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Lot 77
Ca. 618-907 AD. Chinese Tang Dynasty. This lead-glazed earthenware figurine shows a standing male wearing an ochre, red and green glazed tunic tied at the waist, who can be identified as a Sogdian groom. The foreign origins of the subject represented here are implied by his exaggerated facial features. These include an aquiline nose, elongated earlobes, prominent cheekbones, and deep-set eyes surmounted by lashed eyebrows. The Sogdians were an Iranian people whose homeland, Sogdiana, was located at the center of several of those routes, in present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. First recorded in the 5th century BC as a province of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, and later conquered by Alexander the Great on his journey east across Asia, Sogdiana reached a peak of wealth and prominence during the 4th into the 8th centuries AD. During this time, Sogdiana was made up of a patchwork of oasis towns and rich agricultural land, uniquely placed between the great empires of the Asian continent. Perhaps more than any other people, the Sogdians capitalized on the opportunities of the Silk Roads, developing a merchant society that made great profit out of the trade between China. For a similar figure, see figure 24 at https://sogdians.si.edu/introduction. This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot. Size: L:570mm / W:350mm ; 5.7kg. Provenance: East Anglian private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.
Lot 79
Ca. 618-907 AD. Chinese Tang Dynasty. An extremely fine moulded terracotta figurine of a female court musician shown on horseback while playing a guitar. The female rider wears long blue robes with her black hair tied in top knot, seated astride the strongly built horse. The horse has been modelled in a naturalistic manner, with details of the anatomical features, harness and saddle emphasised in pigments. Horses were the pride of the Tang, a dynasty of prosperity, military expansion and artistic achievement. In 667 AD, Tang dynasty statues declared the ownership of horses as an aristocratic privilege, forbidding artisans and tradesmen the right to own horses. The Emperor Xuanzong, for instance, displayed great passion for his mounts commissioning paintings from the famed artist Han Gan (c. 706-783 AD). In the Lidai minghua ji ('Record of famous painters of all periods'; 847), Zhang Yanyuan noted that Emperor Xuanzong 'loved large horses and ordered Han to paint the most noble of his more than 400,000 steeds'. It is easy to speculate that Han Gan's distinctive style, which emphasizes their powerful, rounded and muscular forms while retaining an easy naturalism, influenced the artisans who sculpted the present horse. This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot. Size: L:425mm / W:380mm ; 3.75kg. Provenance: East Anglian private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.
Lot 81
Ca. 618-907 AD. Chinese Tang Dynasty. A large ceramic figurine of a Bactrian camel, also known as a Mongolian camel. The beast features a black pelt, while its characteristic mane, beard and the hair of its upper legs are picked out in dark brown. The forelegs are bent on the ground as if the animal is waiting for its rider to arrive. The head is slightly turned and the mouth open as if bellowing. Atop its back is a saddle pad with carefully delineated details. The Bactrian camel is an exceptionally hardy beast of burden, easily able to cope in the harsh deserts of Central Asia which border China. The domestication of these creatures allowed the development of the ancient Silk Road, which transported people, ideas, and luxury goods between China and the West, by crossing the massive and inhospitable terrain that divided them. This beautiful figurine probably reflects medieval Chinese respect for a beast without which trade would not have been possible. The Tang dynasty ruled most of China between 618 and 907 AD, and this period is widely viewed as an era of progress and stability, during which many scientific and artistic advances were made. This piece has been precisely dated by means of a Thermo Luminescence analysis carried out by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. The TL certificate with its full report will accompany this lot. Size: L:305mm / W:350mm ; 5.4kg. Provenance: East Anglian private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.
Lot 83
Ca. 202 BC-220 AD. Han dynasty. A hollow-formed terracotta rabbit figurine with a black pelt and coral-pink pigmentation on the nose and in the inner ears. The rabbit is depicted sitting back slightly on its back legs in an alert posture. In the Chinese tradition, the rabbit is the luckiest of animals and symbolises elegance, beauty and mercy. The Han Dynasty, which ruled between 202 BC-220 AD, brought great prosperity and stability to China, reigning over a golden age of classical Chinese civilisation during which China saw major advances including the widespread development of a monetary economy and the invention of paper, as well as much progress in the decorative arts. Good condition. This piece has been precisely dated having undergone Thermo Luminescence analysis by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. Its TL certificate with full report will also accompany this lot. For more information about the Han Dynasty, see Milleker, Elizabeth J. (ed.) (2000). The Year One: Art of the Ancient World East and West. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Size: L:255mm / W:230mm ; 2.45kg. Provenance: UK private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.
Lot 84
Ca. 202 BC-220 AD. Han dynasty. A hollow-formed terracotta rabbit figurine with a white pelt and coral-pink pigmentation on the nose and in the inner ears. The rabbit is depicted sitting on all fours. In the Chinese tradition, the rabbit is the luckiest of animals and symbolises elegance, beauty and mercy. The Han Dynasty, which ruled between 202 BC-220 AD, brought great prosperity and stability to China, reigning over a golden age of classical Chinese civilisation during which China saw major advances including the widespread development of a monetary economy and the invention of paper, as well as much progress in the decorative arts. Good condition. This piece has been precisely dated having undergone Thermo Luminescence analysis by Ralf Kotalla, an independent German Laboratory. The samples collected date the piece to the period reflected in its style, whilst also showing no modern trace elements. Its TL certificate with full report will also accompany this lot. For more information on the Han Dynasty, see Milleker, Elizabeth J. (ed.) (2000). The Year One: Art of the Ancient World East and West. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of ArtSize: L:280mm / W:147mm ; 2.31kg. Provenance: UK private collection of Asian Art; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong.
Lot 119
Ca. 1520-30 BC. New Kingdom - Ptolemaic Dynasty. A collection of scarabs, statuettes, and pestles. These include a small yellow statuette of Taweret, a red figurine of a hippo, a green figurine of a goose, four scarabs, and two black pestles. Taweret (whose name means "the great one"), is depicted as a pregnant part-hippo, part-lion, part-crocodile, whose ferocious appearance scared away demons and sickness. She was particularly associated with using her apotropaic skills in service of mothers and new-borns. Both the amulet depicting her and the hippo figurine here probably invoked her, as hippos were associated with Taweret as fiercely maternal animals. The goose was a symbol of Amun and of creation. The scarabs all bear hieroglyphic inscriptions and the titulary of kings. The white one bears the name of Men-Ma'at-Ra (the throne name of Seti I). The blue one says ‘nfr ntr Mn-Xprw-Ra nb tAwy PtH mry’ which means 'the beautiful god Men-Kheperu-Ra (the throne name of Thutmose IV), lord of the Two Lands and beloved of Ptah'. The yellow one bears the name of User-Ma'at-Ra (the throne name of Ramses the Great) and the epithet ‘stp-n-ra’, meaning 'the elect of Ra'. The greenish one bears the name Men-Kheper-Ra (the throne name of Thutmose III). The pestles would have been used for grinding up minerals for cosmetics. Size: L: Set of 9: 14 - 67mm / W:8 - 38mm ; 50g. From a London private family collection; formerly acquired on the UK art market in the 1960s - 1970s; thence by descent.
Lot 124
Ca. 664-30 BC. Late Period - Ptolemaic Dynasty. A group of four amulets and a statuette head. These include a blue-glazed faience head of the god Bes, a stone head of the god Ptah, a stone image of the heart, a small frog resting on a plinth, and another smaller blue-glazed faience head of the god Bes. The head of Ptah is from a statuette and the others are all amulets with suspension holes. Amulets of Bes were commonly worn to protect children and new mothers. He has a slightly leonine face here, and these wild and 'ugly' features were expected to frighten off demons, particularly those demons believed to bring sickness to children and mothers. He was an extremely popular god, although he had almost no temples or cult centres, instead being worshipped in the home. Amulets in the shape of hearts, or the Egyptian symbol for the heart, were popular. The heart played an important part in Egyptian funerary religion, as it was weighed against the Feather of Truth to test if the deceased's heart was true while they confessed their lack of sins in the so-called "negative confession", indicating whether they deserved paradise or damnation. Many spells and objects were placed in tombs to convince the heart not to betray its owner in this trial, and heart amulets like this one held a similar function. Frogs were symbols of creation, as they were associated with the primordial waters from which the world was created, so they were worn for their connection to notions of fertility as well as rebirth. Ptah was an important god associated with creation, and the patron deity of craftsmen. This statuette head may have come from a small figurine intended as a votive offering at one of Ptah's temples. Size: L: Set of 5: 14 - 25mm / W:12 - 21mm ; 15g. From a London private family collection; formerly acquired on the UK art market in the 1960s - 1970s; thence by descent.
Lot 248
A small collection of miscellaneous items, to include a Royal Doulton figurine Autumn Breezes, registration No.835666, an Aynsley teacup and saucer, hand-painted with peaches, blackberries, and pears, signed N Brunt, a Vienna type vase decorated with female figure and male musicians, Wedgwood 1969 Prince of Wales investiture mug designed by Richard Guyatt, silver plated and enamelled cup holder, Doulton Bunnikins mug etc
Lot 121
Five boxes of ceramics and books to include, a Royal Doulton figurine 'Denise' (boxed) a collection of ceramic pop bottles, Wood & Son figure of Grace Darling, limited edition of 424/5000 to commemorated 150 years of the RNLI, a commemorative limited edition mug advertising, Whitbreds Brewery, and a collection of children's books, comics and records.
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55675 item(s)/page