Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (460)

Small amulet carved in the shape of a reclining tiger. Steatite, with remnants of soil encrustations. Indus Valley Civilisation, ca. 3000 B.C. Length: 3.2 cm. Height: 1.8 cm. Slight abrasion, otherwise very good condition.

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.

Small four legged portable Buddhist altar with a statue of bearded Bodhisattva Padmapani standing on an elevated and stylized lotus throne and holding a gourd in his left hand. Gilt bronze with partly encrusted green patina. China, Wei Dynasty period (386-534 AD). Height: 3 5/16" (8,5 cm). Gilding partly missing in small areas, otherwise very good condition. Ex. old German collection.

Small Buddhist stupa mounted on an elephant. The stupa is composed of three parts which were carved separately from chlorite. Graeco-Buddhist art, Gandhara, ca. 3rd century. Height: 13.7 cm. Several chips, otherwise very good condition. A rare piece.

Fragmentary relief delicately carved to represent a group of three characters, on the left side a yakshi in a niche standing in tribangha posture and holding a palm in her right hand and on the right side two superimposed partly missing characters. Grey schist. Graeco-Buddhist art, Gandhara period, ca. 3rd century. Height: 14 cm. The relief is nicely mounted on a custom plexi stand.

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.

Fine oil lamp made of steatite, carved into the shape of a bird, with floral and geometric relief decor on the sides. Bactrian Civilisation, Ca. 2nd century B.C. Length: 16.5 cm. Height: 6.3 cm. Tiny chips, otherwise very good condition.

Square shaped seal with incised design representing a lion and a deer facing each other, surmounted by a five character inscription. Indus Valley civilisation, ca. 3000 B.C. Height: 42 mm. Length: 46 mm. Slight abrasion, otherwise very good condition. A rare seal of this type.

Small relief fragment in the shape of a statue of Buddha Sakyamuni, in monk's robes, in meditation posture, sitting on a lotus throne backed by an aureola. Stucco, with traces of polychrome pigments. Pakistan, Gandhara Region, Graeco-Buddhist art, 1st to 3rd century. Height: 5" (12,6 cm). The statue is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Chips in some areas, erosion, otherwise good condition.

Relief fragment representing Buddha standing beside a column, his right hand holding his robe, his left hand in blessing posture, with a worshipper kneeling in front of him. Grey schist. Graeco-Buddhist art, Gandhara period, 1st to 3rd century. Height: 17 cm. Mounted on a plexi stand. Good condition. Provenance: Christie's Amsterdam auction sale 1993.

Hairpin made of bronze, with a decoration on its top representing Bouddha, backed by an aureola, sitting cross-legged, his hands in praying posture. Nice encrusted patina. Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist art, 1st to 5th century. Height: 15.5 cm. Very good condition.

Small cosmetic palette of round shape made from schist, with a carved relief decoration representing Buddha with his two disciples Ananda and Kasyapa. Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist art, 1st to 5th century. Diameter: 7.8 cm. Old accident (restored), otherwise 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.

Carriage bell of globular shape with a loop on top for attachment. Gilt bronze, with encrusted green and blue (malachite) patina. China, Han Dynasty Period (206 BC-220 AD). Height: 3 1/8" (8 cm). The bell is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old accident, otherwise good condition.

Finely cast miniature statue of a Lokapala, wearing armor, standing in martial posture on a rock. Gilt bronze, nice patina. China, Tang Dynasty. Height: 5 cm. The statue is mounted on a plexi stand. 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.

Small cosmetic plate with a carved relief inside representing an erotic scene. The scene is surrounded by a geometric frieze around its rim. Grey schist with remnants of soil encrustations. Pakistan, Graeco-Buddhist art, Gandhara Period, 1st to 3rd century. Tiny chips, otherwise very good condition.

Rock crystal cylinder seal, with an incised design representing a horseman with a bow hunting a deer. Bactrian Civilisation, 3rd to 2nd century B.C. Height: 3 cm. Abrasion due to age, otherwise very good condition.

Small seal ring with a finely incised design representing the profile of a helmeted king in a circular frame. Bronze, with reddish-green patina. Bactria, ca. 500 B.C. Diameter of the circular frame: 1.1 cm. Total height of the ring 2.5 cm. Inside diameter of the ring: around 1.1 cm. Very good condition.

Small pendant sea, of dome shape, with a delicately incised design representing the profile of Alexander The Great inside an oval frame. Bronze, with green and red patina. Bactria, ca. 300 B.C. Height of the dome: 1.2 cm. Height of the oval frame: 1.7 cm. Very good condition.

Pair of plaques in the shape of not entirely identical snarling tigers, with a hole at shoulder level for attachment. Bronze, with red, blue and green partly encrusted patina. China, Han Dynasty Period, Ordos Culture. Length: 3 1/2" and 3 5/8" (8,7 and 9,1 cm). The pair is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. A crack on the smallest piece, otherwise very good condition. Ex. old French collection.

Statue of a fertility goddess, standing, wearing a necklace, her hands joined in praying posture. Terracotta, painted white. Indus Valley Civilisation period (3300-1300 B.C.), Harappa region. Height: 14.5 cm. Soil encrustations, otherwise very good condition.

Agate cylinder seal with a finely engraved design representing a horseman surrounded by a bird and a bull. Bactria, Ca. 4th century BC. Height: 3.2 cm. Diameter: 1.5 cm. 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...

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...

Belt hook made of bronze, with fine geometric design in relief at the base and on the stem. Button at the back for attachment to a belt. Green and red encrusted patina. China, Warring States period (-475/-221). Height: 5.6 cm. Very good condition.

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.

Head of a moustached nobleman, wearing an elaborate turban, with an interesting mixture of Greek and Indian features. Grey schist. Pakistan, Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist period, 1st to 3rd century. The head is nicely munted on a custom stand. Height (without stand): 4 1/2" (11,4 cm). Nose and chin slightly chipped, otherwise good condition.

Rock crystal cylinder seal, with an incised design representing a hunter with a bow facing a deer, both surrounded with symbols. Bactrian Civilisation, 3rd to 2nd century B.C. Height: 3.1 cm. Abrasion due to age, otherwise 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...

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...

Small reliquary box, of cylindrical shape, with its cupola shaped lid ending in a decorated point at its top. The body of the box is decorated with three heads of Buddha in relief and three stars themselves in relief, surmounting a geometric design also in relief. Silver alloy, with a fine age patina. Remnants of soil encrustations. Pakistan, Graeco-Buddhist art, Gandhara Period, Ca. 1st to 3rd century. Height: 7.8 cm. Good condition.

Steatite seal of square shape, with an engraved design representing a helmeted king riding a horse, surmounted by an undecipherable inscription. Indus Valley Civilisation, 2600-1900 B.C. Height: 3.7 cm. Some abrasion, otherwise very good condition.

Miniature statue of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, standing in formal attire, backed by an aureola, holding an object in his left hand. Gilt bronze. China, Sui Dynasty (581-618 A.D.). Height: 5.7 cm. The statue is mounted on a custom plexi stand. Mandorla partly missing, soil encrustation, otherwise good condition.

Small gilt bronze altar dedicated to Bodhisattva Padmapani, resting on four pillars, showing the Bodhisattva standing, backed by an aureola, holding a gourd in his left hand, his right hand in appeasing/blessing posture (abhaya mudra). Fine patina. China, Northern Wei Dynasty. Height: 8.3 cm. Very good condition.

Miniature amulet representing Buddha (probably Amitayus, holding the nectar of immortality on his lap), sitting cross-legged on two tigers. The presence of the two tigers is a very unusual and rare image of the Buddha. A loop, for attachment to a necklace, is on its top. Bronze, with encrusted green patina. Gandhara Civilisation, 1st to 5th century. Height: 4.1 cm. Good condition.

A rare gilt bronze plate, with a fine embossed decoration representing, from the center to the rim, an archer, then a geometric circular frame, then six deities heads and six triangles, finally a rim. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 4th century. Diameter: 21.5 cm. Obvious signs of use and age, otherwise good condition. Provenance: old French collection, acquired in Afghanistan in 1971 by its former owner.

Small figurine finely cast in the shape of a human being in a crouching posture, with horn shaped hairdo. Bronze, with reddish-green patina. This particular object appears to be the support of a large bronze base, as shown on a picture of similar objects exhibited at the National Historical Museum in Beijing (cat. Bronzes, NHM, Beijing, 1995, no. 1037, p. 287), which we show on our last photograph. The piece dates back to the Warring States period (475-221 BC). Length: 4.4 cm. Height: 5.2 cm...

Small head of Buddha, the face reflecting a serene expression. Bronze, with a nice partly encrusted green patina. Graeco-Buddhist art of the Gandhara Civilisation, 1st to 5th century. Height: 8.3 cm. Very good condition

Statue of Buddha, in meditation posture ("dhyana mudra") sitting cross-legged on an elevated throne. Bronze, with green patina. Thailand, Dvaravati period, 7th-9th century. Height: 12.9 cm. Good condition.