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Persian Illuminated Manuscript Page depicting Rostam
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Antiques:
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Near Eastern:
Pre 1800 item# 1075483
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$1,275.00
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This interesting document is a Persian illuminated manuscript page that depicts the Persian mythical hero Rostam on horseback escaping a dragon. This piece is likely late 17th-18th century A.D., and is approximately 7.5 inches wide by 10.75 inches high. There is some light brown paper ageing seen on the left side and at the bottom of the page, otherwise this intact piece is in superb condition. One side of this page has four lines of elegant nasta'liq script, seen above a fine-line drawn scene, and there are four lines of script seen below. The back side of this detailed document has 20 lines of script, and there are some light red lines that underline sections of script. The fine-line drawn scene has Rostam galloping to the left on horseback, and he is seen looking back at a fire breathing dragon that appears to be emerging from a hidden place. An analogous scene, of Rostam slaying a dragon from horseback with a sword, can be seen on another example offered by Sotheby's New York, "Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art", Oct. 1990, no. 7. (This piece is 7 inches wide by 11.2 inches high, $4,000.00-$6,000.00 estimates. See attached photos.) The piece offered here has great detail within the fine-line drawn scene, and the light blue, white, yellow, and red colors are very vibrant. In addition, the sky above the light blue mountains and the saddle blanket are both highlighted with a gold gilt, and this gives the scene an ethereal perspective. The light blue mountains and the foreground are also meant to convey a magical world, as Rostam was known in Persian myth to have carried out the "Seven Labours of Rostam", and the "Third Stage" of this myth involves his faithful horse awakening him in time to escape a monstrous dragon serpent, which later allowed Rostam to be able to slay this monster. This "Third Stage" scene of the "Seven Labours of Rostam" myth is likely what is seen on the manuscript offered here, as Rostam is also the mythical national hero of "Greater Persia" which originated with the first Persian Empire in Persis circa 1400 B.C. This piece is a better example than what is normally seen on the market, and this document also has great eye appeal. This piece is ready for mounting, and is in a protective plastic cover with a hard backing which is made for storage and shipping. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Persian Illuminated Manuscript Page depicting Hunters
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Antiques:
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Near Eastern:
Pre 1800 item# 1075389
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$1,275.00
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This interesting document is a Persian illuminated manuscript page that depicts two hunters slaying two running deer. This piece is likely late 17th-18th century A.D., and is approximately 7.5 inches wide by 9.9 inches high. This piece is in superb condition, and has very vibrant black, light blue, yellow, red, white, and brown colors. One side of this page has two lines of elegant nasta'liq script, seen above a fine-line drawn scene, and there are three lines of script seen in the upper left side margin. In addition, there is a single line of script seen in the upper left side corner of the fine-line drawn scene. The back side of this detailed document has 21 lines of script, and there are several lines of script that appear to be added notes that are seen in the left margin of the page and between several lines of the text. The fine-line drawn scene has two hunters on horseback, and they are hunting two deer, as one hunter shoots an arrow into a jumping deer, while the other chases a running deer with a sword. The scene has very vibrant colors, and the sky above the light blue mountains, the saddle blankets, the arrow quivers, and the sword are all highlighted with a gold gilt. The light blue mountains and foreground are also meant to convey a magical world, and in combination with the gold gilt highlights, give the scene an ethereal perspective. The scene may also represent a Persian myth of the hero Rostam, who carried out the "Seven Labours of Rostam", and the "Fourth Stage" of this myth involves Rostam traveling on horseback through an enchanted territory where he finds provisions including a ready roasted deer. This myth is likely what is portrayed on the manuscript page offered here, as Rostam is also the mythical national hero of "Greater Persia" which originated with the first Persian Empire in Persis circa 1400 B.C. This piece is a better example than what is normally seen on the market, and has great eye appeal. This piece is ready for mounting, and is in a protective plastic cover with a hard backing which is made for storage and shipping. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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X-Large Near Eastern Anatolian Marble Seal
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Pre AD 1000 item# 943121
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$865.00
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This piece is an exceptionally large carved marble seal that is approximately 2 inches in diameter by .75 inches high. This piece dates circa 4th Millennium B.C., and is flat on one side with an oval shape on the other. The flat side displays a running ibex that is seen facing right, and there is a crescent moon and a single dot solar symbol that is is seen above. There is also a bow drilled hole that is seen running through the center, and this piece was probably attached to a cord that was worn over the neck of the individual that owned this piece. This piece likely served as an individual seal for the owner, and may have been used as a mark of value. The design was also bow drilled, as there are individual bow-drilled circles that constitute the overall design that is seen on the flat face of this scarce piece. This piece is analogous to an example seen in Bonhams Antiquities, London, May 2008, no. 348. This type of design is also analogous to several cultures that were found in the ancient Near East during this early period, and this type of design is often seen in Anatolia/North Syria, and is often found on hardstone seals made from black steatite. The marble that this piece is made from, was likely imported into the region, and it is a scarce material for a seal this large. This piece has a nice light grey patina and there are spotty white and light brown calcite deposits. There are also some concentrated straight marks on the oval side, and this piece may also have served as a wet stone for a blade during a later period in antiquity. A nice rare seal not often seen on the market. Ex: Erlenmeyer Collection, Basel, Switzerland. Ex: Sotheby's Antiquities, London, June 1997, no. 1. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Near Eastern Sassanian Steatite Ellipsoid Animal Seal
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Pre AD 1000 item# 924673
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$565.00
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This Sassanian seal has an image of an animal, possibly a wolf or a fox. The carved image is seen on the flat side of the piece, and this piece dates circa 4th-5th century A.D. The carving is done by the creation of deep lines which accent the limbs and head of the animal. This piece is made of a hard black steatite, which is very difficult to carve, and consequently, there are few Sassanian seals that are made from this material. This piece is approximately .6 inches high, and has six carved round decorative circles that are carved in high relief. These circles are a hallmark of fine Sassanian artistic style, and this type of carving is seen on carved Sassanian glass beakers. (For the type see "Masterpieces of Glass in The British Museum", by D.B. Harden, London, 1968, no.137.) There is also a bow-drilled hole that is seen at the center of the piece, and this piece was probably part of a necklace. There are some dark brown deposits seen in various sections of the piece, and there are some minute stress cracks which are an excellent mark of authenticity. This type of seal is scarce, as the material is made of a hard black steatite and the degree of workmanship is very high. This piece is from modern day Iran and the black steatite stone is native to this region. Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. Ex: Private CA. collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Rare Near Eastern Sassanian Bronze Votive Goat Figurine
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Pre AD 1000 item# 840348
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$1375.00
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This rare piece is a solid cast bronze that is in the form of a standing goat. This piece is probably Sassanian, dates circa 250-640 A.D., and was produced in modern day Iran. This piece is approximately 3 inches high by 4 inches long, and has a nice dark green patina. The surfaces of this piece have spotty light white and green calcite deposits, minute wear on the bottom of the feet, and minute scratches which all indicate great age. This piece also has pegs that extend outwards from the feet, and these pegs may have supported wheels which made this piece well served as a toy, but more likely, the pegs were fitted into a flat bronze base or into a wooden fitting. This piece probably was a votive offering and/or served as a chariot fitting. The goat also appears to have a slight smile which gives this piece a lively expression. This piece is analogous in artistic design and size to another bronze figurine, of a standing Ibex, that is seen in Sotheby's Antiquities, New York, May 1986, no. 99. ($2,000.00-$3,000.00 estimates.) The piece offered here is a rare pre-Islamic bronze piece that is seldom seen on the market. Ex: J.J. Klejman Gallery, New York. Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Near Eastern Luristan Bronze Armlet with Chevrons
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Pre AD 1000 item# 862556
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$875.00
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This scarce piece is a bronze ring that is from the Luristan culture that dwelled in Western Iran, circa 1000-800 B.C., Iron Age II. This object was cast as one solid piece, is approximately 4.9 inches in diameter, and is very heavy, as it is approximately .5 inches thick. This beautiful piece is in superb condition and has an exceptional dark green patina with light brown and reddish highlights. This massive adornment was worn above the bicep on the upper arm, and was considered to be a very valuable object by this culture. This piece was likely clamped on the upper arm of a warrior individual who wore this piece for life, and this piece has a high degree of smooth wear on the inner surfaces, which is a good indication that the owner wore this piece for a considerable length of time. The Luristan culture was a tribal society of mixed small-scale agriculturalists and pastoralists, raising sheep and goats, many horses, and perhaps using chariots where the terrain permitted. The wealth of this culture was concentrated in the hands of a warrior aristocracy who patronized the metal smiths, and they considered bronze very valuable, as it could be fashioned over and over again into weapons. This culture was highly skilled in the arts of war, and perhaps only the Spartans could have been as skilled in the use of their weapons. This piece has attractive decorative chevrons and checker-band patterns that were engraved into the metal. These designs are also seen on the ceramics for the period. (For other bronze armlets of this type see: "Ancient Bronzes, Ceramics, and Seals" by P.R.S. Moorey, Los Angeles County Museum of Art Pub., 1981, nos. 611-613.) A custom stand is included. Ex: Private German collection. (Additional documentation is available to the purchaser.) I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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X-Rare Early Islamic Glass Flask with Iridescence
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Pre AD 1000 item# 1027193
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$2,375.00
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This extremely rare piece is an early Islamic glass flask, circa 6th-8th century A.D. This intact piece is approximately 2.8 inches high, and is a light green color with multi-colored iridescence that is seen on various inner and outer sections of the vessel. This piece is rather thick walled, has a fairly wide indented bottom, a short tubular neck that has a slight flattening at the base, and a pontil-mark on the bottom. In addition, the neck is folded to the inside, and there are three stepped bulges seen within the neck which are a light yellow, green, and purple color. This piece is likely an early example of Islamic glass, due to the overall fabric of the vessel and the neck design as noted above. This piece is from an extremely rare early Islamic glass group, and some of these extremely rare pieces from this group are also listed as "possibly Sassanian", but given the probable region, i.e. Syro-Palestinian or Cypriot, where this piece was likely manufactured, a Sassanian attribution from modern day central Iran is highly unlikely. This piece, as being from this extremely rare early Islamic glass group, is also one of the earliest Islamic glass examples recorded. An analogous example listed as "possibly Islamic and of possible Syro-Palestinian or Cypriot manufacture", approximately 2.5 inches high, is seen in "Roman and Pre-Roman Glass in the Royal Ontario Museum", by John B. Hayes, Royal Ontario Museum Pub., 1975, no. 670. (See attached photo.) Another extremely rare example is seen in Sotheby Park Bernet Inc., Important Antiquities, New York, Dec. 1978, no. 138. (This piece is nearly the same size as the piece offered here, and is listed as "probably later Sassanian or early Islamic, circa 5th-8th century A.D.") The example offered here has a type of construction within the neck that required a great deal of skill, and is more advanced than the typical late Roman blown glass that is seen in the 4th-5th century A.D. Islamic glass also tends to have several colors within the glass, in contrast to the Sassanian culture, which was known for producing faceted cut glass that was more uniform in color. The Sassanian culture, circa 6th-8th century A.D., was from central modern day Iran, and was very skilled at glass production, and they are known for being able to take a solid cube of glass and carve/sculpt this into a faceted cup, bowl, or a plate. The exceptional small flask offered here is not only in mint condition, but it is also a type that is not seen on the market or in private collections. This extremely rare piece is a little gem and would be an excellent addition to a collection of ancient glass. Ex: Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. Ex: Private CA. collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Near Eastern Sumerian Banded Marble Fox Stamp Seal
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Pre AD 1000 item# 778770
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$1865.00
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This banded white and light yellow marble Sumerian stamp seal is in the form of a recumbent fox and dates circa 3500-2900 B.C. This superb piece is approximately 1.25 inches long and is an exceptional example for the type. This esoteric piece has a bow drilled hole that runs through the top to the bottom center, and there are two animals seen on the flat back side that were carved into the piece. The overall carving of this piece is very detailed and represents a high degree of workmanship, as this piece was produced at the very dawn of civilization when city-states were first formed. The two animals, seen on the back flat side, appear to be identical and served as a stamp and/or seal, and may have represented value in a transaction. This mint quality stamp seal/amulet appears to be a fox, as the head is very angular, along with the raised ears. ( For another analogous example see Sotheby's Antiquities, "The Ada Small Moore Collection of Ancient Near Eastern Seals", New York, Dec. 1991, no. 3, $3,000.00-$5,000.00 estimates. ) This piece was probably part of a necklace, and the vertical bow drilled hole allowed this piece to hang with other seals/amulets of this type. This translucent piece has some spotty mineral deposits, and these deposits can be seen within the eyes, and become darker when one looks through this piece into a lighted background. ( See attached photo. ) This eerie effect makes this piece look alive, and the deposits seen within the eyes may in part be original inlay. Only a skilled artist could achieve this visual effect. This exceptional piece is mounted on a custom plexiglas stand, can easily lift off the stand, and can be worn today. Ex: Joel Malter collection, Los Angeles, CA. Ex: Private New York collection. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Near Eastern Sassanian Carnelian Seal with Noble Bust
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Near Eastern:
Pre AD 1000 item# 883507
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$365.00
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This Near Eastern piece is an attractive red carnelian stamp seal that is from the Sassanian culture that lived in modern day Iran. This piece dates circa 2nd-4th century A.D., and served as a personal signet stamp seal which was used to conduct business transactions. This piece has a flat face and has a bow drilled hole in the center, and this piece was probably worn on a cord around the neck. This piece is fragmentary with about half of the piece missing, but the flat face with the seal is intact. The flat face of this piece has an exceptional engraved portrait bust of a bearded noble, who is seen wearing a regal diadem in the hair, and this piece was probably owned by a wealthy individual who traded within the Sassanian Empire. The fine artistic style seen on this piece is better than most examples for the period, and the color is very striking, as the stone has a deep red color. This piece would make an excellent addition to a ring or a pendant. Ex: Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., Chicago, Ill. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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Near Eastern Black Steatite Spindle Whorl with Figures
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Pre AD 1000 item# 968903
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Apolonia Ancient Art
303-321-7351 gallery
$625.00
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This charming piece is a black steatite spindal whorl that was used for weaving textiles. This pieces dates circa 3100-2600 B.C. and is likely Anatolian or Syrian, as the four figures seen on this piece are analogous to the figures seen on carved cylinder seals for the period and region. (See Sotheby's Antiquities, London, "Western Asiatic Cylinder seals and Antiquities from the Erlenmeyer Collection, Part 1", July 1992, no. 31-33.) Black steatite is very difficult to carve, as it is a very hard stone, and this adds to the rarity of this piece. In addition, this type of stone comes mostly from the Syrian region, and cylinder seals, rather than spindle whorls, are much more common. This piece is approximately 1.25 inches in diameter, by .5 inches high. This piece is conical in shape, has a hole bow drilled through the center, and has four separate registers with a figure within. Two of the figures seen in profile may be images of a deer, and a dog or a wolf. The other two images may be seen from the top, and may represent the same animals, but if seen in profile, they are very anthropomorphic, and its also possible that both views were meant to be portrayed. This piece has very minute root marking and striations that are seen on the entire piece which is a good sign of authenticity, in addition, there are mineral deposits seen in many of the low relief points. This piece is scarce to rare, and is in superb condition for the type. A custom stand is included. Ex: Private French collection. Ex: David Leibert collection, New York. I certify that this piece is authentic as to date, culture, and condition:
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