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<p>[QUOTE="Bob L., post: 8070378, member: 56976"]Once again, I "collected" coins mostly vicariously this year (as I’ve done for several years running), through members of CT and CCF. I actually sold many more coins than I purchased this year, a trend that will continue through this spring at least.</p><p><br /></p><p>For several years my focus has been directed toward antiquities – and, in particular, toward ancient weaponry from Western Asia, as well as toward ancient pottery from across regions and cultures (but with a particular fondness for ware from ancient Iran). Included below are perhaps my ten faves from the collecting year. I’ve got a bunch of runners-up, though. I’ll post them over in Curtisimo’s “[Ancients] Top 10 Index”. Thank you, Curtisimo, for maintaining the master list of lists.</p><p><br /></p><p>I am currently negotiating for what remains of an ancient sword from a very important weapons collection – but, even if I manage to snag that one before year’s end, it’ll have to be included on my list next year.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>10.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399737[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Bucchero Ware Kantharos</b></p><p>c. 7th century BC</p><p>14.6 cm (w) x 12 cm (h)</p><p>(5.75” x 4.75”)</p><p>Description:</p><p>Flared conical foot, tall arching handles (one missing), notched ridge around body at base of handles.</p><p>Ex-Marcel Gibrat Collection</p><p><br /></p><p><b>9.</b></p><p>In addition to collecting more-or-less intact ancient pottery, I also occasionally acquire sherds (a.k.a. potsherds). I particularly like two of the Greek sherds I picked up this year. One of them made this list (below). The other will be among my runners-up in the other thread.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399739[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Greek Sherd</b></p><p>c. 5th century BC</p><p>44 mm x 28 mm</p><p>(1.75” x 1.1”)</p><p>Description:</p><p>Red-figure pottery sherd depicting a winged female…Nike?</p><p>Ex-Connecticut private collection</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>8.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399741[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Juglet</b></p><p>4th – 3rd century BC</p><p>51 mm (w) x 66 mm (h)</p><p>(1 ¾” x 2 ½”)</p><p>Description:</p><p>Blackware, bulbous body, flared rim, strap handle.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>7.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399742[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Dagger</b></p><p>Luristan</p><p>c. 1000 BC</p><p>36.8cm (14.5")</p><p>Cf. Moorey (Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum), Pl. 6, Fig. 51</p><p>Description:</p><p>Bronze, lower portion of hilt cast in imitation of an inlaid flanged hilt, complete with guard flanges, pommel divided into two semicircular "ears," broad flat midrib down the blade.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>6.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399743[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Vessel</b></p><p>Western or NW Iran</p><p>Early first millennium BC (Iron Age II)</p><p>18.4 cm (w) x 13.3 cm (h)</p><p>(7 ¼” x 5 ¼”)</p><p>Description:</p><p>Large, round body, “bird beak spout” with open channel projecting from one side of rim, small loop handle, adorno below handle (Ram’s head? Bird in flight?).</p><p><br /></p><p><b>5.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399747[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Spearhead</b></p><p>Marlik (NW Iran)</p><p>1200-800 BC</p><p>45.2 cm</p><p>(17.8”)</p><p>Cf. Negahban (Weapons from Marlik), Pl. VI, Fig. 69-75</p><p>Description:</p><p>Bronze, elongated triangular blade with gently curved shoulders and a rectangular-sectioned midrib tapering toward a sharp point, rat tail tang with button end.</p><p>Ex-Allan Stone Collection, NY</p><p><br /></p><p><b>4.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399755[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Vessel</b></p><p>Western or NW Iran</p><p>Early first millennium BC (Iron Age II)</p><p>23.5 cm (w) x 22.9 cm (h)</p><p>(9.25” x 9”)</p><p>Description:</p><p>Large, round body, "bird beak spout" with open channel projecting from one side of rim, some losses (to handle, rim, and spout), long but stable body crack.</p><p>Ex-Arthur M. Sackler collection. [Sackler (1913-1987) was one of America's preeminent collectors of Asian and ancient art.]</p><p><br /></p><p><b>3.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399756[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Oil Lamp</b></p><p>Greek</p><p>c. 4th century BC</p><p>10.3 cm (l) x 70 mm (w) x 44 mm (h)</p><p>(4” x 2.75” x 1.75”)</p><p>Description:</p><p>Circular base, bulbous circular body, elongated spout, black glaze (mostly intact), some chipping</p><p>Ex-Rolf Ivarsson Collection, Linkoping, Sweden; acquired 1940’s-1970’s.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>2.</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399757[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Olpe</b></p><p>c. 4th century BC</p><p>Magna Graecia</p><p>86.4 mm (w) x 81.3 mm (h)</p><p>(3.4" x 3.2”)</p><p>Description:</p><p>Blackware, some chips, repaired from sherds.</p><p>Ex-Douglas Haner Collection, acquired in the 1960s.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>1.</b></p><p>My favorite pickup this year is a very rare but iconic type of ancient Iranian (Luristani) “sword”. Technically, based on its length, this type of weapon should be called a “dirk” rather than sword. But, in any event, these are popularly known as “iron mask swords.” There are estimated to be around 90 extant examples of these. I’m pleased to now own one, despite its poor condition.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1399760[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>Iron Mask Sword</b></p><p>Luristan</p><p>c. 1000 BC</p><p>44.45 cm (17 ½”)</p><p>Cf. Khorasani (Arms and Armor from Iran), Cat. 21-27</p><p>Cf. Khorasani (Luristan and Marlik: Centers of Weapon Making in Ancient Iran, from Marlik, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2012), Fig. 8</p><p>Cf. Muscarella (Bronze and Iron, Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art), Fig. 303</p><p>Description:</p><p>Blade and handle made of different iron parts, cast and forged together. Disk-shaped pommel with protomes mounted on opposite sides (details shown left and right in image), two molded cords on grip, guard adorned on each side with a couchant predator (difficult to make out in this specimen, details at bottom), blade set at 90-degrees to handle. For more info:</p><p><a href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=119753.msg760751#msg760751" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=119753.msg760751#msg760751" rel="nofollow">https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=119753.msg760751#msg760751</a>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Bob L., post: 8070378, member: 56976"]Once again, I "collected" coins mostly vicariously this year (as I’ve done for several years running), through members of CT and CCF. I actually sold many more coins than I purchased this year, a trend that will continue through this spring at least. For several years my focus has been directed toward antiquities – and, in particular, toward ancient weaponry from Western Asia, as well as toward ancient pottery from across regions and cultures (but with a particular fondness for ware from ancient Iran). Included below are perhaps my ten faves from the collecting year. I’ve got a bunch of runners-up, though. I’ll post them over in Curtisimo’s “[Ancients] Top 10 Index”. Thank you, Curtisimo, for maintaining the master list of lists. I am currently negotiating for what remains of an ancient sword from a very important weapons collection – but, even if I manage to snag that one before year’s end, it’ll have to be included on my list next year. [B]10.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399737[/ATTACH] [B]Bucchero Ware Kantharos[/B] c. 7th century BC 14.6 cm (w) x 12 cm (h) (5.75” x 4.75”) Description: Flared conical foot, tall arching handles (one missing), notched ridge around body at base of handles. Ex-Marcel Gibrat Collection [B]9.[/B] In addition to collecting more-or-less intact ancient pottery, I also occasionally acquire sherds (a.k.a. potsherds). I particularly like two of the Greek sherds I picked up this year. One of them made this list (below). The other will be among my runners-up in the other thread. [ATTACH=full]1399739[/ATTACH] [B]Greek Sherd[/B] c. 5th century BC 44 mm x 28 mm (1.75” x 1.1”) Description: Red-figure pottery sherd depicting a winged female…Nike? Ex-Connecticut private collection [B] 8.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399741[/ATTACH] [B]Juglet[/B] 4th – 3rd century BC 51 mm (w) x 66 mm (h) (1 ¾” x 2 ½”) Description: Blackware, bulbous body, flared rim, strap handle. [B]7.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399742[/ATTACH] [B]Dagger[/B] Luristan c. 1000 BC 36.8cm (14.5") Cf. Moorey (Catalogue of the Ancient Persian Bronzes in the Ashmolean Museum), Pl. 6, Fig. 51 Description: Bronze, lower portion of hilt cast in imitation of an inlaid flanged hilt, complete with guard flanges, pommel divided into two semicircular "ears," broad flat midrib down the blade. [B]6.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399743[/ATTACH] [B]Vessel[/B] Western or NW Iran Early first millennium BC (Iron Age II) 18.4 cm (w) x 13.3 cm (h) (7 ¼” x 5 ¼”) Description: Large, round body, “bird beak spout” with open channel projecting from one side of rim, small loop handle, adorno below handle (Ram’s head? Bird in flight?). [B]5.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399747[/ATTACH] [B]Spearhead[/B] Marlik (NW Iran) 1200-800 BC 45.2 cm (17.8”) Cf. Negahban (Weapons from Marlik), Pl. VI, Fig. 69-75 Description: Bronze, elongated triangular blade with gently curved shoulders and a rectangular-sectioned midrib tapering toward a sharp point, rat tail tang with button end. Ex-Allan Stone Collection, NY [B]4.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399755[/ATTACH] [B]Vessel[/B] Western or NW Iran Early first millennium BC (Iron Age II) 23.5 cm (w) x 22.9 cm (h) (9.25” x 9”) Description: Large, round body, "bird beak spout" with open channel projecting from one side of rim, some losses (to handle, rim, and spout), long but stable body crack. Ex-Arthur M. Sackler collection. [Sackler (1913-1987) was one of America's preeminent collectors of Asian and ancient art.] [B]3.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399756[/ATTACH] [B]Oil Lamp[/B] Greek c. 4th century BC 10.3 cm (l) x 70 mm (w) x 44 mm (h) (4” x 2.75” x 1.75”) Description: Circular base, bulbous circular body, elongated spout, black glaze (mostly intact), some chipping Ex-Rolf Ivarsson Collection, Linkoping, Sweden; acquired 1940’s-1970’s. [B]2.[/B] [ATTACH=full]1399757[/ATTACH] [B]Olpe[/B] c. 4th century BC Magna Graecia 86.4 mm (w) x 81.3 mm (h) (3.4" x 3.2”) Description: Blackware, some chips, repaired from sherds. Ex-Douglas Haner Collection, acquired in the 1960s. [B]1.[/B] My favorite pickup this year is a very rare but iconic type of ancient Iranian (Luristani) “sword”. Technically, based on its length, this type of weapon should be called a “dirk” rather than sword. But, in any event, these are popularly known as “iron mask swords.” There are estimated to be around 90 extant examples of these. I’m pleased to now own one, despite its poor condition. [ATTACH=full]1399760[/ATTACH] [B]Iron Mask Sword[/B] Luristan c. 1000 BC 44.45 cm (17 ½”) Cf. Khorasani (Arms and Armor from Iran), Cat. 21-27 Cf. Khorasani (Luristan and Marlik: Centers of Weapon Making in Ancient Iran, from Marlik, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2012), Fig. 8 Cf. Muscarella (Bronze and Iron, Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art), Fig. 303 Description: Blade and handle made of different iron parts, cast and forged together. Disk-shaped pommel with protomes mounted on opposite sides (details shown left and right in image), two molded cords on grip, guard adorned on each side with a couchant predator (difficult to make out in this specimen, details at bottom), blade set at 90-degrees to handle. For more info: [URL]https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=119753.msg760751#msg760751[/URL][/QUOTE]
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