Description:

Ancient Near East/Central Asia, Sasanian (Sassanian/Sassanid) Empire, ca. 2nd to 7th century CE, probably earlier in the period. A beautiful example of a large bronze bowl with the exterior and interior decorated with lightly incised, beautifully ornate motifs: fish, swimming around the edges of the interior and the sides of the bowl, interspersed with standing birds with magnificent plumage, and, at the center, a dramatic hippocamp. Size: 6.15" W x 1.25" H (15.6 cm x 3.2 cm)

The Sasanian elite valued beautiful metal objects, especially those that either were or looked like silver and gold. Many of these objects drew inspiration from Greco-Roman artwork, as with the hippocamp here. Sasanian artistic culture, in turn, spread along the Silk Road, influencing metalwork in western Iran and the Caspian Sea, and bowls like this one have been found as far afield as the eastern coast of China.

Provenance: private California, USA collection, by descent, moved from Germany in 1997, originally collected in the 1970s in Hamburg, Germany

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#156061

  • Condition: Intact, with rich patina on surface that does not obscure the artwork. Light wear commensurate with age including some dings and dents.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

September 3, 2020 10:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 24.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000