Lot 42
Northwest Iran to eastern turkey, Central Asia, Luristan, ca. 1000 to 700 BCE. From some of the ancient world's finest metalsmiths. The crescent anchor axe of the Luristan Bronze Age Culture is one of the most elusive weapons to acquire. Very few are known compared to all other types of Bronze Age axes in this genre. The earliest form of shaft hole axes in the Near and Middle Eastern Bronze age was an axe called a "duck bill" axe and most likely, the anchor axe followed behind it in the concept of a crescent cutting edge mounted over a wooden handle. Size: 4.25" W x 4.5" H (10.8 cm x 11.4 cm)
The design though, of this axe is THE MOST COMPLEX of ANY Bronze Age shaft axe. Note the wooden shaft would have been inserted into the axe with exposed sides and the front and back portions of the axe gripping the shaft. No other axe type has ever been made this complex. Perhaps this was THE HIGHEST form of prestige in a war axe. The scarcity of this type cannot be overstated. Out of a museum we are affiliated with, we know of no example in the collection despite thousands of rare specimens comprising the collection. In the market, we have only seen four or five for sale. The last two examples we know of offered publicly, both sold for prices in excess of $5000. This is certainly one of the rarest and most desirable forms known and we are proud to offer an exceptional example here for a much lower price than seen elsewhere.
XRF testing shows metal to be 70% copper and 27.22 tin, 1.22% iron - all consistent with antiquity
Provenance: private Carpinteria, California, USA collection; ex-major Montecito, California collection formed between 1960 and 2000
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.
SHIPPING EXCEPTIONS: Due to customs clearance issues, we are unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia. If you live in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.)
PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions.
#191034
- Condition: Minor loss to one side of flange that once held the wooden haft, else intact and excellent with lovely soft green patina.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| 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 |