Lot 87
Ancient Near East, northwestern Iran, Amlash culture, ca. early 1st millennium BCE. A lovely figurative female idol vessel, hollow-built from orange-hued terracotta, standing atop ample thighs and broad feet. The nude figure has wide hips that taper up to angular shoulders, slender arms curled beneath perky breasts, and an elongated cylindrical neck. Her petite circular countenance is defined by a pair of impressed eyes, a protruding conical nose, two perky ears, and a squat forehead surmounted by a serrated headdress that doubles as the 'rim' of the vessel. Steatopygous idols like this example were viewed as fertility/virility idols, so a figurative vessel like this was perhaps used in ceremonial rituals pertaining to fertility in both men and women. Size: 3.375" W x 7.2" H (8.6 cm x 18.3 cm); 8" H (20.3 cm) on included custom stand.
A stylistically similar example, of a taller size, hammered for GBP 8,750 ($10,692.59) at Christie's, London, South Kensington "Antiquities" auction (sale 6060, April 14, 2011, lot 326).
This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, acquired in the 1960s
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#140507
- Condition: Repaired from roughly three or four large pieces, with light restoration, resurfacing, and overpainting along new material and break lines. Minor abrasions to limbs, body, and head, with softening to some finer details, and light encrustations. Great earthen deposits throughout. Two TL drill holes: beneath one foot and near spout.
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| 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 |