Catalog (551)

Cylinder seal with incised design representing a helmeted human being standing and holding a spear on his left shoulder, a mythical bird standing on its paws, and a symbol between them. Steatite, with traces of soil encrustations. Indus Valley Civilisation. Height: 4 cm. Diameter: 2 cm. Abrasion due to great age, otherwise very good condition.

Agate cylinder seal with an elaborate incised design representing four soldiers holding weapons surrounded with symbolic signs, with a fine geometric decor on upper and lower side. Mesopotamian Civilisation. Height: 5.5 cm. Tiny chips on top and bottom (old, maybe during the making) otherwise very good condition.

Square shaped seal with incised design representing a stylised tiger, surmounted by a four character inscription. Indus Valley civilisation, ca. 3000 B.C. Height: 43 mm. Length: 42 mm. Slight abrasion, otherwise very good condition. A rare seal of this type.

Statue of Bodhisattava Avalokitesvara, standing, wearing diadem, earrings, necklace and dhoti. Arms and feet missing. Bronze, partly encrtusted reddish green patina. Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist art, 1st to 5th century. Height: 21.5 cm. The statue is nicely mounted on a custom stand.

Rhyton, of conical shape, decorated at its base with the bust of a tiger. Geometric design incised all over the body of the object. Bronze, with fine age patina and traces of soil encrustations. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 4th century B.C. Height: 14 cm. Weight: 1.15 kg. The piece is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition.

Funeral statuette made of calcite. The statuette is composed of three separate parts: a head, a torso adorned with two chimeras in relief and a base decorated with geometric design also in relief. This type of statuette is commonly called "Bactrian princess" among specialists, and dates back from the mid third to the early second millenium BC. Such funeral objects seem to have played an important role in the funerals of elites of the Margiana and maybe the Bactrian courts as well. Height: 8.4 cm...

Bronze plate of circular form with a decoration in relief on the obverse depicting Centaur Chiron with Achilles on his back holding a spear. At the reverse, decoration in relief depicting a concentric stylised foliage. Fine age patina. Bactrian Civilisation, 3rd to 2nd century BC. Diameter: 15.8 cm. Very good condition. NOTE 1: the plate shows a strong Greek aesthetic influence. NOTE 2: the legend of Chiron the Centaur says that he was the son of Cronos, king of the Titans, and that Artemis and ...

Small steatite amulet Carved in the form of a wild boar standing on a rectangular base. Indus Valley Civilisation, 2500-1500 B.C. Length: 33 mm. Height: 22 mm. Slight abrasion due to age, otherwise very good condition.

Beautifully carved relief fragment representing the head of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, wearing a diadem on which appears a small Buddha Amithaba in meditation sitting on a lotus throne and surrounded by foliage. Avalokiteshvara has a third eye, and a necklace. Stone, with some abrasion. Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist period (1st to 5th century). Height: 18.5 cm. The head is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition. Provenance: 1) collection of a French diplomat who stayed in Pakistan ...

Rare gilt bronze gourd, of oval shape, with an embossed decor representing Bodhisattva Padmapani, standing, holding a vase in his left hand and a lotus on his right hand. Geometric design on the back and the sides. A nicely decorated stopper is attached to the gourd with a small chain. Two loops on the top sides were meant to attach the gourd to the shoulder or the belt. Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist Civilisation, ca. 3rd/4th century. Height: 17 cm. Thickness: 2.8 cm. Old accident at the back, otherw...

A group of three mat weights. The first one is of circular form, with two tiger heads. Dimensions: H 35 mm, D 50 mm. The second one is oval shaped, looking like a chimera with wings. Dimensions: H 32 mm L 52 mm. The third one is a bird holding a branch in its beak, with an oval base. Dimensions: 34 mm, L 44 mm. All are made of gilt bronze, with a fine patina. Gilding partly missing, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: French provincial auction sale in the early seventies. NOTE: Origin...

Important goblet of cylindrical form flaring towards its top, superbly decorated in relief all over its body with embossed court scenes showing a queen, half naked and sitting on a throne, being taken care of by several servants. The goblet is made of silver, with a fine age patina. Afghanistan, Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom, ca. 3rd century. Height: 10.4 cm. Obvious signs of great age, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: 1) old collection of a French diplomat who lived in Afghanistant during t...

Small figurine representing Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, in formal attire and wearing elaborate diadem and necklaces, flanked by two worshippers, standing on an elevated throne in front of which a lion head is showing in relief. Bronze, with dark reddish-green patina. China, Northern Wei or Sui Dynasty. Height: 2 3/4" (7 cm). Abrasion due to great age, otherwise good condition. An extremely rare object.

A rare ring, elaborately decorated with two kinds of stupas linked together. Bronze, with nice age patina. Soil encrustations. Graeco-Buddhist Civilisation, Gandhara, ca. 3rd century. Inside diameter: 17 mm. Height: 43 mm. Very good condition.

Rare gilt bronze pendant, of oval form, with a finely embossed decoration representing a noble lady being taken care of by two servants, under a tree, the whole scene surrounded by geometric design. Small cylindrical loop for attachement to a necklace. Nice patina. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 500 BC. Length: 10 cm, height 9 cm. Very good condition.

Rhyton, of conical shape, decorated at its base with the bust of a ram. Geometric design incised all over the body of the object. Bronze, with fine reddish-green age patina and traces of soil encrustations. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 4th century B.C. Height: 15.3 cm. The piece is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition.

Funeral statuette composed of two separate parts: a head made of limestone, a formal robe made of chlorite adorned with a necklace and two tigers in relief on the sides. This type of statuette is commonly called "Bactrian princess" among specialists, and dates back from the mid third to the early second millenium BC. Such funeral objects seem to have played an important role in the funerals of elites of the Margiana and maybe the Bactrian courts as well. Height: 6.5 cm. Width: 4 cm. Depth: 3.4 ...

Superbly cast bronze belt hook with a finely detailed dragon head at its top with gold and silver eyes, ears and nose, and with gold and silver inlaid geometric designs on the rest of the body. A knob at the back for attachment to a belt. Nice reddish green age patina, partly encrusted. China, Warring States period. Height: 10.5 cm. Very good condition. Provenance: acquired in 1987 from a reputed Paris dealer specialising in Asian antiques. IMPORTANT NOTE: this unique object will be exported ...