Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Central Asian (62)

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.

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...

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.

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...

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...

Rare gilt bronze pendant, of circular form, with a finely embossed decoration representing a soldier beating a seated man with a whip, the whole scene surrounded by geometric design. Small cylindrical loop for attachement to a necklace. Nice patina. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 500 BC. Diameter: 9.3 cm. Very good condition. NOTE: we offer for sale another Bactrian Civilisation gilt bronze pendant which bears number 1-1376.

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.

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.

Large Afghan ceramic charger, of hollow form, decorated with splashed green and brown lines crossing on a light beige background. The charger is typical of art style of the Bamiyan period during the Bactrian civilisation era. Diameter: 26.5 cm. Height: 8.9 cm. Small hairline, otherwise very good condition. NOTE: Old French collection, collected in situ in 1970.

Steatite oil lamp, finely carved to represent a standing bird. Indus Civilisation period, 2500 to 1500 B.C. Height: 13 cm. Old accident at the tail, soil encrustation, 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.

Large ring with its bezel of circular shape decorated with a relief design representing the face of a deity. Bronze, with fine reddish-green patina. Bactria, ca. 400 B.C. Diameter of bezel: 3 cm. Inside diameter of the ring: 2.2 cm. Very good condition.

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.

Bronze cylinder seal with an elaborate and detailed design representing several animals (Horse, deer, bird, tiger), some winged, and a human being standing and holding a palm and a weapon. Bactrian Civilisation. Height: 5.2 cm. Diameter: 1.9 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.

Cylinder seal with an incised design representing two helmeted horsemen hunting a lion. Bronze, with fine reddish patina. Bactria, ca. 400 B.C. Height: 3 cm. Very 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.