Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Central Asian (63)

Terracotta vase, of elaborate form, with a polychrome decoration, painted around the body, representing eight birds. Indus Valley Civilisation, Harappan Culture, 3300-1700 B.C. Height: 6.7 cm, outside diameter: 12.1 cm. A few chips, some soil encrustation, otherwise good condition. Provenance: Paris auction sale 1969.

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...

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...

Grey schist relief fragment, decorated in detail with, on the left side, two square niches showing two stages of the life of Buddha --- Buddha standing and flanked by his two disciples on the upper niche, and Buddha sitting on a throne and meditating with his two disciples in praying posture --- while on the right side, are two superimposed rectangular niches inside which two putti are shown. Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist art, ca. 3rd century. Height: 18.5 cm. Width: 18 cm. Thickness: around 4.5 cm...

Miniature Buddhist stupa carved from rock cristal, comprising of a central stupa surrounded by four lateral smaller stupas, standing on a square base. The piece is made of twelve parts which were carved separately as shown on photos # 9 and 10. Gandhara Graeco-Buddhist art, 1st to 5th century. Height: 9.8 cm. A few stains due to a prolonged stay underground, slight abrasion, otherwise very good condition.

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...

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 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.

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.

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.

Lavishly decorated and partly gilt silver alloy bracelet set with red glass cabochons and relief geometric designs. Tekke Turkmen culture, Afghanistan. Height: 7,3 cm. Very good condition.

Square shaped seal with incised design representing a humped bull facing left, surmounted by a four character inscription. Indus Valley civilisation, ca. 3000 B.C. Height: 40 mm. Slight abrasion, 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.

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.

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 amulet in the shape of a tiger. Bronze, with fine reddish-green patina. Indus Valley Civilisation, ca. 2000 B.C. Length: 3.7 cm. height: 2.4 cm. 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.

Dome shaped seal with an engraved design representing a horseman. Agate with fine reddish colour. Bactria, Ca. 4th century BC. Height of the dome: 1.9 cm. Diameter of the seal: 1.8 cm. Very good condition.