ART OF THE ANCIENTS

A SELECTION OF ANCIENT ART

VOLUME II - 201 5

1200 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10029, U.S.A

APHRODITE ANCIENT ART

ART OF THE ANCIENTS VOLUME II- 201 5

Welcome to Art of the Ancients’ second volume.

I t’s quite interesting that this catalog refers to the “art” of the ancients. While some

were splendidly designed to be art, many of the pieces discussed in this smal l

compendium were not created with the intention of making art. Rather, they were

designed for practical functions in a physical ly demanding world. Pleasing aesthetic

qual ities were only an afterthought.

The incredible attention to detai l d isplayed in these objects is simply astounding. Much

of their al lure can be attributed to their visual richness. So much effort went into

visual ly garnishing objects that were expected to be used in everyday scenarios and

eventual ly have to be replaced. Yet, these objects sti l l stand intact today. This is a

testament to their qual ity and a bid for modern enthusiasts’ interest: surely one can’t

deny these marvels the attention they deserve after surviving thousands of years with

their visual motifs sti l l visible!

In this catalog, we are pleased to offer some of the finest antiquities presently in our

inventory. The objects selected represent a variety of cultures spanning from the 6th

Century B.C. to the 6th Century A.D. Al l featured pieces are avai lable for sale and can

be viewed by appointment at our Museum Mile gal lery, which can be reached by

phone at +1 (21 2) 987-9878.

Additional ly, we offer expert advice, guidance, and investment and appraisal services.

Enjoy!

-J . Rifai

1200 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10029, U.S.A

1HELLENISTIC MARBLE DRAPED FIGURE OF A MUSE

A graceful female figure, most l ikely a muse, standing with her body weightresting on the left leg. She is wearing a chiton and cloak.

Cf: For a closely related figure, see the Muses from Agano, Frankfurt,Liebieghaus, pl . 1 27, pp. 252-253, Hel lenistic Sculpture I , The Styles of ca. 331 -200 B.C.; Another related figure was featured on the front cover of Christie’sLondon October 2008 auction (sl ightly larger than ours, at 54 in.); Lot 1 35,Sotheby’s New York Antiquities and Islamic Art. December 1 994; Anothersimilar example, Lot 41 and Lot 42, Christie’s London antiquities auction Apri l ,2006.

Circa 3rd – 2nd Century B.C.H. 34 ½ in. (88 cm.)Ex: European private col lection, 1 980s

GREEK

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2CLASSICAL TREFOIL BRONZE OINOCHOE, WINE JUG

Elegance and beauty are manifest in this vessel ’s classical austerity and clarityof form. The artist’s virtuosity and creative imagination are evident in theattention to detai l .

The entire body of this oinochoe – base, bel ly, neck, and rim – is fashionedfrom a single, rather thick, sheet of bronze, formed by hammering. The casthandle and the rel ief head of a satyr were worked separately, and thensoldered to the body.

The pronounced curvature of the body has seven dents al l around the bel ly,with the latter’s almost globular form and narrow neck dating the object to thelate 5th to mid-4th Century B.C., and is balanced by the trefoi l mouth with anelegant rel ief edge. This edge is decorated in two rows of alternating dot-and-dart patterns and precious si lver inlays.

The elegant and wel l -designed handle is a combination of functional ity anddecoration: it splays upward past the rim and curves downward, thus fittingperfectly to the soft curve of the shoulder and forming the arc with which thesatyr’s head is attached. Decorating the handle’s edges is a dot pattern endingin volutes.

The care, precision, and ski l l of the piece’s craftsmen are lucidly evident in theoinochoe’s beautiful decoration. Highl ighting this virtuosity is the satyr’sexquisitely rendered face, and its tasteful placement between the two l ionpaws. Moreover, the face’s piercing inlaid eyes of si lver depict the satyr’s focusand may say more about the focus of the individual who designed its mold.Superb qual ity, assiduity, and accuracy of the sculpting and decoration of thisfine oinochoe reveal the artists’ merits.

Cf: For a closely related oinochoe (but in si lver), from the burial chamber of thetomb of Phi l ip I I , Museum of The Royal Tombs of Aigai , Vergina, inv. BM2442,fleshed out in Dimitris Pandermal is’s Alexander the Great, TreasuresFrom an Epic Era of Hel lenism (see p. 74).

Circa 5th – 4th Century B.C.H. 8 1 /8 in. (23 cm.)Ex: European col lection; American col lection, Maryland, 1 982

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3MYCENAEAN LARGE DECORATED POTTERY STIRRUP JAR

Ornamented   with broad horizontal bands wrapping around the upper body,with striped l ines decorating the stirrup handle, and a fake spout topdecorated with circular bands crowning the nippled center.

Production of stirrup jars, unique in form, began in Crete toward the end of theMiddle Minoan Period (1 700 – 1 550 B.C.). This unusual type is also known asthe “false neck amphora” because the protrusion between the two handles,seemingly supposed to function as the vessel ’s mouth, is actual ly a false spoutcapped by a clay disk. Instead, the contained l iquid would pour from a spouton the shoulder of the vase. The false spout makes the stirrup jar particularlysuited for transportation, as the handles are wel l designed for holding, whilethe narrow neck of the true spout al lows for accurate and easy pouring.

Circa 1 400 B.C.H. 9 ¾ in. (24.8 cm.)Ex: Early German private col lection, 1 970s

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4MYCENAEAN POTTERY PITHOS

Tri-handled, decorated with wide bands.

Cf. Christie’s London Antiquities, 25 October 2007, Lot 88.

Circa 1 4th Century B.C.H. 6 ¼ in. (1 4.9 cm.)Ex: Private American col lection, 1 990s

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5GREEK ATTIC BLACK-FIGURE KRATER WITH THREE DANCING KOMASTS

According to ancient Greek drama, a komast is one who performs a   komos, orprocession, in honor of the Greek god of wine, theater, and ritual madness,Dionysos. Komasts first appeared on Greek vases around 630 B.C. Thesedancers are important because of what they can tel l us about the origins ofGreek drama: the first existing Greek drama sources come from around 480B.C., and we are largely dependent on Greek vase paintings, such as ourpresent example, to shed l ight on the 1 60 years prior to this.

The type of komast i l lustrated on our vase is cal led the padded dancer, namedso for his padded bel ly and posterior. Since this costume was worn in laterGreek comedy, these particular komasts have attracted much attention in theacademic community.

Thus, the subject of our vase is quite rare and worthy of further study.For further discussion of komasts on Greek vases, see the fol lowing l inks:1 - The American Journal of Archeology2- Origins of Greek Drama:  

Circa 500 B.C.H. 8 5/8 in. (22 cm.)Ex: American private col lection, 1 980s; European art market

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6ATTIC RED FIGURE CALYX KRATER

Gracing the obverse is Dionysos surrounded by maenads led by a flying Eros.

The reverse shows three draped youths, with an egg-and-dart pattern (whichfamously grace some important Ionic capitals in Athens) under the rim, andscrol ls below.

Circa 4th Century B.C.H. 1 2 ¾ in. (32.4 cm.)Ex: European art market. 1 990s; American col lection

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7LARGE APULIAN RED-FIGURE POTTERY AMPHORA

The obverse depicts a woman’s head rising from a bel l flower betweenelaborate floral patterns. On the reverse is a large woman’s head, adorned withsakkos. This piece most l ikely originates from the Circle of the KantharosGroup.

TL analysis confirming dating consistency is included with the amphora.

Circa 320 – 31 0 B.C.H. 24 2/5 in. (61 .9 cm.)Ex: Gorny & Mosch Auction 21 0, Munich, 201 2, Lot 358; German col lection K.F. ,acquired in the 1 970s.

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8COLOSSAL EARLY ROMAN MARBLE PORTRAIT HEAD OF A MAN

Boasting an expressive face that shows Hel lenistic influences, the head isturned sl ightly to the right and has eyes set deep beneath downturnedeyebrows and a broad forehead, furrowed by five horizontal wrinkles.Schematical ly modeled ears natural ly frame the face, and the individual ’s noseis depicted as long and sl ightly sloping.

The depicted man’s flesh is real istical ly fashioned; l ips are sl ightly pursed andthe cheeks are somewhat sunken, showing the marks of advanced age.

Deeply rendered hair, densely incised, curves over the temples.

Hel lenistic and veristic influences are evident in portraits from the end of theRepubl ic to the early part of the empire, and this splendid portrait is noexception.

Cf: For a related head (but smal ler and in terracotta), see cat. no. 46, p. 1 1 5,“Roman Art from the Louvre.”

Circa 1 st Century B.C. – 1 st Century A.D.H. 1 6 in. (41 cm.)Ex: Early European private col lection; American col lection, 1 990s

ROMAN

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9ROMAN MARBLE HEAD OF A RAM

Cleanly carved, with boldly natural features: flared nostri ls, a lmond-shapedeyes beneath prominent brows, horns sharply coi led behind resting ears.The head probably once belonged to a piece depicting a recumbent ram froman early Hel lenistic prototype. I t recal ls the Hel lenistic bronze statue inPalermo, I taly (Palermo, Museo Cazionale, pl . 28).

Cf: A marble pi laster capital in the British Museum, with rams’ heads in place ofvolutes, suggests another possible context for this head; Sotheby’s New York,Important Antiquities from the Norbert Schimmel Col lection, December 1 992,Lot 62.

Circa 1 st – 2nd Century A.D.L. 9 ½ in. (24.1 3 cm.), H . 7 ½ in. (1 9 cm.)Ex: Early European col lection assembled from the early 1 960s to the late 1 970s

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1 0ROMAN MARBLE HEAD OF CUPID

Sl ightly smal ler than l ife-size and preserved down to the shoulders, thisprecious head is sensitively rendered with the l ight chubbiness and softshapes characteristic of Venus’s iconic chi ld. The contour of the face is  in theround,   with almond-shaped eyes and incised irises. Cupid’s gaze is somewhatmelanchol ic. Hair furrowed with wavy l ines covers his head.

In understanding anatomy in Greco-Roman art, images of chi ldren hold asignificant place. Initia l ly, their bodies were depicted l ike those of adults, but inminiature size; it is only from the 4th century B.C. onward, and especial lyduring the Hel lenistic period, that artists became interested in chi ldren’sproportions and began to produce them accurately. The archetypal smal l boyin ancient Greek and Roman art is Eros (corresponding with the Roman deity,Cupid), Aphrodite’s beloved son and most faithful companion, who can beidentified with certainty just by the presence of his attributes, the wings andbow.

As evidenced by the numerous statues and murals portraying Cupid and/orother chi ldren excavated from Pompeii , early chi ldhood was among thefavorite subjects used in decorating the wal ls and gardens of wealthy Romans’vi l las. Chi ldren are i l lustrated in varied activities, since they are oftenrepresented in pairs or groups, together with different animals (birds, rabbits,and dolphins, to name a few), playing, working, acting, etc.  

Circa 2nd Century A.D.H. 6 ¾ in. (1 7.2 cm.)Ex: Early European private col lection, 1 980s

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1 1ROMAN MOSAIC OF APOLLO AND DAPHNE

A beautiful depiction of Apol lo grasping the nymph Daphne’s hand. He isshown crowned with a shining aureole.

The god was madly in love with Daphne, but she had refused him. Her father,Peneus, a Thessal ian river god, wished she would get married and give himgrandsons, but she did not want this. In Metamorphoses, Ovid relates thestory. To retal iate at Apol lo for the latter’s mocking of his archery ski l ls, Cupidshot him with one of his love arrows. Apol lo then caught sight of Daphne andgave chase to the unyielding nymph. She cal led out to Peneus for help and hetransformed her into a laurel tree, becoming Apol lo’s most beloved of plants.The mosaic depicts the moment just before Daphne’s transformation.

Cf: For related mosaic of similar composition, see inv. Z5.1 , Antakya Museum,Antakya, Turkey, Antioch, House of Menander; Another mosaic with a take onthe theme is displayed in Pafos Archeological Park, Pafos, Cyprus.  

Circa 2nd Century A.D.H. 39.4 x W. 45.5 in. (1 00 x 1 08 cm.)Ex: Early European private col lection, 1 980s

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1 2ROMAN MOSAIC FLOOR FRAGMENT

The  tradition of fine mosaic floor decoration flourished as an art form inAncient Rome, and was very much appreciated and diffused throughout theRoman Empire. This mosaic was excavated from what was the Eastern RomanEmpire, most l ikely Antioch, in present-day Turkey. This site was an importanttrading center and one of the four great metropol itan centers of the lateclassical world.

One of Antioch’s most luxurious suburbs, Daphne, was excavated in 1 930, byAmerican and French archeologists, who unearthed floor mosaics as large asthirty feet. Many of these mosaics are now housed in museum col lections, suchas the Dumbarton Oaks Museum in Washington D.C., The Brooklyn Museum,The Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Princeton University Museum.

Floor mosaics were cal led l ithastratum to distinguish them from the wal l orvault mosaics, which were referred to as opus musivum. The tesserae (Latin forcubes, or dice), were individual ly cut in a regular shape so as to fit into the gridcubes and make up the mosaic surface. A highly important characteristic of thematerial is its natural resistance to wear. Stone and marble, and their naturalcolors, determined the color schemes of mosaics in Roman times (though later,glass was also used). Two or three layers of mortar served as the setting bed,which carried the tesserae facing up; the first layer rested on a thick foundationthat prevented the settl ing of the mortar bed and the formation of cracks. Thelongevity of a mosaic depends on its close-set texture.

This piece depicts beautiful alternating patterns of colorful geometric motifs.

Cf: For an almost identical mosaic, see Lot 31 9, Sotheby’s Antiquities London,Ju ly 1 987 auction.

Circa 2nd Century A.D.73 ¾ x 49 1 .2 in. (1 87.3 x 1 25.7 cm.)Ex: European private col lection, 1 980s

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1 3ROMAN FLOOR MOSAIC DEPICTING THE HEAD OF MEDUSA

The expressive head of Medusa occupies the center of this lovely mosaic. Veryearly Greek depictions of Medusa give her a human-l ike appearance (this wasbefore her myth was further developed). Although later Greek representationsof the famed gorgon emphasize her hideous and monstrous appearance, ahumanl ike head of Medusa first resurfaced in Hel lenistic art and flourishedaround the time this mosaic was created.

This mosaic depicts her with ten snakes springing from her hair. The head isframed by a circular wreath and four tendri ls, one on each corner.Like the previously discussed mosaic, this piece was excavated from theEastern Roman Empire, most l ikely Antioch, in present-day Turkey.

Circa 1 st – 2nd Century A.D.49 ½ x 48 ½ in. (1 25.7 x 1 23.2 cm.)Ex: European private col lection, 1 980s

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1 4ROMAN BRONZE BALSAMARIUM IN THE FORM OF A YOUTH

Belonging to a class of containers popular in the ancient Roman world, thisbronze balsamarium depicts the bust of a youth, l ikely Antinous, the lover ofHadrian.

The young man turns his head sl ightly to the left, gazing somewhat vacantlyinto the distance. He has a bit of finely pleated drapery over his left shoulderand is endowed with a ful l head of thick, long, curly hair, on top of which is theround fi l l -hole.

A complete handle loop remains on the left side of the hole; the right handle,though broken off, preserves a thinner loop, perhaps an ancient repair.

Cf: A Bacchus balsamarium, publ ished in A. N. Zakos-Josephus J itta, W. J . T.Peters, & W. A. van Es,   Roman Bronze Statuettes from the Netherlands I I(Groningen, The Netherlands, 1 969), cat. no. 1 4, pp. 30 - 35; And another curly-haired youth formerly in the Hunt col lection, publ ished in     ?Wealth of theAncient World   ?(Fort Worth, 1 983), cat. no. 52, p. 1 41 .

Circa 2nd – 3rd Century A.D.H. 4 3/8 in. (1 1 .5 cm.)Ex: European art market; American col lection, 1 980s.

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1 5ROMAN BRONZE BUST OF THE YOUNG EMPEROR CARACALLA

The young warrior’s bust displays a face teeming with personal ity, as wel l asgreatly detai led hair and clothing.

Caracal la ’s facial expression is stern. Juxtaposed with his cascading locks andlaurel wreath, his cuirass and facial expression suggest mil itary prowess andcounterbalance the more del icate features. One can notice the soft, almostFlavian-l ike, curls that fal l gently in front of the man’s face. This level of detai lappl ied to the hair conveys the artist’s immense efforts. The eyes consist ofsmal l holes in which another material , probably si lver, would have been inlaidto emphasis the pupils, a technique common in Greek and Roman bronze workdone in order to contrast the dul lness of the bronze with the luster of a moreshimmering material .

Caracal la valued ethnic and cultural diversity, having been of Arabic descentand holding a personal fascination with the Germanic and Gal l ic cultures.Perhaps l inked to this, there appears to be what looks l ike a representation ofa Germanic symbol on his cuirass; he was known to have worn Gaul ishclothing. In fact, the name Caracal la   was given to the Gaul-l ike cloak that hemade popular at the time of his rul ing. Furthermore, Caracal la was known tohave worn a blonde wig in an attempt to affi l iate himself more closely with theGermanic culture.

Moreover, this bust can be compared to Herakles steelyard weights. Examplesof the latter emphasize the circular suspension piece at the crown of thewarrior’s head indicating that it is a weight, and lending that understanding tohow this Caracal la piece can be interpreted. Both works also have deeply inlaideyes that highl ight the cold glare of a warrior which represents the art of theDiocletian era around the 3rd century B.C.

Cf: Information taken from: Richter, Gisela Marie Augusta. “Tools, Weapons,Armors, Instruments.”  Greek, Etruscan and Roman Bronzes. New York: Gi l l iss,1 91 5. 438-39. Print.

Circa   Late 2nd – Early 3rd Century A.D.H. 3 ¾ in. (9.5 cm.)Ex: European art market; American col lection, 1 980s.

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1 6ROMAN TWO HANDLED BLUE GLASS AMPHORISKOS

Free-blown in cobalt blue glass, with twin-appl ied handles, a globular bodyresting on a flat base, and a stunning cyl indrical neck terminating in an evertedrim.

Cf: Kofler-Truniger col lection, Lot 1 22, Luzern 374; Christie’s London antiquitiesauction, October 201 5, Lot 1 85.Circa 1 st Century A.D.H. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm.)Ex: German private col lection, 1 980; American col lection

ANCIENT GLASS

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1 7ROMAN GLASS PERFUME FLASK WITH INDENTATIONS

This smal l flask of clear glass has a rounded body with indentations al l around.The bottom is flat and concaved, supporting a sl im cyl indrical neck thatculminates in an infolded rim. Outstanding hues of si lver, blue, and purpleiridescence are present throughout the piece.

Of a rare type.

Circa 2nd– 3rd Century A.D.H. 2 3/8 in. (5.8 cm.)Ex: Private American col lection formed in the 1 990s

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1 8LATE ROMAN GLOBULAR PERFUME FLASK

The globular body rests on a raised base ring. A short neck cleanly protrudesand terminates with an outfolded rim.

Ful ly intact and gl ittering with rich, dynamical ly complex iridescence, this pieceis remarkable.

Circa 5th– 6th Century A.D.H. 4 ½ in. (1 1 .5 cm.)Ex: American col lection, New York, 1 982

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1 9ROMAN GLASS JUG WITH LOOPED HANDLE

The body is molded in the shape of a pear, with indented bottom, and neckflaring out into a funnel-l ike rim. A looped handle connects the shoulder andneck.

Circa 1 st – 2nd Century A.D.H. 4 3/8 in. (1 1 cm.)Ex: European col lection; Private ancient glass col lection, formed from the late1 960s to the late 1 970s.

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20EGYPTIAN LIMESTONE FEMALE FIGURE FRAGMENT

Probably from a dyad, wearing a diaphanous pleated gown with a diagonal lyfringed edge and a broad col lar.

Her long, ful ly plaited wig is divided by her shoulders and bound by a diadem.

The right arm is held out to the side, set against a back pi l lar.

Cf: A similar work, but on a much larger scale, is the wife of Nakt-Min. In ananalysis of this latter piece publ ished by E.L.B. Terrace and H.G. Fischerin   Treasures of Egyptian Art From the Cairo Museum  (1 970), pp. 1 37-1 40, no.31 , the work is described as “seducingly beautiful ,” “an astonishing real izationin stone of human flesh.” Our sculpture might be a portrait of Nakt-Min’s wife,thought to be the son of King Ay (ca. 1 352 - 1 348 B.C.); Another similarexample, but sl ightly larger in scale (1 7 in.), is Lot 425, Christie's SouthKensington, November 2001 .

Circa 1 390 – 1 21 3 B.C.H. 7 in. (1 7.8 cm.)Ex: Austral ian private col lection, 1 940s; Bonham’s London, 2008

EGYPTIAN

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21EGYPTIAN BRONZE KNEELING PRIEST

The rel igious officia l wears a shendyt ki lt, closely fitted cap, and incisedarmbands. An image of Osiris is positioned on his lap, suspended from a cordpassing diagonal ly over his left shoulder and around his waist on the right side.The priest’s figure is framed with a slender back pi l lar vertical ly perpendicularto an integral rectangular pl inth.

Tenons on the underside.

Circa 71 2 – 343 B.C.H. 3 in. (7.6 cm.)Ex: H. Phelps Clawson; Ralph M. Chait, 1 950; Estate of Gretta Heckett,Pittsburgh, Sotheby’s New York, 21 May 1 977, lot 352; Dr. Benson HarrerCol lection; Christie’s New York Antiquities auction, Ancient Egyptian Art fromthe Harer Family Trust Col lection, 9 December 2005, Lot 26.

Exhibited: Pittsburgh Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute, Ancient Bronzes, Aselection from the Hackett Col lection, 5 November 1 964 – 1 0 January 1 965(Exhibition catalogue avai lable, to be offered with the piece); Los AngelesCounty Museum of Art, periodical ly 1 986 – 1 991 ; San Bernardino, University ArtGal lery; Cal ifornia State and elsewhere; Temple Tomb and Dwel l ing, EgyptianAntiquities from the Harer Family Trust Col lection, San Bernardino, 1 992, no.30. pp. 56 – 57.Literature: P. Verdier, exhibition catalogue, Ancient Bronzes, “A Selection fromthe Heckett Col lection,” Pittsburgh 1 964, no. 40; GD Scott I I I , exhibitioncatalogue, “Temple Tomb and Dwel l ing, Egyptian Antiquities from the HarerFamily Trust Col lection,” 1 992, no. 30, pp. 56-57

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22EGYPTIAN TURQUOISE GLAZED AMULET OF HORUS

This faience piece depicts Horus seated atop a square-base column with acavetto capital . He is wearing a tripartite wig with the Pschent (the crown ofUpper and Lower Egypt). The nature of his seating is similar to a bird beingperched. Since Horus as a falcon was symbol ic of hunting, our piece may havebeen symbol ic of a good hunt. A beautiful glaze of varying shades garnishesthe intact item. This is a very rare piece.

For the majority of ancient Egyptian history, Horus stood as the national patrongod. He was depicted as a man with the head of a falcon, wearing the red andwhite Pschent, i l lustrative of his kingship over al l of Egypt. The famous eyeknown as the wedjat is symbol ic of Horus.

The iconic deity notably served the ancient Egyptian rel igious functions ofbeing the god of the sun, war, hunting, and protection, with rel igiousattributions changing throughout history. Some rel igious traditions bel ievedhim to be the son of Osiris (deification of the afterl ife), and Isis (deification ofmagic, motherhood, and ferti l ity), whereas others held that he was born of Geb(deification of earth), and Nut (deification of the sky). Regardless, his physicalrole in Egyptian l ife always remained consistent: in l ife, the pharaoh wasbel ieved to be the incarnation of Horus, becoming the incarnation of Osiris indeath.

As the physical manifestation of Horus, the pharaoh was expected to displaythe god’s characteristics in every action. The ancient Egyptian ruler wouldi l lustrate the power of the sun in his boldness, decisive final ity, and significantrel igious involvement. When waging war, a pharaoh was expected to (and inthe majority of cases did) bravely lead his men into battle. While not physical lyexpected to hunt for his subjects, a pharaoh was expected to provide hispeople with a time of prosperity. These three Horus-based characteristicscomprise the general final characteristic of a ruler being a good protector.

Circa 664 – 30 B.C.H. 3 3/1 6 in. (8.1 cm.)Ex: Col lection of David Garfield; Col lection of Edwards Freis; Acquired Sotheby’sAntiquities auction 23, June 1 989, Lot 60

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23EGYPTIAN FAIENCE BABOON AMULET

In the form of a baboon, an animal held sacred for its connection with Thoth.

Depicted squatting, with paws resting on knees, the detai ls of the face andbody incised, resting on an integral base. A suspension loop horizontal ly runsthrough the back of the head.

Cf: The Beauty ofAncient Art, The Norbert Schimmel Col lection, 1 964, no. 86i l lus.

Circa 1 800 – 1 700 B.C. (Late 1 2th – Early 1 3th Dynasty).H . 1 ¼ in. (3.2 cm.)Ex: Early private col lection assembled during the 1 960s and 1 970s.

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24EGYPTIAN GREEN GLAZED COMPOSITION BES AMULET

Flat-backed, with characteristic furrowed brow and snub nose, both earspierced, and a suspension loop above.

Circa 664 - 332 B.C. (Late Period)H. 1 ½ in. (4 cm.)Ex: Bonham’s London, September 201 4, Lot 240; American col lection, NewYork, acquired before 1 980

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25EGYPTIAN BRIGHT-BLUE GLAZED COMPOSITION UDJAT EYE AMULET

Careful ly executed, with detai ls in rel ief and added touches of black.

Circa 1 550 – 1 070 B.C. (New Kingdom - Third Intermediate Period).L. 2 ¼ in. (5 cm.)Ex: Bonham’s London, September 201 4, Lot 241 ; American private col lection,New York, acquired before 1 980.

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26PARTHIAN GREEN GLAZED POTTERY AMPHORA

Green-glazed, the ovoid body tapers to a narrowly rounded bottom, with acyl indrical neck and outsplayed rim, the handles twisted.

Circa 1 st – 2nd Century A.D.H. 1 0 ¼ in. (26 cm.)Ex: Early European private col lection, acquired in 1 976.

NEAR EASTERN

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27SUMERIAN ALABASTER HEAD OF A MAN

Made of alabaster and finely modeled with a beak-l ike nose, the masterful lyrecessed eye sockets would have once held beautiful inlays of some preciousmaterial (s).

Horizontal ly dri l led through the back of the head, for suspension, in antiquity.

Circa 3rd mil lennium B.C.H. 1 in. (2.5 cm.)Ex: Oxford Col lection, Cal ifornia. Acquired in Europe in 1 999.

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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

All objects offered in this catalog are subject to prior sale, and are unconditionallyguaranteed genuine. A certificate ofguarantee will accompany every object sold.

Sale is for cash payable in U.S. Dollars and drawn on a U.S. bank, or payment canbe wired directly to our bank account. New York state residents must add theappropriate sales tax.

Every object we offer has a clear title and has been legally acquired. If imported byus, the importation was done in accordance with international laws concerning thetrade in antiquities.

Condition reports are available upon request.

Packing and shipping charges are additional. Title remains with us until payment ismade in full.

Research: Ju l ian Rifai , Jamal Rifai .Editing: Ju l ian Rifai

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