Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art Part I

Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art Part I

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 3. A South Arabian Alabaster Ibex Frieze, Qataban, 3rd Century B.C./1st Century A.D..

Property from the Collection of the late Antonin and Christiane Besse

A South Arabian Alabaster Ibex Frieze, Qataban, 3rd Century B.C./1st Century A.D.

VAT reduced rateUK: Greenford Park Warehouse

Auction Closed

December 7, 04:32 PM GMT

Estimate

10,000 - 15,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

Property from the Collection of the late Antonin and Christiane Besse

A South Arabian Alabaster Ibex Frieze, Qataban

3rd Century B.C./1st Century A.D.


carved in relief with twelve elongated ibex heads, each with globular eyes, flanked by two rectangular niched panels.

20.8 by 49.5 by 6.5 cm.


Antonin Besse (1927-2016) and Christiane Besse (1928-2021), Aden and Paris, acquired in Yemen in the 1960s, collection number CB29 A&B (recorded for export by the Department of Antiquities, Aden State, in May 1966 and April 1967)
by descent to the present owner

For a related example with shorter ibex heads see Christie's, London, July 12th, 1960, no. 116, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc. no. 60.96 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/325075). Also see Louvre, inv. no. AO 4749 (https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010165548).