Mainly 1st millennium BC. A mixed group of bronze stamp seals, mainly scaraboid and rectangular in shape, mainly zoomorphic designs and some with text; fourteen examples accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993 which state: (25) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 14 x 10 x 6 mm. This is roughly oblong with rounded corners and pierced lengthways. The face shows a design within beaded border, in two registers.The upper register shows a stylized tree or plant and to each side of it a bird. The lower register shows two facing feline heads with jaws open and between them an unidentified item. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 500 - 100 B.C. It is generally in very good condition, though a hole has opened from the back to the main and original hole.' (24) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 11 x 10 x 5.5 mm. This is a broad scaraboid, pierced lengthways. The design is divided into three registers by a [sic] two notched lines, and the whole is also enclosed within a notched line. The central register has three times, perhaps vessels, and the upper and lower registers have similar designs, tête bêche, perhaps birds on the wing. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, with a rare design, perhaps c. 700-400 B.C. It is in very good condition.' (23) 'Bifacial Stamp Seal of Bronze 13 x 9 x 4 mm. This is oval with flat faces, and pierced lengthways. The one side shows two facing, rearing horned animals, with a strong tree or other item between them. The other side (seen by turning top to bottom, not side to side) shows two kneeling humans with tree or standard between them, to which they are raising their hands. In a second register above is a row of two recumbent animals, the first with head turned backwards. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal. c. 300 B,C. to 200 A.D. The worship scene is very rare, and the seal is in good condition.' (19) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 7 x 10 x 4 mm. This is a scaraboid, pierced lengthways. The face shows a horned animal in full gallop (?) with something under its body. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c.300 B.C. to 200 A.D. It is in very good condition.' (12) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 10 x 8.5 x 7 mm. This has a flat oval face, sides that flare out, and a domed top rising to a point. It is pierced lengthways. The design, which is put within a beaded frame, shows two rearing horned animals with heads turned backwards, and between them a monogram: [..] probably to be read K-R-B, an attested Old Arabic name. This is a pre-Islamic Arabic seal, probably c. 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. It is in fair condition.' (11) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 11 x 9 x 5 mm. This is a scaraboid, pierced lengthways. The design, which is put within a linear frame, shows three registers. In the middle and main register is a tree, and to each side of it a browsing quadruped shows sideways. Above are two facing birds(?), and below is a similar design tête bêche. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. It is in good condition.' (10) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 15 x 10 x 5 mm. This is scaraboid, pierced lengthways. The design, which is put within a beaded border, shows a rearing quadruped, a crescent with dot, and other fillers. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. There is some corrosion on the surface, but generally it is in good condition.' (8) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 10 x 15 x 7 mm. This is a scaraboid in shape, pierced lengthways. The design, which is put within a beaded border, shows a horned animal in full gallop with head turned backwards, and some fillers. This is a Pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. There is some corrosion on the surface, which might be capable of being removed, but generally this is in good condition.' (7) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 10 x 16 x 7 mm. This is a scaraboid in shape, pierced lengthways. The design shows a prowling lion within a beaded border. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. It is in good condition.' (6) 'Bifacial Stamp Seal of Bronze 14.5 x 10.5 x 3.5 mm. This is of roughly oval shape, and originally had a loop along the top, pierced for suspension. This is now broken along the hole. Both designs are put within linear borders. On the one side is a prancing quadruped above a walking quadruped, with unidentified motifs between. The other side shows two rearing horned animals with head turned back, and an unidentified motif between them[,] other items beneath them. This is a Pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 600-300 B.C. Save for the missing loop[,] it is in good condition.' (5) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 15 x 9.5 x 6 mm. This is a scaraboid pierced lengthways, with a design within a beaded frame on the face. It shows a rearing horned animal with head turned back to avoid an attacking rearing lion. This id a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. It is in good condition.' (3) 'Bifacial Stamp Seal of Bronze 16 x 11/5 x 6 mm. This is a scaraboid in shape, pierced lengthways, and the designs on both faces are put within beaded borders. The flat face shows two rearing horned animals with heads turned backwards to face each other, and unidentified items between them. The convex back shows a prowling feline with long tail raised over its back. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, c. 300 B.C. to 200 A.D. It suffers from some corrosion, but the designs can be made out, and it is unusual for the two designs.' (2) 'Stamp seal of Bronze 16 x 11 x 6.5 mm. This is scaraboid in shape, pierced lengthways. The face shows a design enclosed within a beaded border: two rearing horned animals with heads turned backwards, the between them two linear symbols: ?? While these have some resemblance to letters of the Old Arabian alphabet, they cannot be identified with certainty. This is a pre-Islamic seal, c. 300 B.C to 200 A.D. It is in fine condition.' (1) 'Stamp Seal of Bronze 25.5 x 14 x 8.5 mm. This is scaraboid in shape, but is not pierced lengthways as is normal, but has a pierced loop at the top and a small globe [sic] is added on at the bottom. The face shows a standing man with arms extended, done in a matchstick style. This is a pre-Islamic Arabian seal, but a rare type and difficult to to date, but perhaps c. 1000 to 500 B.C. is right. There is some incrustation on the surface, but the metal is generally in very good condition.' 72 grams total, 10-26mm (1/2 - 1"). The Signo collection, the property of a West London businessman, formed in the late 1980s-early 1990s; collection numbers 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 19, 23, 24, 25; academically researched and catalogued by the late Professor Lambert in the early 1990s and notes present for all except number 9. [15] Fine condition.
