Lot Essay
Nergal is associated with the underworld, a god of war and pestilence. Mamitum is his consort, originally a personification of the oath (mamitum), and punisher of perjurers.
.jpg?w=1)
THE PROPERTY OF A EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTOR Giorgio Sangiorgi (1886-1965) was a principle of the most renowned art-dealing family in Rome. The firm was located at 117 via Ripetta at Palazzo Borghese and was famous for many important auctions, with catalogues written in collaboration with leading scholars. The galleria specialized in ancient art, furniture, ceramics and textiles. As a private collector, Sangiorgi assembled an important ancient glass collection, which he published in 1914. Masterpieces from it were sold in the 1960s and are now the pride of numerous institutions such as the Toledo Museum of Art and the Corning Museum of Glass; the bulk of the collection was sold here at Christie’s New York in June 1999, “Ancient Glass formerly in the G. Sangiorgi Collection.” As with the glass collection, many of the objects in his personal collection, such as the gems presented here, were acquired throughout Europe and never imported into Italy.
THREE NEAR EASTERN STONE SEALS AND AMULETS
CIRCA 2ND-1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
Details
THREE NEAR EASTERN STONE SEALS AND AMULETS
CIRCA 2ND-1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
Including an Old Babylonian rock crystal cylinder seal with a cuneiform inscription, reading: “Nergal, Mamitum;" a Neo-Babylonian chalcedony duck weight pendant; and a Neo-Babylonian brown stone pyramidal seal with a figure standing in adoration before a tree
Largest: 13/16 in. (2 cm.) long
CIRCA 2ND-1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
Including an Old Babylonian rock crystal cylinder seal with a cuneiform inscription, reading: “Nergal, Mamitum;" a Neo-Babylonian chalcedony duck weight pendant; and a Neo-Babylonian brown stone pyramidal seal with a figure standing in adoration before a tree
Largest: 13/16 in. (2 cm.) long
Provenance
G. Sangiorgi Collection (1886-1965), Rome.
Private Collection, Monaco, 1970s; thence by descent.
Private Collection, Monaco, 1970s; thence by descent.
Brought to you by
G. Max Bernheimer