina. **Consignment item, please ask for status, before using the payment options*   « Less

A fine Old Assyrian cylinder seal in black hematite, dating to 2000-1600 BC. Southern Mesopotamian type from the so called Isin-Larsa period. Presentation scene, with the  More »

A fine Old Assyrian cylinder seal in black hematite, dating to 2000-1600 BC. Southern Mesopotamian type from the so called Isin-Larsa period. Presentation scene, with the deity facing left and Lama, the intervening goddess, presenting worshiper. In the fields a Scorpio, an crescent and a large bird. Impressive and beautiful seal! Size: 24x10 mm. Condition: Superb. Exceptional quality like all seals from the collection! Ex Swedish private collection - purchased during the 1950s at Viktoria Lindströms Antikhandel, Stockholm. Her business card in the collection together with notes. Ex late 19th. century collection, note the old costum made brass mount with collection number (letter) hand-chiselled.   « Less

An nice ceramic bowl with fine black calligraphic inscription on creamy white glaze, dating 9th-10th. cent. A.D. Ceramic bowl, Earthenware, engobe, under glaze  More »

An nice ceramic bowl with fine black calligraphic inscription on creamy white glaze, dating 9th-10th. cent. A.D. Ceramic bowl, Earthenware, engobe, under glaze slip-painted. Bowls including bold black inscriptions in the so-called kufic angular calligraphy were produced in the important ceramic centers of Nishapur in eastern Iran. The text often contains a proverb in Arabic or a series of wishes. This bowl is decorated with artistic calligraphy. The bowl represents the first revival of the traditional art due to the rise of the native Islamic dynasty of the Samanids. A nicer bowl that shows the true glory of the simple artful style that owes much to the Sassanian art and to the earlier cultures of the Iran. Size: 248 mm. wide and c. 80 mm. high. large and impressive in hand. Condition: Choice! Some restoration as always, but also nice ancient glaze on both sides.   « Less

A nice Middle Elamite terracotta goddess, standing with her hands cupping her breasts, wearing earrings, bracelets, necklaces shoulder-straps with a star pendant etc. Size is  More »

A nice Middle Elamite terracotta goddess, standing with her hands cupping her breasts, wearing earrings, bracelets, necklaces shoulder-straps with a star pendant etc. Size is c. 145 mm. Nice condition. Cf. Sotheby’s, Antiquities, New York, December 17, 1998, lot 443. The terracotta figurines are considered to be among the most original of Susa’s artistic expressions. In successive phases over a period of about three millennia, the inhabitants of the Susiana plain fashioned the clay they found beneath their feet into animal and human forms, first by hand and later by using molds. By the latter means they bestowed upon their figurines, a great variety of ornaments, such as elaborate earrings, diadems, necklaces (some times bearing star pendants) and anklets, and ringbone shoulder-straps, as in the present examples. These were produced outside the realm of official commissions, although some of the cast examples were made by skilled craftsman and are of very high quality. These small figures were intended for private individuals and their inspiration. Objects of this type are chiefly of interest for what they reveal about Susians’ daily preoccupations and the evolution of their mode of thought. It should be noted that a great majority of Susian figurines demonstrate a complete independence from Mesopotamian production, except in times when Susa was under Akkadian or Babylonian rule.   « Less