We found 1942 price guide item(s) matching your search

George Blacklock Apparition, 2021 Acrylic on Paper Signed on front and verso 10 x 15cm (3¾ x 5¾ in.) George Blacklock (b1952) was born in County Durham, England and studied at Sunderland Polytechnic for one year before going on to study painting at Stourbridge College of Art in the early seventies. He graduated from his Masters at Reading University in 1976. George has exhibited extensively in Europe and North America throughout his career and has been represented by Flowers since 1996. He has received awards from the Welsh Arts Council, the Greater London Arts Association and was a prize winner at the John Moores contemporary painting competition in the nineties. George Blacklock has work in major public collections including the Arts Council of Great Britain. The British painter has also been the Dean of Chelsea College of Art and Design, London since 2011. "A lot of my paintings have shapes and gestures that converse, or are compromised, or can be seen to co-exist, or dominate, or retreat, or expand, or to re-iterate, in other words exist in a visual narrative. This narrative is complex both in formal terms and in its associations and metaphors. I often equate my abstract forms to the metaphysical realms of religious art. I value 'touch' as an expressive function of painting as well as a major contribution to non-linguistic, non-linear narrative." Despite the abstract output of the artist's work, Blacklock doesn't see himself completely as an abstract painter. By looking closely at the curvilinear shapes that dominate his paintings, we could almost interpret these as narratives for the complex relationships that exist in his main source of inspiration: life. Not only a painter but a musician and art teacher too, George Blacklock finds his inspiration in various fields such as music, religion or simply in the observation of his peers from the Renaissance to Willem de Kooning. In 2015 Colour and Abstraction was published, in which Blacklock has comprehensively described his methods and reasoning, relating his work to the tradition of abstract painting. In 2016 George Blacklock collaborated with Gary Oldman on a two-person exhibition of paintings and photographs, exploring the mutual creative threads connecting their distinct artistic practices, following on from their joint exhibition at the Museo De Las Artes, Guadalajara.  

Claudia Bonney Red Riding Hood Retold, 2021 Oil Mixed Media and Fabric on Paper Signed on verso 15 x 10cm (5¾ x 3¾ in.) Claudia Bonney works primarily in oil on canvas re-imagining and retelling, myths and legends for the modern age. Her latest series features fictional saints, angels and goddesses. Influences range from Magritte, David Inshaw, Alan Aldridge, Stanley Spencer and William Blake to medieval art, religious icons and Russian art. Claudia has painted since her childhood; she grew up in household filled with art, as both parents are artists. She trained at Lancaster University. For the last twenty years Claudia has painted in parallel to her work (in education and as a reiki practitioner) and family life. Claudia is now focusing on painting with renewed vigour. She lives in Bristol with her family. Her work has been bought by private collectors in the UK & US.    

A large Egyptian limestone Hathor head sistrum handle fragment Late Period, 26th Dynasty, circa 664-525 B.C.The janiform cow-eared goddess depicted with extended cosmetic eye lines and brows, wearing a full wig with incised details and an elaborate broad collar, surmounted by a cavetto moulding supporting the lower section of a now-missing naos, a uraeus facing outwards on each side of the wig, 11.5cm high Footnotes:Provenance:with Galerie Athena, Brussels. Private collection, Geneva, acquired from the above 11 September 1978. Private collection, Europe, acquired from the above in 2006.Cf. a closely related example in the Princeton University Art Museum, acc. no. y1986-5, and an example in faience at the Seattle Art Museum, acc. no. 58.77. The sistrum was a musical instrument primarily used by women during religious ceremonies, whose sound was believed to please the gods. Sistra were commonly made of bronze, with examples in other materials believed to have been votive offerings dedicated in temples and tombs.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

SURASIT SAOKONG (THAI, B.1949) - TEMPLE Print on paper Signed in the bottom right Numbered 136/250 in the bottom left hand corner The light is used as a symbol for opulence within religious buildings 54cm high x 89cm wide Condition: Minor foxing on the border Additional Information: Surasit Saokong received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Painting form Silpakorn University in 1973. Currently, he is an instructor in the Fine Arts Department at Phayap Campus in Chiang Mai. Surasit was awarded third prize in the National Art Exhibition in 1974, 1980, and 1982. He also received “top award winner” prize in the Contemporary Art Exhibition sponsored by Thai Farmers Bank in 1982, and the gold medal in the Bua Luang Art Exhibition in 1983. In 1981, he was named an Outstanding Teacher by the Teachers Council of Chiang Mai province. Surasit has also served on the judging committee at numerous art competitions around Thailand. In 1996 and 1997, for example, he was a judge for the annual Contemporary Art Exhibition sponsored by Thai Farmers Bank. The artist’s works are on display, among other places, at the Bank of Thailand, the Thai Investment and Securities Public Co., Ltd., the Singapore Art Museum, the Fukuoka Art Museum in Japan.

AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE IRISH SILVER-GILT CHALICECirca 1480 the spreading circular foot with cylindrical engraved stem rising towards a knop enriched with leafy motifs, above the chequered engraved stem supporting a circular bowl, overall height 160mm.; bowl diameter 103mm.; foot diameter 122mm.; Weight: 285.55grams. Provenance: Wilson Rae-Scott Esq., thence by descent.  This chalice is an extremely rare survival. It is similar to other pre-Reformation chalices including one in Clonfert Cathedral, Galway, known as the ‘Matheus Macraith’ chalice (P. Egan, ‘Clonfert Museum and its Collections’, Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 27, (1956/1957) pp.33-76, especially pp.37, 41-43). Other examples include two in the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin: the ‘De Burgo-O’Malley Chalice’ and the ‘Kirwan Chalice’ – the latter recently purchased by the National Museum of Ireland, (bought prior to auction in 2019 with a pre-sale estimate €20,000- €30,000).The chalice is a rare survival from before the Protestant Reformation (1541-1598). That Henry VIII’s religious reforms in Ireland in some cases did not go much further than The Pale, the area immediately surrounding Dublin, may account for the survival of much pre-Reformation plate.Dr Edith Andrees of the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin has suggested the chalice may been made in or around Cork, noted that the circular spreading foot is unusual. The rivet holes to the foot may indicate a lost mount of an image, inscription or corpus. Wilson Rae-Scott was a financier from Chiswick, London, and a collected silver and works of art in the years before the Second World War.We are grateful to Philippa Glanville OBE, FSA, former Chief Curator of Metalwork, Silver and Jewellery Department of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London and Dr Edith Andrees of the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin for kindly assisting with the cataloguing of this lot

Attributed to William Burges (British, 1821-1881): An impressive enamelled, polished semi-precious stone and ivory inset parcel gilt and silvered bronze centrepiece base together with a polished semi-precious stone and ivory inset parcel gilt and silvered bronze upper sectional epergne support ensuiteby Hart, Son, Peard & Co., London in the later Gothic Revival style, circa 1875, the two parts originally from a centrepiece epergne exhibited at the 1878 Paris International Exhibition the base of architectural tripartite pedestal form, the conforming columnar support with cusped column decoration surmounted by a composite Corinthian capital with leafy and whorl decoration and punctuated by a knopped central section with applied beaded and banded agate cabochon set scrolling filigree decoration and three carved ivory busts depicting a king, a maiden and youth playing a lute, the elaborate hipped base of architectural form formed as three arched openings with circular steeple tower pinnacles surmounted by open filigree and turquoise cabochon inset orbs flanked by crocketed finials, the scrolling filigree and whorl decorated sides banded to the edges by black and white chevron enamelled panels with inset carnelian cabochons, the lower corners modelled as circular domed towers above inset square cornelian panels, the lower frieze with alternating pierced and blue enamel square motif decoration, raised on standing silvered lion passant supports; the upper section with flared scrolling open pierced filigree and lapis and banded agate cabochon inset supports terminating in stylised leafy griffins heads, beneath a border of six inset carved ivory panels depicting food related vignettes, comprising a boars head, a swan, a carp, a turtle, a truckle of cheese and an oval pie, the upper girdle supporting a cut glass dished lobed shallow bowl fitting with panelled star cut centre, the hexagonal columnar support below a filigree and whorl knopped section with lions mask heads, raised on a later fixed black painted stepped hexagonal support, the glass bowl of the upper support probably associated, its fixed stand of a later date, the base, 57cm high, 38cm diameter approximately, the support 28cm high, the support including bowl and later base, 41.5cm high overall (2)Footnotes:Upper Epergne SectionProvenanceJ. S. M. Scott, London - the Birkenhead CollectionWith the Fine Art Society, 148 New Bond Street, London W1S 2JT - purchased by the present vendor, The John Scott Collection 'Modern English' Design from the 1860's and 1870's, 11th June 2014 (4, Epergne fragment - INV 34276).With the Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL (loan) prior to March 2021ExhibitedParis International Exhibition, 1878.The Fine Art Society, The John Scott Collection 'Modern English' Design from the 1860's and 1870's, June-July 2014 (4).LiteratureThe Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue of the Paris International Exhibition 1878, p.115.The Fine Art Society, The John Scott Collection 'Modern English' Design from the 1860's and 1870', Exhibition Catalogue 2014 (4), p.16.Centrepiece BaseProvenancePrivate UK collection.With RIBA, 66 Portland Pl, London W1B 1AD (on loan) prior to August 2014.Purchased (private treaty sale) by the present vendor in conjunction with Haslam & Whiteway Ltd (advisors), Kensington Church Street, London W8 7NL, 15th September 2014 (INV 6491).With the Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL (loan) prior to March 2021.ExhibitedParis International Exhibition, 1878.LiteratureThe Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue of the Paris International Exhibition 1878, p.115.M. Whiteway & C. Gere, Nineteenth-Century Design; From Pugin to Mackintosh, London 1993, p.175.At the time of his death in 1881, the esteemed architect and designer William Burges was widely thought to be the most influential and gifted figure of his generation. An unstable and extravagant eccentric, he was a brilliant pre-Raphaelite architect who pursued his artistic goals via an idealised vision of the past. In his work he sought to escape from both modern industrialisation and the prevalent Neoclassical architectural style of the establishment and re-affirm the architectural and social values of a utopian medieval England. Standing within the tradition of the Gothic Revival, his works echo his predecessor Pugin and his contemporaries of the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood, whilst heralding those of the Arts and Crafts movement.In a short but illustrious career he won his first major commission for Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork in 1863 when he was thirty five working with a long established team of craftsmen and artisans he produced a small but architecturally varied output including castles, houses, churches, a warehouse, a university and a school, although many of his designs were either never executed or subsequently demolished. Of Burges's works, his most notable are Cardiff Castle, constructed between 1866 and 1928, and Castell Coch constructed between 1872 and 1891, both of which were built for John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute. Aside from his architecture, Burges also designed metalwork, sculpture, jewellery, furniture and stained glass. He also gave a series of lectures called 'Art Applied to Industry' to the Society of Arts in 1864, illustrating the breadth of his artistic interests. Burges was a notable designer of Gothic-inspired metalwork and jewellery and who is now seen as the successor to architect and designer A.W.N. Pugin in refining and developing the Gothic revival style. In his book, William Burges and the High Victorian, the author and art critic Prof. J Mordaunt Crook states that 'Burges's genius as a designer is expressed to perfection in his jewellery and metalwork'. He produced a 'dazzling' array of religious artefacts including candlesticks, chalices, crosses either as individual commissions or as part of the decorative schemes for buildings. Burges also had an early and close connection to the Ecclesiological Society taking on the role of superintendent of the Society's church plate scheme in 1864. However, his most notable metalworks were created for himself, often from the proceeds of the winning of an architectural competition. Examples include his Elephant Inkstand and a pair of jewelled decanters, paid for by the fees for the plans of the Crimea Memorial Church and his series of lectures, 'Art Applied to Industry', and the Cat Cup, created in commemoration of the Law Courts competition. He also designed more utilitarian articles including silverware featuring various fantastical creatures including mermaids and spiders and a set of knives and forks specifically designed for his own residence, The Tower House, with the handles carved as types of meat and vegetables. His own large collection of historic armour was subsequently bequeathed to the British Museum upon his death. Hart, Son, Peard & Co. (1842–1913) were British architectural metalworkers basedin London and Birmingham most associated with the production of ecclesiastical works.Founded in 1842 in Wych St, off The Strand, by bible-trained ironmonger Joseph Hart who was also a member of the Ecclesiological Society, they became artistic metalworkers specialising in ecclesiastical manufactures after merging with Birmingham-based Peard & Jackson in 1866–67. Also skilled in sculpture and with an agent in Paris, Henri Collet, the firm made Burges designs by J.P. Seddon, B.J. Talbert, Alfred Waterhouse and William Butterfield. and importantly had a long-sta... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Y ФY Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.Ф This lot contains or is made of ivory. The United States Government has banned the import of ivory into the USA.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (British, 1812-1852): A rare silvered and gilt plated brass and copper three light candelabrumby John Hardman & Co., Birmingham, in the Gothic Revival style, circa 1840the twin spiral scrolling arms flanking a matching central stem supporting bulbous gadrooned drip pans with scalloped plain galleries centred by plain cylindrical candle nozzles, all issuing from a central decorative roundel with applied engraved shields bearing the assumed and unrecorded coat of arms for the Hardman family, on corresponding knopped gadrooned support and swept swirling gadrooned cusped circular base, 80cm high, 55cm wide, 24cm deep approximatelyFootnotes:ProvenanceJohn Hardman Snr., made for John Hardman Jnr. (1812-1867), thence by descent.Neil Phillips, John Hardman Studio, Lightwoods House, Birmingham.With the Fine Art Society, 148 New Bond Street, London W1S 2JT - purchased by the present vendor, 21st February 2013 (INV 33052).LiteratureThe Journal of Design and Manufactures, II, 1849, p. 52.P. Atterbury & C. Wainwright (eds), Pugin - A Gothic Passion, Exhibition Catalogue, Victoria & Albert Museum 1994, pub. Yale University Press, p. 237, pl. 44. ExhibitedExhibition of Industrial Arts and Manufacturers, Birmingham, 3rd September to 15th December 1849.Arguably one of the most talented and prolific designers of the 19th century, A.W.N. Pugin was an architect, draughtsftsman and designer, antiquary and collector, and artist and critic. Today he is recognised as the trailblazing pioneer of the revival of the Gothic style in Great Britain with a modus operandi derived less from a mere aesthetic but more from exacting religious and moral principles. As the architect of numerous high-profile public and domestic ecclesiastical and secular building commissions in England, Ireland, and Australia, he was also responsible for their interiors and furnishings, collaborating with several individually chosen manufacturers on the design and production of furniture, ceramics, books, textiles, wallpapers, and as with the present lot, metalware. However, his defining commission for the interiors of the Palace of Westminster was ironically instigated via a competition for the commission made by the architect Sir Charles Barry who turned to Pugin for his assistance with the drawings for the proposal. Initially the young Pugin was paid £400 by Barry for assisting with preliminary drawings but as the construction of the Palace progressed, Barry began to rely more heavily on him for the design and execution of the interior furnishings and fittings which ranged from the wall panelling and colour schemes down to the metalwork including the lighting and the door furniture. Pugin's earliest ventures into designing for the medium of metalwork were in the mid 1820's when he met the goldsmith John Gawler Bridge of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell. However, as the company were known for their revivalist historical styles including Rococo and 'Romanticised Gothic', their output was never particularly authentic and consequently few, if any, of Pugin's designs were probably ever realised, despite the existence of archival evidence of sketches showing his involvement with the company. John Hardman & Co. and John Hardman JuniorIn 1835, Pugin's conversion to Catholicism finally provided him with an opportunity to design and produce more purist metalwork pieces whilst undertaking a commission for the seminary of St Mary's College, Oscott. It was at the seminary that Pugin most likely met John Hardman Junior who was a member of a prominent Roman Catholic metalwork manufacturing family, John Hardman & Co. in Birmingham. Hardman Junior and Pugin became close friends sharing a commitment to the revival of their religion and practice. Their subsequent collaboration was responsible for bringing to fruition the majority of Pugin's important designs for precious and base metalwork pieces.Although the pair concentrated on recreating archaeological metalware designs of cathedral and church furnishings, few resources existed documenting domestic metalware forms in the Medieval period. As Pugin had previously dismissed the random application of perceived period detail applied superficially as 'patterns of Brumagen gothic' he was not inclined to 'imagined' Medieval objects to fill a gap in the market. However, he and Hardman inventively produced vessels and lighting of a type that would naturally satisfy this gap. Although it is estimated that as much as 95% of the church and other metalwork supplied by John Hardman & Co were in base metals, most of it being in brass in conjunction with copper, nickel or 'German silver ,' the quality of the gilding and silvering was so good it was often apparently extremely difficult for the firms' patrons to establish if the piece was made in a precious metal, in a base one or constructed in both materials. As a result of increased orders, including those from Charles Barry for the Palace of Westminster (all in base metal) which continued throughout the 1840s, Hardman Junior, although a partner in his father's metalworking company subsequently set up his own firm to provide 'Ecclesiastical Ornaments' from 1838. Continued important commissions and the preparation for the Birmingham Exhibition in 1849 and 1851 Great Exhibition also kept the business at full capacity during this period.In 1849 John Hardman & Co. worked alongside Crace and Co. and Herbert Minton, all of whom collaborated with Pugin at the Birmingham Exhibition of Manufacturers which was held in September of that year where the present lot was shown. An engraved plate with the inscription '(Altar Plate manufactured by Hardman & Co.; Silk Hanging by Crace and Son, London)' shows the candelabrum as the centrepiece of the display and was illustrated in the 'The Journal of Design and Manufacturers, II, 1849, p. 52. Although apparently conceived as an altar candelabrum, its Hardman Family provenance combined with the inclusion of an engraved decorative device assumed to be the unrecorded coat of arms for the Hardmans, demonstrate that its use was almost certainly exclusively secular. The arms were most likely designed by Pugin, who had previously created similar undocumented devices more for aesthetic purposes than from any recognised principles governed by the College of Arms. Indeed this imagined heraldry can perhaps be viewed as a token of Pugin's gratitude and goodwill towards his patron John Hardman junior. A comparable secular candelabrum in gilt brass and cut crystal glass designed by Pugin for the House of Lords circa 1850 also by John Hardman & Co Birmingham was subsequently exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition. However the 1849 Birmingham exhibition itself was a precursor of the 1851 Great Exhibition organised by Henry Cole and Prince Albert, both of whom had praised the work of Pugin and his manufacturers at the exhibition, causing Pugin to comment 'Our exposition at Birmingham was very creditable, has attracted a deal of attention, and done much good'. However the 1851 London Exhibition, known as the ''Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations,'' held in Joseph Paxton's prefabricated 'Crystal Palace' was problematic for Pugin who was commissioned to design a Medieval Court due to his differences with the designer of such a modern glass and iron structure. Nevertheless, he worked har... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Large quantity of Chinese & Asian art reference books to include Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, edited by Béatrice Quette; The art of contemplation : religious sculpture from private collections by Li, Yumin; Connoisseur's Guide to Chinese Ceramics; A connoisseur's guide to Chinese ceramics by Mitchell Tzu Lao;Chinese Painting: An Expression of a Civilization by Nicole Vandier-Nicolas; Gems of Chinese art from the Asian art museum of San Francisco; Oriental Lacquer Art and Technique by K Herberts; Homage to Heaven Homage to Earth: Chinese Treasures of the Royal Ontario Museum; China: 5,000 Years: Innovation and Transformation in the Arts by Sherman Lee; Masterpieces of the Ho-Am Art Museum, antique art. 2 Volume Set; Mounted Oriental Porcelain in the J. Paul Getty Museum by Sr. Francis Watson, Gillian Wilson, Anthony Derham; The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty by James C. Y. Watt; Tang China Vision and Splendour of a Golden Age by Edmund Capon; Korea: Keramiek/Ceramics by Jan Van Alphen; Arts de la Corée; War & Ritual: Treasures from the warring states, 475-221 B.C by Yeo Seng Teck; Treasures from the Han; An album of Chinese art: From the National Gallery of Victoria by Mae Anna Pang; An Exhibition of Tang Sancai Pottery: Selected from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman by Margaret Medley; Chinese Ornament The Lotus and the Dragon by Jessica Rawson; Chine connue & inconnue; A botanical excursion in the Kempe collection Unknown Binding by Bo Gyllensvärd; Chinese Bronzes: The Natanael Wessen Collection by Jan Wirgin Karlgren Bernhard; Yixing Stoneware from the Mr & Mrs Gerard Hawthorn collection catalogue and others

Indian Art Two paintings on glass with religious Parsi subjectIndia, possibly Gujarat, 19th century Pigments and gold on glass . . Cm 34,50 x 50,00.

* SIMON LAURIE RSW RGI (SCOTTISH b 1964), SUMMER SAIL mixed media on paper, signed, titled and dated '97 image size 15cm x 21cm, overall size 41.5cm x 46cm Mounted, framed and under glass. Note: Simon Laurie is a contemporary Scottish landscape and still life artist, whose paintings are characterised by references to Scottish life and society, incorporating fish, boats, religious symbols and everyday items. These objects are arranged upon a rich textural ground created by the application of multiple layers of acrylic paint. He has worked with acrylic paint for almost 30 years, developing his own individual style and fundamental visual language. Laurie was born in Glasgow and studied at Glasgow School of Art from 1982 to 1988. He was elected a member of the Royal Scottish Society of Painters in Watercolours (RSW) in 1991 and the Royal Glasgow Institute (RGI) in 2000, where he served as convener for six years. He has had many solo shows, both in the UK and abroad, and has won many prestigious and major awards. His work is held in many public, private and corporate collections including Aberdeen Art Gallery, Contemporary Arts Society, London; Feren Art Gallery, Hull; Freshfields, London; Leicestershire Education Committee; Lillie Art Gallery, Milngavie; Nationwide Building Society, London; Royal Bank of Scotland; T.S.B Headquarters, London; Unilever PLC; William Teacher and Sons Ltd; Wyse Group; Walter Scott Investments Ltd, Edinburgh; Biggart Baillie; Aberdeen Asset Management; The Whisky Society, Edinburgh; Adam and Co Bank; Provident Financial; The Scottish Arts Club, Edinburgh.

Alexej von Jawlensky - - 1864 Torschok - 1941 Wiesbaden Kleiner Kopf. Um 1922. Öl auf Malkarton. Jawlensky/Pieroni-Jawlensky/Jawlensky 2248. Links unten monogrammiert. 17,8 x 14 cm (7 x 5,5 in). • Jawlensky hat die Abstraktion des menschlichen Antlitzes in seinem Werk auf die Spitze getrieben. • Wunderbares, farbharmonisches Zeugnis von Jawlenskys radikal reduzierter Formensprache nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg. • Seit mehr als 60 Jahren Teil einer bedeutenden europäischen Privatsammlung. • Jawlenskys progressive Stilisierung des menschlichen Antlitzes zeigt deutliche Parallelen zu den zeitgleichen Schöpfungen Amedeo Modiglianis und Constantin Brancusis. PROVENIENZ: Fräulein Ehrod, o. O. Christel Zapfe, Köln (von der Vorgenannten durch Erbschaft erhalten, bis 1958, Stuttgarter Kunstkabinett, 20./21.5.1958). Galerie Wolfgang Ketterer, Stuttgart (1958 von der Vorgenannten erworben). Privatsammlung Frankreich (seit 1958, wohl vom Vorgenannten erworben). Privatsammlung Belgien (vom Vorgenannten durch Erbschaft erhalten). LITERATUR: Stuttgarter Kunstkabinett, 31. Auktion. Moderne Kunst; 20./21.5.1958, Los 432 (ohne Abb.). Einige Jahre habe ich diese Variationen gemalt, und dann war mir notwendig, eine Form für das Gesicht zu finden, da ich verstanden hatte, daß die große Kunst nur mit religiösem Gefühl gemalt werden soll. Und das konnte ich nur in das menschliche Antlitz bringen.' Alexej von Jawlensky, zit. nach: Tayfun Belgin, Alexej von Jawlensky. Eine Künstlerbiographie, Heidelberg 1998, S. 103. Mit Kriegsausbruch ist der gebürtige Russe Jawlensky 1914 gezwungen, mit seiner Familie und Marianne von Werefkin München zu verlassen und ins schweizerische Exil zu gehen. Er lässt sich zunächst im kleinen Dörfchen Saint-Prex am Genfer See nieder. Jawlensky mietet dort eine Wohnung und hat nun kein eigenes Atelier mehr, sondern nur ein kleines Arbeitszimmer, dessen Fensterausblick fortan grundlegend wird für die zunächst werkbeherrschende Serie der 'Variationen über ein landschaftliches Thema', die während der in der Schweiz verbrachten Jahre entsteht. Im Oktober 1917 jedoch verlässt Jawlensky den kleinen, einsamen Ort Saint-Prex, um sich mit Marianne von Werefkin, Helene Nesnakomoff und dem gemeinsamen Sohn Andreas in Zürich niederzulassen. Dort wendet sich der Künstler wieder verstärkt der Darstellung des menschlichen Antlitzes zu und es entsteht zunächst die Werkserie der 'Mystischen Köpfe'. Ausgehend von einem Porträt, das Jawlensky 1917 von seiner jungen Bewunderin und späteren Vertragshändlerin Emmy 'Galka' Scheyer in Zürich anfertigt, gelingt es Jawlensky in dieser initiierenden Werkfolge, eine erste, mutige Stilisierung der Kopf-Motivik zu entwickeln, die für seine anschließenden, weiterhin dem menschlichen Antlitz gewidmeten Werkfolgen der 'Heilandsgesichter' - zu der unsere farbstarke Komposition zählt -, der 'Abstrakten Köpfe' und schließlich der 'Meditationen' in entscheidender Weise wegweisend ist. Kunsthistorisch bedeutend sind die strenge formale Reduktion und Stilisierung dieser Bildnisse, die das traditionell abbildende Sujet des Porträts weit hinter sich lassen. Wunderbar sind die sanft schwingende Form- und Farbgebung, die großen geschlossenen Augen und die auf ein Minimum reduzierte Linienführung. Stirn, Lider und Wangen setzen sich aus mehreren, klar getrennten Farbfeldern zusammen und entwickeln einen außerordentlichen, nahezu abstrakten Farbklang, der in seiner Gänze wohl kaum harmonischer sein könnte. [JS] Aufrufzeit: 18.06.2021 - ca. 18.28 h +/- 20 Min. Dieses Objekt wird regel- oder differenzbesteuert angeboten.ENGLISH VERSIONAlexej von Jawlensky -1864 Torschok - 1941 Wiesbaden Kleiner Kopf. Um 1922. Oil on board. Jawlensky/Pieroni-Jawlensky/Jawlensky 2248. Lower left monogrammed. 17.8 x 14 cm (7 x 5.5 in). • Jawlensky brought the abstraction of the human face to perfection. • Marvelous document of Jawlensky's radically reduced style afte World War I. • Privately-owned for more than 60 years. • Jawlensky's progressive stylization of the human face shows similarity to the creations of Amedeo Modigliani and Constantin Brancusi. PROVENANCE: Miss Ehrod, no place. Christel Zapfe, Cologne (inherited from above - until 1958, Stuttgarter Kunstkabinett, May 20/21, 1958). Galerie Wolfgang Ketterer, Stuttgart (acquired from above). Private collection France (since 1958, presumably acquired from above). Private collection Belgium (inherited from above). LITERATURE: Stuttgarter Kunstkabinett, 31st auction. Modern Art; May 20/21, 1958, lot 432 (no illu.). I made these variations for several years, and then I had to find a form for the face, as I had understood that real art can only be creatd with religious sensation. And the human face is the only way to express that.' Alexej von Jawlensky, quote from: Tayfun Belgin, Alexej von Jawlensky. Eine Künstlerbiographie, Heidelberg 1998, p. 103. When the war broke out in 1914, the native Russian Jawlensky was forced to leave Munich with his family and Marianne von Werefkin, and went into exile in Switzerland. He first settled in the small village of Saint-Prex on Lake Geneva, where Jawlensky rented an apartment, which meant that he no longer had his own studio. Instead he worked in a small study, with a window that offered a view that would be of fundamental significance for the series of 'Variations on a Landscape Theme', which initially dominated the works that came into existence during the years spent in Switzerland. In October 1917, however, Jawlensky left the small, remote town of Saint-Prex and settled in Zurich with Marianne von Werefkin, Helene Nesnakomoff and their son Andreas. There the artist again turned to the representation of the human face, which was the birth of the famous series 'Mystical Heads'. Based on a portrait that Jawlensky made of his young admirer and later authorized dealer Emmy 'Galka' Scheyer in Zurich in 1917, Jawlensky succeeded in developing a first, courageous stylization of the head motif in this series of works, which led to subsequent works with a focus on the human face, the series of the 'Heilandsgesichter' (Savior's Faces), to which our colorful composition belongs. In the following he conceived the 'Abstract Heads' and finally the 'Meditations'. The strict formal reduction and stylization of these portraits, which go far beyond the traditional depiction of the portrait’s subject, was seminal in art history. The gently swinging forms and colors, the large closed eyes and lines reduced to a minimum are wonderful. Forehead, eyelids and cheeks are made up of several clearly separated color fields and develop an extraordinary, almost abstract color tone, which in its entirety could hardly be more harmonious. [JS] Called up: June 18, 2021 - ca. 18.28 h +/- 20 min. This lot can be purchased subject to differential or regular taxation.

Emil Nolde - - 1867 Nolde/Nordschleswig - 1956 Seebüll/Schleswig-Holstein Mädchen mit blauem Haar. Um 1920. Aquarell. Rechts unten signiert. Auf Japan. 44,8 x 34,3 cm (17,6 x 13,5 in), Blattgröße. [SM]. • Die junge Frau ist unmittelbar aus dem freien Fluss der Farben ohne Vorzeichnung oder grafische Elemente gewachsen. • Mit der Unmittelbarkeit des Ausdrucks hält Nolde sein Gegenüber in einer unnachahmlichen Intensität fest. • Seit 70 Jahren in privater Hand. Mit einer Fotoexpertise von Prof. Dr. Manfred Reuther, Klockries, vom 7. Mai 2021. Die Arbeit ist in seinem Archiv unter der Nummer 'Nolde A - 209/2021' registriert. PROVENIENZ: Privatsammlung Schweiz (seit den 1950er Jahren). Privatsammlung Schweiz (durch Erbschaft vom Vorgenannten). 'The watercolors, the final measure of [Nolde’s] directness and spontaneity, are among the best in Modern art. [Nolde] always felt the painter should paint first and think afterward' Bernard S. Myers, The German Expressionists: A Generation in Revolt, London 1963, S. 128. In seinen Bildnissen fasziniert Emil Nolde das Individuelle des Gegenübers. Der lebendige Ausdruck, der diese Gesichtszüge mit roten Wangen bestimmt und sich vor allem in dem herausfordernden Blick der Augenpartie erkennen lässt, ist einer Persönlichkeit zugeordnet, die Nolde mit der Kraft ihrer wachen Ausstrahlung sichtlich beeindruckt hat. Eine besondere Qualität in seinen Aquarellen ist die differenzierte Charakterisierung von Personen und deren eindrucksvolle Typisierung: Sie zeigen darin seinen intensiven Zugang. Noldes Leben zwischen der Großstadt Berlin und der Landschaft im Norden, seine Reisen in die nahe Umgebung und nicht zuletzt die Exkursion in die ferne Südsee bieten dem Künstler anregende Vorlagen für seine breite Palette von bisweilen bizarr anmutenden, ortsbedingten aber auch wie hier ebenschönen Physiognomien. Man kann natürlich den Versuch unternehmen, dieses markante Profil eines Mädchens in vergleichbaren Aquarellen, Gemälden mit Hinweisen auf das Unbekannte auszumachen, etwa das leicht zugespitzte, zarte Kinn, die vollmundigen Lippen unter der spitzen, aussagekräftigen Nase und das im Blauton gefärbte Haar. Sicher, für Nolde ist es wichtig, Charaktere als Modell zur Verfügung zu haben, um deren ausgeprägte Profile und Wesensmerkmale herauszustellen und dennoch frei zu agieren, auch Gesichter im klassischen Porträtstil zu erfinden, ähnlich der Typen, Phänotypen, die persönliche Merkmale zeigen, ähnlich einer Landschaft oder ähnlich wie Blumen in seinen Rabatten und Gärten. Noldes künstlerische Sprache ist gespickt mit delikater Stimmung, seine Malerei ist leidenschaftlich gesteigert bis zu archaisch anmutender Stilisierung. Somit reiht sich dieses Porträt in seiner subtil gewählten Farbigkeit ein in das faszinierende Werk des Künstlers neben den farbintensiven Landschaftsaquarellen, ergreifenden Aquarellen mit religiösen Themen, mit emphatischen Studien in der Südsee und den herrlichen Blüten- und Blumenbildern. [MvL] Aufrufzeit: 18.06.2021 - ca. 19.06 h +/- 20 Min. Dieses Objekt wird regel- oder differenzbesteuert angeboten.ENGLISH VERSIONEmil Nolde -1867 Nolde/Nordschleswig - 1956 Seebüll/Schleswig-Holstein Mädchen mit blauem Haar. Um 1920. Watercolor. Signed in lower right. On Japon. 44.8 x 34.3 cm (17.6 x 13.5 in), size of sheet. [SM]. • The portrait of the young lady solely grew from the colors' free flow without preliminary drawing or graphic elements. • Through the immediacy of expression Nolde captures his vis-à-vis in an inimitable intensity. • Privately-owned fro 70 years. With a photo expertise issued by Prof. Dr. Manfred Reuther, Klockries, from May 7, 2021. The work is registered in his archive with the number 'Nolde A - 209/2021'. PROVENANCE: Private collection Switzerland (since the 1950s) Private collection Switzerland (inherited from above). 'The watercolors, the final measure of [Nolde’s] directness and spontaneity, are among the best in Modern art. [Nolde] always felt the painter should paint first and think afterward' (Bernard S. Myers, Expressionism: A Generation in Revolt, London 1963, p. 128.) In his portrait art Emil Nolde was fascinated by the individuality of his counterpart. The lively expression that defines these facial features with the red cheeks and which becomes most obvious in the challenging look, is assigned to a personality that clearly impressed Nolde with the power of her bright charisma. The differentiated characterization of people and their impressive typification is a special quality of his watercolors and show his intensive approach. Nolde's life between the metropolis of Berlin and the landscape in the north, his excursions in the surroundings of his home, and, last but not least, the journey to the distant South Seas offered the artist stimulating models for his wide range of physiognomies. One can, of course, try to identify this striking pictorial account of a girl in profile in comparable watercolors, paintings with references to the unknown, such as the slightly pointed, delicate chin, the full-bodied lips under the pointed, expressive nose and the hair dyed in a shade of blue. Sure, for Nolde it is important to have real characters as models, in order to highlight their distinctive profiles and characteristics while still acting freely, also to invent faces in a classic portrait style, similar to the types, phenotypes, that show personal characteristics, similar to a landscape or similar to flowers in his flower beds and and gardens. Nolde's artistic language is peppered with a delicate mood, his painting is passionately boosted to the point that it appears to be an archaic stylization. Thus, this portrait, with its subtly chosen colors, fits in with the artist's fascinating oeuvre of intensive watercolors of landscapes, touching watercolors with religious themes, emphatic South Seas studies and the wonderful flower pictures. [MvL] Called up: June 18, 2021 - ca. 19.06 h +/- 20 min. This lot can be purchased subject to differential or regular taxation.

Of Scottish interest: A Victorian half pearl and enamel brooch, of crowned heart design, with green enamel laurel wreath enclosing a half pearl set star motif, above a trio of blue enamel forget-me-not flowerheads, suspending a white enamel drop, verso inscribed 'LADIES ROCK, Eph. III. 17-19, Phil. IV. 7', in fitted case with 'STAR OF SNOWDOUN, Zech. iv. 6; Luke xi. 9, 1859' to lining, (half pearl untested for origin, fitting later replaced), brooch length 7.9cmFootnote: One of several brooches commissioned in 1859 for female members of the Drummond family, the 'Star of Snowdoun Purity Brooch' celebrated the inauguration of The Virgin Martyrs' memorial in The Valley Cemetery, Stirling. Funded by the Drummond family and sculpted by Alexander Handyside Ritchie, the memorial depicts marble sculptures of two women covenanters, Margaret Wilson and Margaret McLaughlan, who were sentenced to death by drowning in the tidal waters of the Solway, for their faith, on 11 May 1685. A third girl, Margaret Wilson’s younger sister Agnes, was spared because of her age.This brooch features a half pearl, to symbolise purity and the Christian name Margaret, three forget-me-nots, to commemorate the women involved, and a laurel wreath to represent martyrdom, in tribute to those who died for their religious beliefs during this period in Scotland, sometimes referred to as 'the killing times'. Three similar brooches can be found in the Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum.

A POLYCHROME STUCCO FRESCO FRAGMENT, YUAN TO MING DYNASTYChina, 1279-1644. The rectangular panel painted with two celestial maidens, one playing the pipa and the other the cymbals, wearing elaborate headdresses and long flowing robes, richly adorned in jewelry, the arm and flute of a third musician can be seen towards the left edge, all painted in polychrome pigments highlighting the gilded ornamentation with gesso relief.Provenance: From an old Canadian private estate. A noted collector, acquired from the above. Condition: Laid down on a wooden base, otherwise in original and unrestored condition. Losses, wear, weathering, cracks and erosion.Dimensions: Size 113.5 x 52 cmThe style of painting in this fresco recalls that of the mid-eighth century temple painting style. Largely ignored by the court and literati circles, this 'flowing water and scudding clouds' (xingyun liushui) manner, reminiscent of the Tang dynasty painter Wu Daozi, was ideal for painting religious figures. Unlike earlier modes stressing precise contours, the whirling spiritual energy of this brushwork gives the impression of qi, or inner life. This animated style has been popular with builders and decorators of Buddhist temples ever since.Literature comparison: Compare the sculpture and murals in Cave 57 of the Mogao grottos at Dunhuang, illustrated in Roderick Whitfield et. al., Cave Temples of Mogao, Art and History on the Silk Road, Los Angeles, 2000, p. 37, as well as the murals of bodhisattva in caves 172 and 199, illustrated in Chang Shuhong, The Art Treasures of Dunhuang, Hong Kong and New York, 1981, paying close attention to the garments and ornamentation of the figures.Auction result comparison: Compare with a closely related, but smaller fresco fragment with a single celestial maiden, at Sotheby's New York, Important Chinese Art, 11 September 2019, lot 816, sold for USD 37,500.元至明代壁畫石膏浮雕殘片中國，1279-1644年。長方形殘片上描繪著兩位天女，一個在演奏琵琶，另一個在演奏鈸。她們身著飾有精美的珠寶的長袍，頭戴珠冠。從左邊緣可以看到第三位音樂家的手臂和長笛。色彩明艷，突出了帶有浮雕的金彩裝飾。 來源：加拿大私人遺產。一位知名藏家，購於上述收藏。 品相：木底裝幀，除此之外為原始未修補狀態。缺損，磨損，風化，裂縫和腐蝕。 尺寸：113.5 x 52 厘米 拍賣結果比較：一件相近但更小的、並只有一位天女的殘片見紐約蘇富比Important Chinese Art拍場2019年9月11日 lot 816, 售價USD 37,500.

Titled "Petrovschina", oil on canvas, signed and dated 87. Dedication to consigner verso. Mihail Chemiakin was a prominent member of the Soviet Nonconformist movement. He developed the philosophy of Metaphysical Synthesism, dedicated to the creation of a new form of icon-painting based on the study of religious art of all ages and peoples. In 1971, Chemiakin was forced out of the USSR by the Soviet authorities. He settled, first in Paris, and then moved to New York City in 1980. Chemiakin works in a broad range of media, from drawings to monumental sculpture, theater and cinema, and on themes ranging from the theatrical to the philosophical. Overall size: 48 x 48 in. Sight size: 40 x 40 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.

Titled, "Harlequin", original mixed media, annotated upper left, signed & dated lower left 1973. Mihail Chemiakin was a prominent member of the Soviet Nonconformist movement. He developed the philosophy of Metaphysical Synthesism, dedicated to the creation of a new form of icon-painting based on the study of religious art of all ages and peoples. In 1971, Chemiakin was forced out of the USSR by the Soviet authorities. He settled, first in Paris, and then moved to New York City in 1980. Chemiakin works in a broad range of media, from drawings to monumental sculpture, theater and cinema, and on themes ranging from the theatrical to the philosophical. Overall size: 34 1/2 x 27 1/2 in. Sight size: 22 1/2 x 15 1/2 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.

Titled, "Portrait of V. Nijinsky", color lithograph, signed and numbered 84/89. Mihail Chemiakin was a prominent member of the Soviet Nonconformist movement. He developed the philosophy of Metaphysical Synthesism, dedicated to the creation of a new form of icon-painting based on the study of religious art of all ages and peoples. In 1971, Chemiakin was forced out of the USSR by the Soviet authorities. He settled, first in Paris, and then moved to New York City in 1980. Chemiakin works in a broad range of media, from drawings to monumental sculpture, theater and cinema, and on themes ranging from the theatrical to the philosophical. Overall size: 40 x 32 in. Sight size: 28 1/2 x 21 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.

Original mixed media on paper, signed and dated lower right 1982. Mihail Chemiakin was a prominent member of the Soviet Nonconformist movement. He developed the philosophy of Metaphysical Synthesism, dedicated to the creation of a new form of icon-painting based on the study of religious art of all ages and peoples. In 1971, Chemiakin was forced out of the USSR by the Soviet authorities. He settled, first in Paris, and then moved to New York City in 1980. Chemiakin works in a broad range of media, from drawings to monumental sculpture, theater and cinema, and on themes ranging from the theatrical to the philosophical. Overall size: 23 x 23 in. Sight size: 12 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.

Titled, "Fruit Metamorphosis", original mixed media, signed and dated 1987 (1980 on label). Mihail Chemiakin was a prominent member of the Soviet Nonconformist movement. He developed the philosophy of Metaphysical Synthesism, dedicated to the creation of a new form of icon-painting based on the study of religious art of all ages and peoples. In 1971, Chemiakin was forced out of the USSR by the Soviet authorities. He settled, first in Paris, and then moved to New York City in 1980. Chemiakin works in a broad range of media, from drawings to monumental sculpture, theater and cinema, and on themes ranging from the theatrical to the philosophical. Overall size: 21 1/2 x 21 1/2 in. Sight size: 12 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.

Titled, “Meta Self Portrait”, color lithograph signed and numbered 94/99. Mihail Chemiakin was a prominent member of the Soviet Nonconformist movement. He developed the philosophy of Metaphysical Synthesism, dedicated to the creation of a new form of icon-painting based on the study of religious art of all ages and peoples. In 1971, Chemiakin was forced out of the USSR by the Soviet authorities. He settled, first in Paris, and then moved to New York City in 1980. Chemiakin works in a broad range of media, from drawings to monumental sculpture, theater and cinema, and on themes ranging from the theatrical to the philosophical. Overall size: 40 x 32 in. Sight size: 28 1/2 x 21 in. Please note that all sales are final. No refunds will be given under any circumstances.

Léon Zack (Lev Vasilevich Zak) (Russian/French, 1892-1980)Maternity signed in Latin (lower left)oil on canvas92 x 73cm (36 1/4 x 28 3/4in).Painted c. 1930Footnotes:ProvenanceCollection of Nadine Nieszawer, ParisLiteratureJewish Artists of the school of Paris, 1905-1939, Somogy Éditions d'Art, Paris, 2015, p. 341Léon Zack studied painting in private academies and literature at the University of Moscow. He then spent time in several studios where he met avant-garde artist Ilya Mashkov, the founding member of the group Jack of Diamonds which referred to Cézanne's Fauvism and presages of Cubism. In 1913, he published a collection of poems signed under the pseudonym 'Chrysanthe' and married, in 1917, Nadia Braudo with whom he had two children: Irene, who became a sculptor, and Florent.In 1920, Zack and his family left Russia for France via Rome, Florence, and Berlin, where he produced set designs and costumes for the Russian romantic ballets directed by Boris Romanov. Ten years later, Zack joined the neo-humanists movement inspired by the art critic Waldemar George. During this time, Léon Zack also worked for the Monte-Carlo Ballet and illustrated works by Arthur Rimbaud, Verlaine, Mallarmé, and Baudelaire. In 1940, he left Paris and took refuge in Arcachon, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Grenoble. He returned to Paris in 1945 where he exhibited his first abstract works at Katia Granoff's and at the Garets gallery.From 1955 onwards, Zack dedicated his career to religious art and specialised in the production of stained-glass windows for Notre-Dame-des-Pauvres at Issy-Les-Moulineaux and for numerous churches in Paris and French provinces.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A TALL PAINTED LACQUER INCENSE-BURNER STAND, XIANGJIMid Qing DynastyWith circular top and constricted waist supported on five flanged tall curling legs terminating in curving 'slipper' feet standing on a circular plinth, finely decorated with designs of bats amidst wispy clouds and beaded scrolls, all between leiwen bands and above blossoming flowers.89.5cm (35 2/8in) high x 37cm (14 1/2in) diam.Footnotes:Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價清中期 彩漆五足高束腰圓香幾Stands of this type were used both in religious and secular contexts to hold incense burners and flower vases. An earlier stand of this type is portrayed in situ on a woodblock print from chapter 18 of the famous novel Jin Pin Mei (The Plum in the Golden Vase), reproduced in C.Clunas, 'The Novel Jin Ping Mei as a Source for the Study of Ming Furniture', Orientations, January 1992, p.62, pl.5. See a related painted lacquer circular, five-legged table dated 1637, illustrated by Lee Yu-kuan, Oriental Lacquer Art, New York and Tokyo, 1972, p.323.Compare also with a pair of lacquer incense stands, Kangxi, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 12 September 2018, lot 265.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Barry Wilkinson (British, B. 1923) "The Notre Dame Cathedral" Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Signed lower right. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Europa CEPT stamp of Luxembourg issued May 3, 1983. Luxembourg ranks as one of the world's smallest and oldest independent countries. It covers an area smaller than the state of Rhode Island ... and has about a third as many people as that state. Yet, despite its small size, Luxembourg is home to some of the world's greatest works of human genius. The tiny Duchy of Luxembourg has over 130 castles within its borders and some of the most beautiful cathedrals to be found in the world. One of the most memorable of these cathedrals is the Cathedral of Notre Dame which is displayed in this artwork. The cathedral was built between 1613 and 1618 with a Gothic interior and a Renaissance west door. The three naves at identical levels give this church the character of a "hall church," much like the Bristol Cathedral in England. The church at Notre Dame was promoted to the status of cathedral in 1870. Once each year, near Easter, large numbers of people flock to this beautiful cathedral to venerate the miraculous image of the Consolation of the Afflicted, patron saint of the city. This great center of religious festivities and art is indeed one of Luxembourg's foremost achievements of human genius. Image Size: 10.75 x 9 in. Overall Size: 13 x 11.5 in. Unframed. (B08187)

Kadhim Hayder (Iraq, 1932-1985)How He Wandered with the Heart of a Martyr (From the Epic of the Martyr Series) oil on canvas, framedexecuted in 1963127 x 176cm (50 x 69 5/16in).Footnotes:Provenance:Property from a private collection, EnglandFormerly property from the collection of the renowned Iraqi architect Said Ali Madhloom (1921-2017)Acquired directly from the artist by the above Exhibited:The Marty's Epic, Kadhim Hayder, Baghdad National Museum, 1965 (the present work is composition No.6 from the cycle)The Marty's Epic, Kadhim Hayder, Sursock Museum, Beirut 1965Published:Hiwar, Vol.3 No.3, Kadhim Hayder: Waddah Faris, 1965 (preparatory sketch)A MONUMENTAL 1963 MASTERPIECE FROM KADHIM HAYDER'S MARTYR'S EPIC: THE LARGEST COMPOSITION FROM THE SERIES EVER TO COME TO AUCTION'The horse represents the knight, keeping with the popular belief that the horse carries the spirit of the knight after his martyrdom.'- Kadhim Hayder'The exhibition of The Epic of the Martyr took place in circumstances that were politically and culturally complicated; it turned the idea of martyrdom into a modern symbol that cried out in tragedy apart from any religious interpretation.'- Dia al-AzzawiHow He Wandered with the Heart of a Martyr, by Saleem Al-Bahloly How He Wandered with the Heart of a Martyr belongs to a landmark series of paintings shown at the National Museum of Modern Art in Baghdad the last week of April 1965 under the title The Epic of the Martyr. The series drew immediate critical acclaim for the way that the artist, Kadhim Haidar, was able to derive from popular culture not simply visual motifs to tailor the styles of modernism to the local context of Iraq but a means of expression for articulating the human condition. The human condition preoccupied artists and thinkers across the world in the middle of the twentieth-century; but in Iraq the concept of the human took on a particular significance following the persecution of leftists in the aftermath of the Baʿath coup in 1963. The Epic of the Martyr was so important largely because it demonstrated how artists could represent modern experience by drawing upon their cultural history.Haidar began working on the series in 1963 shortly after returning from London where he had studied printmaking and stage-design at the Royal College of Art. On the one hand, the paintings were a continuation of the interests of artists in the 1950s: in the inspiration Haidar found in popular culture and in his adoption of certain pictorial devices from ancient Assyrian sculpture to modern art (associated with the Baghdad Group for Modern Art) as well as in his concern with political struggles for justice (associated with the Pioneers art group). On the other hand, however, Haidar opened a new horizon for the practice of art by structuring the paintings around an act of symbolism.The paintings are composed of horses and warriors, wielding spears and swords and bearing banners and shields, that are positioned on a flat, mythical landscape. This imagery was drawn from the annual taʿziya celebrations that mourn the martyrdom of al-Husayn and other members of the Prophet's family in a stand-off with the Umayyad army in 680 AD; in particular, the imagery is taken from the processions in which a pageant of costumed figures representing characters from the battle fought on the 'plain' west of the Euphrates parade through the street accompanying poets who narrate in a vernacular tradition of verse the injustice suffered by the Prophet's family. In the paintings, this imagery has been reconstructed according to a variety of devices inspired by a range of sources: the bodies of the horses and figures are turned toward the viewer, as if they are appearing on a stage or in an ancient frieze depicting a historic battle; a sense of performance is carried into the image by the intense expressivity of their gestures which seem to dissolve anatomical features and the outline of shapes in a fervour of emotion; the limbs of human and animal bodies alike are often multiplied (an influence of Assyrian sculptural reliefs that Haider almost certainly saw at the British Museum in London) and tapered (a form of modelling inspired by the sculpture of Henry Moore).The reconstructed imagery is arranged in the paintings not to narrate a historical event but to elaborate a concept of the martyr that emerged out of that event—a hero who by his death in a struggle for truth paradoxically triumphs. Haidar developed this concept of the martyr in painting by focusing on the symbolic relation between the fallen martyr and his horse. As he explained to the newspaper al-Jumhuriyya in 1965: 'the horse represents the knight, keeping with the popular belief that the horse carries the spirit of the knight after his martyrdom.' That symbolism is present in the mourning processions where al-Husayn is represented by a riderless white horse; but it has its roots in a legend that, when al-Husayn's horse saw his beheaded corpse, it circled around his body, rubbed its head in his blood, let out a ferocious whine and killed forty men.That moment when the martyr is transfigured into the symbol of the horse is in part dramatized in How He Wandered with the Heart of a Martyr. A white horse stands in the foreground carrying on its back a decapitated body. It groans violently into the helmeted warrior on the left who holds a sword triumphantly over his head; arrayed behind the white horse at centre are other horses in crimson and mustard-orange and warriors whose spears and shields resolve into simple shapes and strokes in the distance. The body of the headless corpse astride the white horse is unlike the other bodies in the paintings: it has volume and weight, it casts a shadow, and it gathers together the pinks, grays and browns in the picture. This painting was the sixth in the series; in another painting that comes near the end of the series, in the collection of the Barjeel Art Foundation, Fatigued, Ten Horses Converse with Nothing, the headless corpse morphs into the heads of two horses. The paintings in The Epic of the Martyr were different sizes, and this was one of the largest. Its size reflects Haidar's interest in the mourning processions as a kind of street theatre, his work in stage design, and the monumental scale of ancient Mesopotamian sculpture. But it also reflects, as Dia al-ʿAzzawi has written, Haidar's desire to collapse the distinction between gallery and street, and between art and ritual, by reproducing the atmosphere of the folk celebration inside the museum. To that end, for the exhibition in 1965, Haidar composed a poem in which each line corresponded to a painting in the series, in this way reproducing the coupling of pageant and poetry in the mourning processions. This attempt to go beyond the conventional materials of painting, in order to use the artwork to stage an experience that is not only visual but also emotive, makes The Epic of the Martyr one of the earliest pieces of contemporary art in the Middle East.Saleem Al-Bahloly received a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and has held fellowships at Johns Hopkins and the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is writing a book about an intellectual shift that occurred in Iraq during the 1960s in response to disillusionment with left-wing politics.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Dia Azzawi (Iraq, born 1939)Oh Ali! oil on canvas, framedsigned and dated 1964 78 x 82cm (30 11/16 x 32 5/16in).Footnotes:A HIGHLY IMPORTANT 1964 PAINTING BY DIA AZZAWI FROM HIS FIRST EVER SOLO EXHIBITION AT THE AL-WASITI GALLERYProvenance:Property from a private collection, EnglandFormerly property from the collection of the renowned Iraqi architect Said Ali Madhloom (1921-2017)Acquired directly from the artist by the aboveExhibited:Baghdad, Al-Wasiti Gallery, The First Exhibition of Paintings by Dia Azzawi, 1965Published:Baghdad, Al-Wasiti Gallery, Exhibition Catalogue, The First Exhibition of Paintings by Dia Azzawi, 1965'After 1963 it became clear for many artists that one-man shows were more important than group exhibitions with others, which had been the norm in the fifties. What was it like to work during that period? It wasn't really that easy because of the chaos and the politics and the uncertainty for most artists and writers. Some of them left Baghad to work in Beirut, others left to different parts of the world. For me, when I had my own first one-man show, in 1965 at Al-Wasiti Gallery, it was there that I met Kadhim Haider, Ismail Fattah and other artists, it was obvious that I was an artist who tried to be involved in the identity question which had been raised by the Baghdad Group of Modern Art'-Dia AzzawiThe present work is one of Dia Azzawi's most significant works to come to auction and participated in his maiden solo exhibition at Baghdad's Al-Wasiti Gallery in 1965. Replete with rich symbolism, it is from one of the artists earliest bodies of work exploring the role and significance of folkloric, popular religious and cultural iconography in modern painting.As Saleem Al-Baholy notes, 'stylistically, Azzawi's work of the early 1960s remained more figurative with stronger ties to mythology and history, which was the thread that maintained his connection to the Baghdad Group of Modern Art as their anticipated inheritor who could further their goals. Equally, Azzawi's use of colour reflected the inspiration of his teacher Faeq Hassan. He was thus able to negotiate two distinct strands of development in modern Iraqi art: the philosophical abstractions of Iraqi Signs and symbols by the Baghdad Group of Modern Art and Faeq Hassan's mastery of technique. In the present work the artist abstracts cultural iconography mixing Islamic and pre-Islamic motifs found in ancient rock reliefs, Islamic manuscripts, metalwork and creates a rich tapestry of varied meaning as a result. The dominant feature, the central hand reading Ya Ali! Is a popular sculptural motif forged as part of the 'alam', the large sculptural standard which accompanies Sh'iite martyrdom rituals.Azzawi's abiding love and respect for the tonal characteristics of the natural world and for ancient Iraqi imagery shines through in this important early work, which echoes the formal approach and inimitable style of the 'New Vision' school of painting he would come to found in 1969. Azzawi typically incorporates structures and visual symbolism harking back millennia in his paintings, which is evident here in the pseudo-figurative form depicted in the composition, which recalls ancient Mesopotamian bass-reliefs and their mythological imagery.Azzawi started his artistic career in 1964, after graduating from the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad and completing a degree in archaeology from Baghdad University in 1962. His studies of ancient civilizations and Iraqi heritage had a profound impact on his art, and a key objective in the early formation of his artistic style was to link the visual culture of the past to the present.In 1969, Azzawi formed the New Vision Group (al-Ru'yya al-Jadidah), uniting fellow artists ideologically and culturally as opposed to stylistically. The group's manifesto, Towards a New Vision, highlighted an association between art and revolution, and sought to transcend the notion of a 'local style'—coined by the Baghdad Modern Art Group—by broadening the parameters of local culture to include the entire Arab world.With exhibitions of his work held worldwide, including a landmark retrospective in 2017 at Qatar's MATHAF, his art features in the collections of some of the world's most prestigious museums and institutions. He is also regarded, in the tumultuous post-conflict climate of 2000s Iraq, considered to be the ultimate authority on modernist and contemporary art from the region.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Charles Hossein Zenderoudi (Iran, born 1937)ZAMIN LARZEH acrylic on canvas, framedsigned and dated 1971150 x 134cm (59 1/16 x 52 3/4in).Footnotes:'To create a painting, I begin with the preliminary study, which consists of sketches on paper, followed immediately by the painting of letters and colouring on canvas... I am thus able to immediately express my spontaneous feelings on canvas. Sometimes I leave a canvas to work on another, this is like improvisation in music, for I treasure freedom more than anything else. I couldn't be what I am if I didn't have freedom to express my lyricism. I don't believe in teaching painting, since I do not believe that technical training is required to make one a great painter. Painting can be done with any tool or any piece of equipment, I believe all schools of fine art, all over the world, should be shut down'- Charles Hossein Zenderoudi, Midi Libre, No 9401, 9 April 1971Provenance:Property from a private French collectionCharles Hossein Zenderoudi is one of Iran's most accomplished modern artists, as a founding father Iranian neo-traditionalism Zenderoudi is a master of blending traditional Persian motif's within a distinctly avant-garde aesthetic.His choice of subject matter, calligraphy, has historically been the most established mode of formal artistic expression prevalent in Iran, but, by emphasising form over meaning, and by stripping the written word down to its aesthetic, structural, fundaments, Zenderoudi subverts the traditional values of Persian calligraphy. Zenderoudi's text is intentionally illegible and carries no literal meaning, freeing it from the constraint of linguistic limitation, and imbuing it with a sense of universality which rescues the archaic practice of calligraphy from obscurity, giving it renewed relevance in a contemporary context.Zenderoudi's compositions pay homage to centuries of Persian religious imagery and employ a systematic repetition of letter-forms that finds its genesis in the mystical practice of Sufi numerologists, who believed in the spiritual significance of singular letters and worked these principles into hugely intricate talismanic charts. Zenderoudi's methodical compositions, whilst not accurately following the grammar or axioms of numerology, capture the aesthetic and conceptual qualities of its cryptic nature.Zenderoudi's early works focused on dense talismanic imagery, mixing iconography, freehand script and numerals. The density of these compositions sought to capture the visual intensity of popular religious expression in Iran, where banners, standards, altars, murals and mosques exuberantly adorn the urban landscape.Works from the present series, composed in the 1970's, mark a shift towards a more avant-garde, patterned, technical and measured approach to calligraphy. The crowded iconography of the early works is replaced by a greater focus on singular and recurring letter-forms, which exhibit a formal refinement lacking in their earlier counterparts. The present work also marks a conceptual shift away from the more overtly traditional subject matters and more towards a pure, patterned aesthetic which emphasises the meditative and visual elements of letter depiction over their linguistic connotation.Measured but spontaneous, technical yet effuse, Zenderoudi' manipulates Persian calligraphy with effortless ease, boasting a visual scope which faithfully captures the salient elements of Iran's traditional popular religious aesthetic. Rendered with the use of rich and vibrant colours, his canvases replicate the tonal and textural qualities of the votive art so common to the Iranian urban landscape.Almost rhythmic in its grace, balance and composition, the present work is one of the finest examples of Zenderoudi's work from this period.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ** VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

GIRARDET, EUGÈNEParis 1853 - 1907Titel: Die Karawane. Technik: Öl auf Leinwand. Montierung: Doubliert. Maße: 70 x 121cm. Bezeichnung: Signiert unten rechts: Eugène Girardet. Rahmen/Sockel: Rahmen. Provenienz:Privatbesitz, Deutschland.Ab dem späten 17. Jahrhundert etablieren sich in Frankreich die Salons, also Kunstausstellungen für ein gebildetes, begütertes und meist bürgerliches Publikum. Diese auf den Salons vertretene Malerei prägte dann hauptsächlich im 19. Jahrhundert den Kunstgeschmack entscheidend mit. Die in den Gemälden gezeigten Themen waren breit gefächert, vom religiösen, allegorischen und historischen Hintergrund bis hin zu exotischen Darstellungen aus den fremden, gerade neu entdeckten Welten. Diesen Zweig, der sich besonders in Frankreich durch die Expansion nach Nordafrika stark ausgeprägte, beschreibt heute das Stichwort Orientalismus sehr sinnbildlich. Denn die Entdeckung der Fremde, der neugierige Blick auf andere, arabisch geprägte Kulturen und die Faszination über exotische Landschaften ist stilbildend für eine eigene Kunstrichtung. Eugène Girardet ist ein wichtiger Vertreter des französischen Orientalismus, der zwar im Zentrum Paris lebte und arbeitete, aber zahlreiche Reisen in den arabischen Kulturraum unternahm. Von dort brachte er seine Eindrücke mit - hier die Szene einer umherziehenden Beduinenfamilie am Rande der Wüste.Dem Publikum in Frankreich und auch in den deutschen akademischen Kunstausstellungen erzählte er so mit seinen lebendigen Darstellungen vom unbekannten Alltagsleben. Er entsprach damit der Sehnsucht nach Neuem, die in einer Gesellschaft brodelte, in der sich kaum jemand auf weite Reisen traute oder sich diese gar leisten konnte.Erläuterungen zum KatalogEugène Girardet Frankreich Orientalismus 2.H. 19.Jh. Gemälde Landleben Malerei Afrika GIRARDET, EUGÈNEParis 1853 - 1907Title: The Caravan. Technique: Oil on Canvas. Mounting: Relined. Measurement: 70 x 121cm. Notation: Signed bottom right: Eugène Girardet. Frame/Pedestal: Framed.Provenance:Private ownership, Germany.From the late 17th century onwards, the salons, i.e. art exhibitions for an educated, wealthy and mostly bourgeois audience, became established in France. This painting represented at the salons then had a decisive influence on artistic taste, mainly in the 19th century. The subjects shown in the paintings were wide-ranging, from religious, allegorical and historical backgrounds to exotic depictions from foreign worlds that had just been discovered. This branch, which became particularly pronounced in France as a result of its expansion into North Africa, is very symbolically described today by the keyword Orientalism. For the discovery of foreign lands, the curious look at other Arabic cultures and the fascination with exotic landscapes formed the style for an art movement of its own. Eugène Girardet is an important representative of French Orientalism. Although he lived and worked in the centre of Paris, he undertook numerous journeys to the Arab cultural area. From there he brought back his impressions - here the scene of a wandering Bedouin family on the edge of the desert.To the public in France and also in the German academic art exhibitions, he thus told of unknown everyday life with his lively depictions. In this way, he responded to the longing for novelty that was bubbling up in a society in which hardly anyone dared to travel far or could even afford to do so.Explanations to the Catalogue

Mary Cox (Contemporary) Piggy Back Bronze resin 33" high x 12" (diameter of base) Horatio's Garden will receive 100% of the proceeds from this lot. Mary Cox studied at Chelsea Art School under Willi Soukop, Bernard Meadows and Elizabeth Frink. Since leaving art school she has lived and worked in Sussex, where she has been commissioned to create works for churches and hospitals. Her work is characterised by its liveliness and sensitivity. Her sculptures of children, many based on her own family, are full of life and careful observation. Her sculptured portraits in bronze include Malcolm Muggeridge and eminent members of the legal profession, but she specialises in children's portraits. She also sculpts small Limited Edition bronzes of mythological and religious subjects. Mary Cox has created many life size sculptures for gardens. Her life size figures can be cast in bronze or bronze resin, and are a lovely focus in a garden. She also undertakes commissions.

A GOLD COIN BRACELET, BY UNO A ERRE, CIRCA 1955Composed of five gold coins within ropetwist frames, the central coin of the United States dated 1880, between three of Napoleon III empire dated 1862, and one of Emperor Franz Josef dated 1883, framed by polished gold links, connected by gold reeded links, mounted on 18K gold, with maker's mark 'UNO AR', with Italian assay mark dated between 1944-1968 'AR' for Arezzo, length 19cmUno A Erre was established in 1926, bearing the name Gori & Zucchi after its founders, Leopoldo Gori and Carlo Zucchi. The first workshop was located in the centre of Arezzo city, nestled between Via Seteria and Corso Italia. In 1934, Gori & Zucchi was honoured by becoming the first goldsmithing company in Arezzo to receive a hallmark. This hallmark, consisting of the number one to denote the first and AR to signify Arezzo, went on to become the company's new name, Uno A Erre. Following WWII, Uno A Erre decided to utilise the industrial production methods that had become mainstream during the war to manufacture their jewellery. This greatly reduced costs and allowed the company to expand so that, by the 1960s, there were just under 1,500 employees.In the early sixties, the Medaglia dell'Amore was conceived, a love token inspired by poet Rosemonde G. Rostand's verse 'I love you more than yesterday but less than tomorrow'. The following twenty years saw the demand for craft medals increase dramatically and an international competition for medals and art plaques was set up. Uno A Erre began collaborations with various artists and, with the opening of academies, such as the Centro Studi Superiori di Arte Orafa, they devoted great attention to the training of their goldsmiths. The medals were presented in many forms, including pendants, charms and bracelets and covered a variety of subjects, both religious and secular. In 1998, Uno A Erre highlighted their jewellery as an art form when they founded the first Italian museum dedicated to goldsmithing. The museum explores the industry from its ancient inception up to the present day.Condition Report: Normal signs of wear, overall in good conditionMaker's mark, Italian assay mark and 750 for 18K gold located on the claspTotal gross weight approx. 85.27g

1st century AD. A substantial terracotta oil lamp with ribbing to the discus and short nozzle with volute scrolls; low-relief image of two lovers on a couch.Cf. Bussière, J., Lindros Wohl, B., Ancient Lamps in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 2017, figs.85ff, and especially nos.97,105.65 grams, 11.7cm (4 1/2"). From an important collection, London, UK, 1970-1999; thence by descent; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10640-174484.The lamp belongs to the Bailey type A group 2 (Loeschke type 1B), usually dated from Late Augustan to Early Flavian times. Erotic lamps were particularly popular before the Christianisation of the Roman Empire. Roman sexuality differed considerably from later Christian European attitudes. Roman religion, for example, promoted sexuality as one of the fundamental aspects of prosperity for the entire state; individuals could turn to private religious practice, or even magic, to improve their erotic life or health and reproductive capacity; moreover, prostitution in ancient Rome was legal, public and widespread. Artistic subjects that today we would define without hesitation as pornography, were present among the art collections of the most respectable and high status Roman families. A video of this lot is available to view at TimeLine Auctions website. Very fine condition.

Later 3rd century AD. An articulated folding tripod stand with extendable iron trellis legs, forming the support structure for a military camp table or cauldron; the upper end of each leg ornamented with a bronze female bust (Mater Castrorum or Medusa) facing outwards with long hair collected in a high propoloma, divided on the forehead and forming two lateral horns on a rectangular-section hollow mount, L-shaped bracket to the rear to support the table-top; the legs of the tripod, decorated on the external side with inlaid gilt foliage and spirals, terminating in feline paws; at the lower end of each leg, a rectangular-section collar, the bronze foot formed as a lion's head with socket above and claw beneath; the scissor-joint of each leg covered with a domed discoid bronze plate with concentric ring detail; a small hook to the sliding mechanism on one leg; offered with a glass top allowing for use as an occasional table.See Mattusch, C.C., Enduring Bronze: Ancient Art, Modern Views, Los Angeles, 2014, pp.72-73, fig.52a-b, inv. no.96.AC.203, for a similar tripod decorated with horses in the Paul Getty Museum; Wamser, L., Die Welt von Byzanz - Europas Östliches Erbe, München, 2004, fig.355, for a 6th-7th century AD Roman example.4.5 kg, 93cm (36 1/2"). From an important East Anglian arms and armour collection; acquired from a Dutch private collection in the 1990s; previously in a Swiss family collection since before 1980; accompanied by an archaeological report by military specialist Dr. Raffaele D’Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10679-175129.Folding tripod stands are well known in the ancient world, in both Greek and Roman contexts. These folding supports for tables, bracers and cauldrons are known finds from important excavations in the Roman world, like Pompeii. The purpose of such folding stands varied; during a meal they were placed between the triclinary beds with bowls and application plates hung to the hooks at the back of the holders, here shaped as heads of a Mater Castrorum, pointing to a campaign use. A tripod with an intact bronze basin is on display at the Firenze Archaeological Museum. Some were used as supports for campaign tables during military activities, with a circular board inserted onto the pegs to lock the legs into place. Depending on their size, the width of the table frame could be changed. Roman folding tripods could also have been used in religious rituals and sacrifices. Burnt offerings and libations were offered to the gods in cauldrons that would have been attached to the hooks behind the heads on the upper section. They were also used for fire lights during military camps, or in the temples of the gods. Others were used as support frames for bronze bowls, either for washing or for ritual purposes; others formed the base for travelling altars, again often used by the military whilst on campaign. Their use continued in the Roman world at least until the 7th century AD. Fine condition, some restoration. Excessively rare.

16th century AD. A box composed of bronze repoussé panels variously depicting two crowned double-headed eagles with 'M' on breast, surrounded by stars within roundels and floriate edge borders to the hinged lid; similar identical eagle to each panel of the ends; frieze of four standing figures within arches to front panel including nimbate Saint John Evangelist, nimbate Christ, a mitred archbishop, perhaps representing the local main Saint, and a nimbate armoured saint with pseudo-classical Roman armour and crossed flag, possibly representing St George; the panels which are believed to be French are fixed to a rectangular wood casket and fabric linings of 19th century date, with lock without key.See similar style plaques on a casket from France in the Metropolitan Museum of Arts, accession no.41.100.194.1.7 kg, 27.5 x 17 x 16cm (10 3/4 x 6 3/4 x 6 1/4"). From the private collection of an Oxfordshire, UK, gentleman; previously from the private property of a Dulwich school academic; formerly in a private museum collection; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no. 10650-174163.As was typical in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, the line between religious and secular subject matter is fine. Here, an imperial symbol - the eagle - is represented alongside Jesus and the saints. The style is certainly French, as shown on a similar casket from the 14th century in the MET. However, the form of the figures is clearly later, pointing to a date after the first half of the 16th century. If so, the bishop represented could be the French Patron, Saint Denis. Inside the lid of this casket is the letter 'M' inside a crowned eagle, relating to the original royal or noble owner or donor. A video of this lot is available to view at TimeLine Auctions website. Fine condition.

Cased part set of five silver Art Nouveau buttons, maker James Deakin & Son, Chester 1902; together with a further set of six white metal (untested) Art Nouveau buttons, pierced with a religious scene, both sets of buttons in red leather cases (11)

Early 20th Century ship in a bottle, with a smoking chimney, together with a sand picture bottle from the Isle of Wight showing Carisbrooke Castle, The Needles and The Arch Rock, 21cm high and the third bottle with a folk art framed religious panel, 22cm high, (3)

Narkiss (Bezalel) Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts in the British Isles: A Catalogue Raisonné, vol.1 (in 2): The Spanish and Portuguese Manuscripts, 2 vol., slightly damp-stained at edges of boards, Jerusalem & London, 1982; Hebrew Illuminated Manuscripts, Jerusalem, 1969 § Epstein (M.M.) The Medieval Haggadah: Art, Narrative, and Religious Imagination, New Haven & London, 2011 § Simeon (Joel ben) The Washington Haggadah, Washington, 2011 § Sed-Rajna (G.) The Hebrew Bible in Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts, New York, 1987, illustrations, some colour, original cloth or boards, the first with slip-case, the rest dust-jackets; and 2 others on Hebrew manuscripts, 4to & folio (8)

A VERY RARE IMPERIAL YELLOW SATIN EMBROIDERED CHUBAThe silk YongzhengThe side-closing chuba tailored in Tibet from Chinese 18th century Imperial yellow silk brocade, finely worked in gold and multi-coloured threads with five-clawed dragons grasping flaming pearls within a background of wispy clouds picked out in various colours of pink, blue, green and ochre, all above the terrestrial diagram and lishui stripe at the hem, the collar and facing fashioned from waves taken from the original border, with pale blue silk lining. 180cm (71in) wide x 142cm (56in) long.Footnotes:清雍正 御製黃地織錦緞彩雲金龍紋藏袍袍料Provenance: Linda Wrigglesworth, London, 2006A distinguished French private collection來源：倫敦Linda Wrigglesworth，2006年法國傑出私人收藏Finely tailored from sumptuous Imperial yellow-ground embroidered silk, the present garment is a brilliant and ingenious adaptation of 18th century Chinese court costume to formal Tibetan ceremonial attire.Whilst the rather elaborate medallion on the inner flap of the robe, a feature rarely encountered on this type of garment, would have been originally intended to make up a cushion cover for a throne, the rest of the embroidery would have made up a dragon robe worn by one of the innermost members of the Qing court. This is evident in the neck area, which suggests that a separate embroidered collar and lapel were once applied and then removed to obtain a simpler Tibetan-style closure. According to Linda Wrigglesworth, the lack of the gold thread, which would have typically outlined the water and waves, was a feature typically encountered on robes tailored for female members of the court and indeed suggest that the dragon robe incorporated in the present chuba was originally destined for an Imperial consort. This assumption is reinforced by the counter-clockwise coiling posture of the dragons to the chest area and back, which suggests that the wearer stood to the right of the emperor. It was normal practice for Imperial consorts to stand on either side of the emperor, who took the central position in a formal ceremony. It would make sense, therefore, for an Imperial consort to wear a robe whose dragons coiled towards the Imperial throne. See for example the painting depicting the Dowager empress Chongqing, mother of the Qianlong emperor, as she sits at a banquet table on a raised platform. Sitting to her left is her son, the Qianlong emperor, and further to the sides, her son's many consorts; see J.Stuart and Daisy Yiyou Wang, Empresses of China's Forbidden City 1644-1912, Salem, 2018, p.155, pl.7.During the Qing dynasty, it became an established practice for the court to send gifts of silks and garments to Tibet because of the strong attachment of the Manchu rulers to Tibetan Buddhism and the political relations; see J.Hevia, 'Lamas, Emperors, and Rituals: Political Implications in Qing Imperial Ceremonies', in Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, vol.16, no.2, 1993, pp.243-278.The Qing emperors made Beijing a major centre for the study of Tibetan Buddhism. The Qianlong emperor, in particular, recognised the supremacy of the religious authority of the Dalai Lama, and in turn Tibetans acknowledged the emperor as an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Manjusri, a manifestation of the Buddha of the Future; see M.Henss, 'The Bodhisattva Emperor: Tibeto-Chinese Portraits of Sacred and Secular Rule in the Qing Dynasty', in Oriental Art, vol.47, no.3, pp.2016.During the eighteenth century, the Qing court produced richly-decorated silk costumes specifically for use in Buddhist rituals and bestowed large quantities of Imperial dragon robes that became the customary formal dress for aristocratic Tibetans. At the time, regulations governed the quantity of yellow silks destined for religious leaders. In 1655, shortly after a visit by the Fifth Dalai Lama to Beijing, it was decreed that only high lamas with the title Gelung were allowed to receive yellow silks. This honour was regularly accorded to the Dalai and Panchen Lamas and the Grand Lama of Urga, the head of the Mongolian Buddhist hierarchy; see E.Sperling, 'The Fifth Karma-pa and Some aspects of the Relationship between Tibet and Early Ming', in M.Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi, Tibetan Studies in Honour of Hugh Richardson, Proceedings of the International Seminar on Tibetan Studies, Oxford, 1979, pp.280-289.The Tibetans traditionally wore robes featuring very long sleeves characterised by wider cuts and a simpler style of front overlap and fastening. The front part of the garment slanted from the neck to a fastening under the right arm. Sometimes the narrower Chinese robes were widened at the sides for easier movement and lengthened by the addition of material around the waist, which was concealed by the sash worn over the robe. These alterations were achieved by the Tibetans tailors by substituting the front underlap of the garment with another material, or by cutting off some of the deep wave border to extend the arms or widen the sleeves. The overall result conveyed a rather harmonious and eccentric effect obtained by combining different materials.For a discussion about 'dragon' robes tailored as Tibetan chuba, see J.Simcox and J.Vollmer, Emblems of Empire: Selection from the Mactaggart Art Collection, Edmonton CA, 2009, pp.200-217. Compare also with a similar yellow-ground silk chuba, 18th century, in the Art Gallery of South Wales, Sydney, illustrated by J.Rutherford, Celestial Silks. Chinese Religious and Court Textiles, Sydney, 2004, p.43, no.17.A related yellow-ground brocade silk chuba, 18th century, was sold at Christie's New York, 17 september 2008, lot 174.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

A FINE IMPERIAL KESI 'DRAGON' ROUNDEL FROM A CEREMONIAL GARMENTQianlongFinely woven with a gold front-facing five-clawed dragon with its body coiled around a flaming pearl as it leaps amidst ruyi clouds interspersed with the Eight Buddhist Emblems, Bajixiang, above billowing waves, all woven in fine gold and multi-coloured threads on a black silk ground.28.5cm (11 1/2in) diam.Footnotes:清乾隆 御製緙絲袞服雲龍圓補Provenance: a European private collection, 19th century.Linda Wrigglesworth, London來源：十九世紀，歐洲私人舊藏倫敦Linda WrigglesworthFinely embroidered with a front-facing striding dragon pursuing the flaming pearl, the present roundel would have likely decorated an Imperial ceremonial surcoat. The Qing emperors made Beijing a major centre for the study of Tibetan Buddhism. The Qianlong emperor, in particular, recognised the supremacy of the religious authority of the Dalai Lama, and in turn Tibetans acknowledged the emperor as the incarnation of the Bodhisattva Manjusri, a manifestation of the Buddha of the Future.The origin of Imperial surcoats, gunfu appears to date to the Zhou dynasty (circa 1050-265BC). The name continued to be used throughout the Qing dynasty, suggesting the emperors' intention of representing themselves as Chinese emperors. The emperor's surcoat was decorated with four roundels each centred with a five-clawed dragon, long. The roundels positioned at the shoulders were also decorated with the symbols of the sun and the moon, two of the most important Twelve symbols of Imperial Authority. One of the first reference to the garment in the early eighteenth century court regulations specifies the wearing of the gunfu on the occasion of the first day of the annual sacrifices at the Altar of Heaven; see S.V.R.Camman, China's Dragon Robes, New York, 1952, p.28. By the mid eighteenth century, wearing a surcoat over a semi-formal dragon robe jifu, was widespread throughout the court.Compare with a related silk embroidered dragon roundel from a ceremonial garment, early 18th century, similarly decorated with a front-facing five-clawed dragon surrounded by the Eight Buddhist Emblems, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acc.no.62.97.36.A related and rare Imperial kesi dragon roundel from an emperor's surcoat was sold at Christie's New York, 19 March 2008, lot 5.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Alan Salisbury (20th/21st century) "Commedia del Goalie: Melancholicus", initialled and dated 2006, titled on exhibition label - 'The Royal Cambrian Academy' verso, oil on board.32.5cm x 23.5cm (12.75in x 9.25in)Footnote:* Alan Salisbury was born in Preston, Lancashire and studied painting at Manchester and Liverpool Colleges of Art and the Royal College of Art, London. He has lived in Wales since 1974 working at the University of Glamorgan where he was Principal Lecturer in Painting and Field Leader in Arts and Media. He has now left to concentrate on his own artistic practice although he maintains contact with the University as an External Fellow. He has exhibited widely throughout the UK, in Europe and the USA. In 2005 he was awarded Joint First Prize in the Liverpool School of Art Alumni Open Competition. In 2008 he was awarded First Prize in the Wales Portrait Award 2 Competition.Creating a group of paintings that share a conceptual theme occurs often in Alan’s work. This can be exemplified in his two series of works called ‘Commedia del Goalie’ and ‘The Art of the Goalkeeper’. These series explore two major obsessions, football and painting. An interest in the religious painting of the 15th century is used as a metaphor to examine the role of the solitary goalkeeper as the last defender required to save the team and also as the individual most likely to be vilified.Artists’ Resale Right (“droit de suite”) may apply to this lot.Condition report:The painting is in very good, original condition. There are one or two small flecks of paint loss across the painting. The painting is framed but not glazed. The frame has some minor scuffs and knocks commensurate with age.

A VERY RARE ARCHAIC BRONZE COPPER-INLAID WINE VESSEL, BIANHUWarring States PeriodThe vessel with flattened oval sides raised on a spreading rectangular pedestal foot, the main faces cast in relief with panels of tight abstract curling patterns arranged in five horizontal bands within copper-inlaid borders, the sides similarly decorated and applied with two taotie masks suspending a ring handle, all below a narrow band on the waisted neck and a copper band on the flared mouth, the body covered with light-green encrustation. 33cm (13in) high.Footnotes:戰國 青銅羽翅紋扁壺Provenance: J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art, New YorkAn important European private collectionPublished, Illustrated and Exhibited: J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art, Archaic Chinese Bronzes, Jades and Works of Art, New York, June 1994, no.56來源：紐約古董商J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art歐洲重要私人收藏展覽著錄：J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art，《Archaic Chinese Bronzes, Jades and Works of Art》，紐約，1994年六月，編號56Bianhu vessels first appeared as in the Warring States period (457-221 BC), when they formed an important part of religious and cultural rituals aimed at presenting food and drink offerings to the ancestors of powerful families. At the time, various social and political changes were bringing old rituals to an end. One such change was the increasing presence in China of nomadic peoples, and it is likely that the bianhu was inspired by practical vessels used for carrying water on horseback; see J.Rawson, 'Ordering the Exotic: Ritual Practices in the Late Western and Early Eastern Zhou', in Artibus Asiae, vol.73, no.1, 2013, pp.5-76.The intricate interlacing designs noted on the present vessel testify to a highly-developed method of mechanical production that appears to have become the norm during the Eastern Zhou dynasty. At this time, elaborate designs were produced using 'pattern blocks' made of clay, which were carved as the masters from which to impress strips of negative design to fill out the moulds. This method enabled the production of a large number of similarly-decorated vessels, probably intended to impress a socially-prominent audience. In a world of competing courts, conspicuous displays of every kind was the order of the day. For example, the lavish content of the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, the ruler of a small state on the borders of the Chu kingdom, yielded spectacular wine hu containers, in addition to a magnificent set of sixty-five bronze bells; see Hubei Sheng Bowuguan, Zeng Hou Yi Mu, Beijing, 1989.A bronze bianhu, Warring States period, unearthed in 1977 from the tomb of King Cuo of the Zhongshan state, contained an alcoholic drink, further proving the function of this type of vessel at that time; see Liu Jiansheng, Warring States Treasures- Cultural Relics from the State of Zhongshan, Hebei Province, Hong Kong, 1999, p.44, no.7.The lack of a lid on the present example may be explained because many of these covers were originally made from perishable or fragile materials, such as wood or pottery. See a bianhu and cover, Warring States period, excavated in 1975 at Sanmenxia Shangcunling, Henan Province, now in the Henan Provincial Museum, Zhengzhou, illustrated in Zhongguo Wenwu Jinghua Dacidian, Qingtong juan, Shanghai, 1995, p.241, no.864. Compare with two very similar bronze bianhu vessels, Warring States period, late 4th-early 3rd century BC, in the Compton Verney collection, Warwickshire, acc.no.CVCSC 0218.1-2.A, and the example in Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, illustrated in Asiatic Art in the Rijskmuseum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1985, p.38, no.10.A very similar copper-inlaid bronze ritual wine vessel, bianhu, Warring States period, was sold at Christie's New York, 24 March 2011, lot 1257.壺呈扁圓形，侈口，短頸，溜肩，長方形圈足。肩飾一對鋪首銜環耳。腹部以赤銅作五層長方形格欄，兩側六層，格內飾細密繁縟羽翅紋，紋飾層疊，繁而不亂。扁壺為酒器，約始見於戰國。一說其形制源於北方游牧民族盛水的皮囊，東周時期隨各民族文化交流而傳入中原。參見J.Rawson著，〈Ordering the Exotic: Ritual Practices in the Late Western and Early Eastern Zhou〉，收錄於《Artibus Asiae》，卷73，第一刊，2013年，頁5-76。中國北方少數民族白狄族鮮虞部在今河北省境內建立古中山國，其戰國時期王陵中曾見一件扁壺，出土時仍有半壺酒液，進一步佐證了此類扁壺的用途。見《戰國雄風——河北省中山國王墓文物展》，香港，1999年，頁44，編號7。部分扁壺最初使用時或配以木製或陶製壺蓋，這些材料易腐易碎，無法經歷漫長歲月而保存。如現藏於河南博物館、1975年於河南三門峽上村嶺出土一件青銅羽紋扁壺，形制紋飾皆似本例，且出土時同樣無蓋。見《中國文物精華大辭典·青銅卷》，上海，1995年，頁241，編號864。主體密集往復的浮雕裝飾，應使用模印法，即以印模在尚未全乾的陶胎上連續印製鑄成，是戰國時期青銅紋飾的典型例證。參考兩件極似本例的戰國時期青銅扁壺，分別藏於英國Compton Verney莊園博物館，館藏編號CVCSC 0218.1-2.A；及阿姆斯特丹荷蘭國立博物館A... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

Ernst Friedrich Herbert zu Munster (German 1766-1839)View from the Ziegelberg (Ziegel Hill) onto Derneburg Schloss Oil on canvas laid down on board Signed and inscribed lower right, further inscribed and dated 1818 to label verso 76.5 x 135.5cm (30 x 53¼ in.) Provenance: The Collection of Countess Veronica Munster Schloss Derneburg's history dates almost a thousand years. Originally a fortified castle it became a religious sanctuary in 1130. Over the centuries it served the Augustinian, Cistercian and finally Lutheran orders, as a nunnery and later a monastery. After the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, Schloss Derneburg and its estates became part of the Kingdom of Hanover, under the rule of George III of England. He gifted them to Ernst Friedrich Herbert Graf zu Münster in appreciation of his services to the crown at the Congress of Vienna. As ministers to both George III and George IV members of the Munster family became increasingly anglicized over the following 150 years but retained ownership of Schloss Derneburg from 1816 until 1974 when it was sold to the painter Georg Baselitz by Count Peter Munster, Countess Veronica's husband from 1955 -1975. It has been the home of the Hall Art Foundation since 2006.  Condition Report: Laid to board. Discoloured varnish and light surface dirt throughout. Light rubbing to the edges. An area of repair to just below the house, circa 10cm, with visible retouching. Another repair to the upper left quadrant. Inspection under UV reveals green masking varnish which is potentially masking evidence of retouching. Condition Report Disclaimer

TROMPE L'OEIL -- "DEUGD OVERWINT ALLES". Multi-layered and moveable wedding gift with trompe l'oeil effects by (writing master?) Hendrik Bout, presented to his wife Catharina Elisabeth Corper. (Amsterdam, c. 1750). Moveable drawing of an 'altar' in colour wash and ink and w. a gold heightened monogram (that of Catharina Elisabeth Corper) in the centre. 220 x 290 mm. (Weak/split on folds, but in outstanding condition). NOTE:The drawing can be opened by way of folding out four triangular flaps which, once opened, reveal a similar 'altar' w. similar monogram heightened w. gold (that of Hendrik Bout). The triangular flaps form, when folded 180°, a large trompe l'oeil, consisting of fragments of text-leaves from religious books (Psalm book, Bible, etc.) with in the centre a representation of a calligrapher at work, much resembling the work of Jan Luyken. The top and bottom flaps can again be opened which then reveals the Lord's Prayer. All in all an exquisitely executed work of (writing) art and a charming example of a man's love for his wife for whom he wrote at the foot of the altar: "Leef, Catharina, Lang in Vreede; God die U, schonk, my ten GAE! Schenk U gunst, op 's werelds reede, En zyn Eeuwig' heil, hier naa".

CANNON, J. Religious Poverty, Visual Riches. Art in the Dominican Churches of Central Italy in the 13th and 14th c. (2013). 4°. Obrds. w. dust-j. -- J. LUBBOCK. Storytelling in Christian Art from Giotto to Donatello. (2006). Obrds. w. dust-j. -- R. KIELLY. Blessed and Beautiful, Picturing the Saints. (2010). Lge-8°. Obrds. w. dust-j. -- W. HOOD. Fra Angelico at San Marco. 1993. 4°. Ocl. w. dust-j. -- J.M. MUSACCHIO. The Art and Ritual of Childbirth in Renaissance Italy. (1999). 4°. Obrds. w. dust-j. -- And 6 o. (11).

ISRAËLS, M. Sassetta. The Borgo San Sepolcro Altarpiece. 2009. 2 vols. 4°. Ocl. w. dust-j. In or. illustr. slipcase. -- A.M. MACLEAN. Prato. Architecture, Piety, and Political Identity in a Tuscan City-State. (2008). 4°. Obrds. w. dust-j. -- M.A. LAVIN. The Place of Narrative. Mural Decoration in Italian Churches, 431-1600. (1990). 4°. Ocl. w. dust-j. -- J. CANNON. Religious Poverty, Visual Riches. Art in the Dominican Churches of Central Italy in the 13th and 14th c. (2013). 4°. Obrds. w. dust-j. -- And 6 o. on religious art. (11).

A PAIR OF PAINTED ENAMEL QUATREFOIL JARDINIÈRES WITH JADE AND HARDSTONE TREESThe jardinières 18th century, the trees 19th centuryEach vessel finely painted in pale blue and gilt on a bright cobalt ground with scrolling lotuses and floral medallions within gilt frames, the trees modelled with gilt trunks, the branches decorated with soapstone, jade and jadeite leaves, flanked by jade rocks and scholars.Each 53.5cm (21in) high. (2).Footnotes:Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價十八世紀 銅胎畫琺瑯海棠式盆 配十九世紀 百寶盆景 一對Miniature gardens were highly regarded by the scholarly elites of late Imperial China. Deemed to function as analogues to their real counterpart, these model landscapes provided the learned men with a perfect escape from the world of mundane affairs. For references about garden containers, see A.Stein, The world in miniature: container gardens and dwellings in Far Eastern religious thought, Stanford, 1990; and J.Rawson, 'Cosmological systems as sources of art, ornament and design', in Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, 2000, pp.133-189.A selection of miniature gardens made of semi-precious stones within gilt enamel jardinières in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Gugong Zhenbao, 2004, pp.199-203. A related pair of jardinières containing miniature gardens, dated 18th/19th century, was sold at Bonhams London, 11 May 2015, lot 154; and another pair was sold at Christie's New York, 20 March 2011, lot 1628.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com

FIGURAL KAVA BOWL, DAVENIYAQONA FIJI carved wood, the bowl in the form of a shallow figure with the head in high relief, the lips subtly parted, the eyes hollow, with a raised ridge above the brow, the reverse with a lug at the nape of the neck for attachment, dual wooden roundels and raised sections at the heels, dark patination, kava deposits to the hands and feet(26.5cm tall)Footnote: Provenance: Private collection, United Kingdom, acquired by the present owner's father c. mid 1960s, thence by descent Note: Of exceptional rarity, fewer than ten daveniyaqona are known to exist. Carved in the form of a shallow figure, they were used for both the consumption of kava (yaqona) by priests during religious rites and to hold sacred oil. In Fiji, the consumption of kava would accompany important social-political events and religious ceremonies. The daveniyaqona dish was specifically associated with the burau drinking rites, whereby a highly concentrated solution was poured into the bowl without the usual dilution using water. The kava was then consumed by priests using a straw also known as a burau. The strength of the resulting reaction enabled powerful forces to enter the priest’s bodies, allowing communion with ancestor spirits. The complex shapes of bowls used for such rituals are also known in the form of birds (Sainsbury Collection: UEA 912) and turtles, however the sheer scarcity of the anthropomorphic type suggests they were produced at a single centre. The present example shows a deep dark patination indicative of use. With wear to the rim, attachment lug and extended heels at the reverse. Kava deposits are present from pooling at the hands and feet of the figure, similar (though less profuse) to that seen in an example at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession number 2018.433). Interestingly, the very subtle slant in the shoulders present in that example is also present here. The brooding face and formidable build combined with the flowing curves create a powerful and arresting visage. The parted lips and hollow eyes seem to suggest a trance, echoing the context of its original use (Nuku: 2020). In stylistic terms, the piece bears closest similarity to an early 19th century example collected by Captain Henry Denham of the HMS Herald in 1854, now displayed in the Pitt Rivers Museum (accession number 1884.65.40).

ROMAN CHI RHO MOSAIC EUROPE / NEAR EAST, LATE 4TH CENTURY A.D. hard stone tesserae, a large Chi Rho and Alpha and Omega in the centre, surrounded by bands of red, white, yellow, pink and green tesserae(185cm x 125cm)Footnote: Provenance: European private collection, acquired 1980s Private collection, United Kingdom, acquired on the London art market in 2010 Note: After more than two centuries of intermittent but often intensive persecution, Christianity was granted legal status across the Roman Empire in 313 A.D. by the Emperor Constantine I, himself a Christian convert. Over time mosaics with overt Christian symbolism became favoured as a statement of both religious identity and wealth. The Chi Rho symbol featured in the present example was one of the earliest forms of christogram and was used by Constantine himself as part of his military standard.

c. 224-651 AD. Sassanian. A silver boat-shaped vessel with a rectangular plan, sloping sides and rounded bottom. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its ceremonial metalware, which was used both during banqueting and during religious rituals. Under the Sasanians Iranian art experienced a general renaissance. Artistically, this period witnessed some of the highest achievements of Iranian civilization. Metalwork and gem engraving became highly sophisticated. Provenance: Property of a professional London art expert; obtained from an old British collection formed before 2000. Size: L:400mm / W:155mm ; 400g

C. 224 to 651 AD. Sassanian. A rare bronze vessel with a tapering neck, biconical body and flat base. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its artisanal products, including glass and metalwares, which were used during banqueting and for religious rituals. Under the Sasanians Iranian art experienced a general renaissance. Artistically, this period witnessed some of the highest achievements of Iranian civilization. Metalwork and gem engraving became highly sophisticated. Excellent condition; beautiful patina. Provenance: From an old British collection formed in the 1990s, formerly acquired in the UK and European Art Market.; Size: L:150mm / W:110mm ; 500g

C. 1000 BC. Western Asiatic, Luristan culture. Bronze vessel with short neck, globular body, ring foot and L-shaped, elongated spout. This gorgeous piece attests to the highly skilled craftsmanship of ancient Western Asia, where artisans worked to create intricate tablewares for use in elaborate banquets. Banqueting was a major part of aristocratic culture in antiquity and required a range of specialised utensils and vessels such as this one. Such items could also have religious purposes, used when making offerings to the gods. Excellent condition, beautiful patina. Provenance: Private London collection, formed in the 1980-90s on the UK and European art market. Size: L:110mm / W:240mm ; 425g

C. 224 to 651 AD. Sassanian. A decorated glass flask. This beautiful flask made of aquamarine glass comprises a flaring rim, narrow, cylindrical neck and ovoid body. It is decorated with dark blue trails which snake around the body and sits on an applied squat foot of dark blue crimped glass. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its ceremonial glassware, which was used during banqueting and for religious rituals. Excellent condition; beautiful patina. Provenance: Important London collection of Ancient art; formed in 1970-80s then passed by descent. Size: L:88mm / W:55mm ; 50g

C. 224 to 651 AD. Sassanian. A decorated glass cup or bowl. An excellent example of a Sasanian glass bowl or cup in a yellowish-green fabric, with a deep, cylindrical body, applied drum-shaped foot and pinched spike decorations which are characteristic of Sassanian glassware. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its ceremonial glassware, which was used during banqueting and for religious rituals. Excellent condition; beautiful patina. Provenance: Important London collection of Ancient art; formed in 1970-80s then passed by descent. Size: L:80mm / W:105mm ; 155g

C. 224 to 651 AD. Sassanian. A decorated glass flask. A rare example of a decorated glass flask in a yellowish-green fabric. The piece comprises a flaring rim and neck, globular body and applied ring foot. The body is decorated with applied trails formed into rings, triangles and diamonds. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its ceremonial glassware, which was used during banqueting and for religious rituals. Excellent condition; beautiful patina. Provenance: Important London collection of Ancient art; formed in 1970-80s then passed by descent. Size: L:84mm / W:80mm ; 120g

c. 300-200 BC. Hellenistic, Eastern Greek. An exceptional silver tiger's head protome, probably once originally attached to a rhyton. The tiger is depicted with an open mouth, large, bared fangs, and wide eyes as if fixed upon its prey. Its tongue, pressed against the bottom of its mouth, creates the impression of roaring. The beast's fur is faithfully textured, and the details of its stripes picked out in engraved detail. A rhyton is a roughly conical container from which fluids were intended to be drunk or to be poured, whether as part of a religious ritual or during feasting. These vessels are commonly decorated with animal protomes. The Hellenistic period, which runs from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the battle of Actium in 31 BC, was an era in which Greek-speaking peoples controlled much of the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia as far as present-day Afghanistan. During this time, Greeks encountered many fearsome beasts, including elephants, whom they used in war, and tigers, who they depicted in their art as a means of respecting these creatures' deadly prowess as hunters. In order to confirm its authenticity, this piece has undergone X-Ray Fluorescence analysis by an independent Belgian Laboratory. The samples collected show the chemical composition to reflect the typical metal contents of the described period, whilst also showing no modern trace elements in the patina. Excellent condition. Provenance: Property of a professional London art expert; obtained from an old British collection formed before 2000. Size: L:70mm / W:83mm ; 180g

C. 224 to 651 AD. Sassanian. A rare bronze vessel with a flaring rim, slightly tapering neck, globular body and flat base. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its artisanal products, including glass and metalwares, which were used during banqueting and for religious rituals. Excellent condition; superb patina. Provenance: Important London collection of Ancient art; formed in 1970s then passed by descent. Size: L:140mm / W:100mm ; 305g

c. 1200 to 800 BC. Western Asiatic, Luristan culture. Bronze vessel with tapering neck, slightly globular body, flat based and elongated, beak-like spout. The body is decorated with an engraved intertwined serpent motif with carefully incised scales and well-defined features. This gorgeous piece attests to the highly skilled craftsmanship of ancient Western Asia, where artisans worked to create intricate tablewares for use in elaborate banquets. Banqueting was a major part of aristocratic culture in antiquity and required a range of specialised utensils and vessels such as this one. Such items could also have religious purposes, used when making offerings to the gods. Excellent condition, beautiful patina. Provenance: Private London collection, formed in the 1980-90s on the UK and European art market. Size: L:130mm / W:240mm ; 505g

C. 224 to 651 AD. Sassanian. A decorated glass flask. This beautiful flask made of aquamarine glass comprises a flaring rim, narrow, cylindrical neck and ovoid body. It is decorated with dark blue trails which snake around the body and sits on a tall high applied foot of dark blue trailed glass. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its ceremonial glassware, which was used during banqueting and for religious rituals. Excellent condition; beautiful patina. Provenance: Important London collection of Ancient art; formed in 1970-80s then passed by descent. Size: L:80mm / W:50mm ; 35g

C. 224 to 651 AD. Sassanian. A glass flask with net pattern. The vessel comprises an out-turned, folded rim, an in-sloping neck and piriform body. The body features a deep mould-blown net pattern. The original colour of this glass flask is unclear due to the development of beautiful yellow patina covering its entire surface. The Sassanian empire which ruled from Afghanistan to Iraq during the third to seventh centuries AD is famed for the high quality of its ceremonial glassware, which was used during banqueting and for religious rituals. Excellent condition; beautiful patina. Provenance: Important London collection of Ancient art; formed in 1970-80s then passed by descent. Size: L:95mm / W:70mm ; 65g

c. 3000-2000 BC. Bactrian. A beautiful example of a column idol (sometimes called a pillar idol) of waisted cylindrical form with flaring base, the base and top both carved with a shallow groove. Stone idols like this example are known in a variety of fascinating forms throughout the pre-literate ancient world. They are attested across the vast expanses of Western Asia from the Caspian Sea to Afghanistan, including ancient Bactria. Their precise meaning remains elusive, but the many hours of labour required for their manufacture makes it clear they were prestige items, perhaps used during religious ceremonies. Provenance: From an old British collection, acquired on the UK art market in the 1980s. Size: L:255mm / W:120mm ; 4.8kg

c. 3000-2000 BC. Bactrian. A beautiful example of a column idol (sometimes called a pillar idol), carved from a mottled pale-orange stone with white inclusions. The body of the idol is minimalistic and highly-abstract with an elongated conical form, and a single contiguous groove is carved around the entire sculpture. Stone idols like this example are known in a variety of fascinating forms throughout the pre-literate ancient world. They are attested across the vast expanses of Western Asia from the Caspian Sea to Afghanistan, including ancient Bactria. Their precise meaning remains elusive, but the many hours of labour required for their manufacture makes it clear they were prestige items, perhaps used during religious ceremonies. Provenance: From an old British collection, acquired on the UK art market in the 1980s. Size: L:217mm / W:115mm ; 5.5kg

c. 2000- 7th century BC. Western Asiatic. Western Asiatic Master of Animals Sceptre . A central tube terminating into a human head. Flanked by animals on either side, with curving haunches and tails below. It was probably used during religious rituals. The Master of Animals or Lord of Animals is a motif in ancient art showing a human between and grasping two confronted animals. It is very widespread in the art of the Ancient Near East. The figure is normally male, but not always, the animals may be realistic or fantastical, and the figure may have animal elements such as horns, or an animal upper body. Unless he is shown with specific divine attributes, he is typically described as a hero. In Western Asiatic Art the motif is extremely common, and often highly stylized. In terms of its composition the Master of Animals motif compares with another very common motif in the art of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean, that of two confronted animals flanking and grazing on a Tree of Life. Provenance: From an old British collection of Asian Art formed in the 1990 on the UK and European art market. Size: L:450mm / W:85mm ; 420g