Christie's Search Submit search Sign in Menu Home page Global notice COVID-19 Important notice December 8 | Live Auction 19876 Antiquities Lot 148 2 More Special Notice THE VIDAL APPLIQUESPROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF NICOLAS KOTOULAKIS AN ACHAEMENID GOLD APPLIQUE OF A LAMASSU IRAN, REIGN OF ARTAXERXES II, 404-359 B.C. Estimate GBP 100,000 - GBP 150,000 Registration closes: 10 days Bidding starts: 10 days Sign in to bid Save Share Try our Cost Calculator Details AN ACHAEMENID GOLD APPLIQUE OF A LAMASSU IRAN, REIGN OF ARTAXERXES II, 404-359 B.C. 9 in. (23.1 cm.) high Provenance Reputedly excavated in Hamedan, Iran in 1920. Maurice Vidal collection, New York, prior to July 1948. Literature A. Upham Pope, Illustrated London News, 17 July 1948, pp. 57-59. Iran: pièces du Musée de Téhéran, du Musée du Louvre et de collections particulières, Paris, Musée Cernuschi, 1948, p. 36, no. 56 (exhibition catalogue). M. T. Mustafavi, The Historical Monuments of Hamadan and a Chapter concerning Avicenna, Teheran, 1953, pp. 140-141, figs 47, 48. H. J. Kantor, “Achaemenid Jewelry in the Oriental Institute,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies, vol. 16, no. 1, 1957, p. 18, no. 94. Exhibited Iran: pièces du Musée de Téhéran, du Musée du Louvre et de collections particulières, Musée Cernuschi, Paris, 23-31 July 1948. Special notice These lots have been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice. Post lot text The USA prohibits the purchase by US persons of Iranian-origin “works of conventional craftsmanship” such as carpets, textiles, decorative objects, and scientific instruments. The US sanctions apply to US persons regardless of the location of the transaction or the shipping intentions of the US person. For this reason, Christie’s will not accept bids by US persons on this lot. Non-US persons wishing to import this lot into the USA are advised that they will need to apply for an OFAC licence and that this can take many months to be granted. Conditions of sale Brought to you by Claudio Corsi Specialist ccorsi@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2607 Lot Essay This exquisite applique of a lamassu, together with the following lot, was exhibited at the Musée Cernuschi, Paris, in 1948, as part of a magnificent find of Achaemenid gold objects, comprising twenty-three pieces reputedly found together in Hamedan, Iran, in 1920. Greek travellers and historians, such as Diodorus Siculus and Quintus Curtius, told staggering stories of the lavish use of gold in Achaemenid Persia, both for personal adornments and for court furniture. According to Diodorus Siculus, Alexander the Great plundered the palace buildings of Persepolis for a treasure of precious metals estimated to be almost 2500 tons (Bibliotheca Historica 17.71.1-6). The representations of jewellery, such as necklaces, armlets and vessels found on the Persepolis reliefs confirm the likelihood of these accounts. The appliques were reputedly found along with two gold inscription plaques, which establish the approximate dating to the reign of Artaxerxes II, the Achaemenid King of Persia who reigned 404–359 B.C. Although the exact use of the appliques cannot be determined, these motifs may have been applied to furniture, such as doors or shields. The applique would have been affixed by means of narrow tongues along the edges, which were used to slot the piece in to the final product. This applique is closely related to the imposing winged figures which guard the 'Gate of All Nations' at the top of the main stairway to the Persepolis platform, see no. 606 in P. Amiet, , New York, 1980. These figures are named lamassu and refer to a protective deity with an apotropaic function, which would support their probable use as decoration on doors. The pose of the lamassu is characteristic of Achaemenid art and is generally interpreted as a gesture of adoration. Read more MORE FROM Antiquities View All Item 1 out of 11 LOT 149 AN ACHAEMENID GOLD APPLIQUE OF A WINGED BULL IRAN, REIGN OF ARTAXERXES II, 404-359 B.C. Estimate GBP 100,000 - GBP 150,000 LOT 150 AN AMLASH POTTERY BULL RHYTON IRAN, CIRCA EARLY 1ST MILLENNIUM B.C. Estimate GBP 7,000 - GBP 9,000 LOT 151 TWO WESTERN ASIATIC ROCK CRYSTAL AND GOLD SHEET AMULETS CIRCA 2ND CENTURY B.C.-2ND CENTURY A.D. Estimate GBP 15,000 - GBP 25,000 Visually slide to previous slide button Visually slide to next slide button Help About us Services Terms and conditions Privacy Security Cookies settings Do not sell my personal information Modern slavery statement Christie's Education Christie's Real Estate © Christie's 2021 By clicking “Allow all cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Allow all cookies Cookies settings