A few examples of appraisal values for
TO 121

• 11TH C. KHMER STONE BUDDHA ON
  11TH C. KHMER STONE BUDDHA ON NAGA THRONESoutheast Asia, Cambodia, Khmer Empire (Angkor culture), ca. 11th to 13th century CE. A monumental, finely carved stone Buddha, seated on a three-tiered serpentine throne, with the flaring, hooded head of a giant Naga, the serpent king Muchilinda, rising behind him protectively. The Buddha's hands are posed in the Dhyana Mudra. This is a gesture of meditation, with the hands placed in the lap, right hand on left, with fingers full stretched out and palms facing upwards. The Buddha's face is serene, with a naturalistic and warm expression. He wears a magnificent crown that was meticulously incised with intricate beaded and stylized geometric motifs, topped by a similarly elaborately detailed ushnisha, symbolizing his enlightenment. The serpent is well-rendered and symmetrical. While this artwork was religious - priests supervised its execution - its realism is unmistakable. Size: 15" W x 36.5" H (38.1 cm x 92.7 cm) The Naga hood and throne comprised of the coils of the serpent's massive body suggest that Muchilinda is protecting the Buddha from heavy rain. This iconographic depiction of the Buddha was a popular one from the reign of Khmer King Jayavarman VII (reigned ca. 1181 to 1218 CE), who established a cult based around it. Scholars believe that this may be because Jayavarman was disabled, and snakes were associated with healing. Interestingly, the king is also known for the establishment of hospitals throughout his kingdom. This said, some scholars question the Buddha/Muchilinda story, saying that it is based on a misreading of the sources. Naga cults were prevalent throughout Indian, Sri Lankan, and Southeast Asian artwork during this period, but the symbolism is somewhat unclear. Some have proposed that nagas could be symbolic vehicles for elevating the deceased – equivalent to transcendence. This interpretation was inspired by the artwork of Angkor Wat and other parts of the Khmer world. Others see the inclusion of the naga as a holdover from earlier symbolic practices. Formalistically, Khmer art moved away from Indian styles in the 7th century CE to encompass its own framework. One sign of this, seen here, is that this statue is carved in the round, rather than as a relief on a stela, which was subscribed to by Indian and Javanese Hindu and Buddhist sculptures that were previously influencing Cambodian art. From this, we can infer that Khmer sculptors would have desired their artwork to be viewed from all sides, and thus placed in the center of temples rather than against a wall. Provenance: private Tucson, Arizona, USA collection, acquired in 2009; ex-Dorian Rae collection, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, established 1978 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. #160561 Condition: Surface with nice worn patina. Loss to one cobra head to upper left and another to lower right, wear at hands, minor losses and chips as shown.
• EGYPTIAN FAIENCE OFFERING CUP W/
  EGYPTIAN FAIENCE OFFERING CUP W/ RAMESSIDE CARTOUCHEAncient Egypt, New Kingdom, Ramesside Period, 19th Dynasty (reign of Ramesses II), ca. 1279 to 1213 BCE or 20th Dynasty (reign of Ramesses III), ca. 1186 to 1155 BCE. A petite, hand-built faience offering cup containing a short inscription and the cartouche of either Pharaoh Ramesses II or Ramesses III. The vessel exhibits a planar foot with a slightly protruding rim, an inverted bell-shaped body, and a thick rim that hangs slightly over the body, all covered with lustrous blue glaze characteristic of high-status New Kingdom artistry. A black-painted rectangular panel on the obverse contains 2 columns of hieroglyphs providing an offering to the pharaoh as Lord of the Two Lands, and an encircled cartouche contains 3 hieroglyphs the comprising the beginning of both the names of Ramesses II and Ramesses III; the remaining hieroglyphs are illegible. Size: 1.375" W x 1.9" H (3.5 cm x 4.8 cm) Faience was known as "tjehnet" to the ancient Egyptians, meaning brilliant or dazzling. It was made by grinding quartz or sand crystals together with various elements, including copper oxide, which gave it its distinctive blue-green hue. The Egyptians believed that blue faience reflected the color of the Nile River both on earth and in the afterlife, and funerary objects are often made of this material. An offering cup for Ramesses III hammered for 3,120 GBP ($4,122.30) at Christie's, London "Antiquities" auction (Live auction 7376, April 25, 2007, lot 91) Provenance: private Dodge collection, Superior, Colorado, USA acquired at auction around 2005 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. PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm. Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping. #170595 Condition: Small chips to rim and foot, with one deep vertical abrasion along rim, pitting across most surfaces commensurate with age and faience material, fading to blue glaze and black hieroglyphs, and smooth earthen deposits, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation to original blue glaze. Some hieroglyphs are still legible, but those within the lower half of the cartouche are heavily worn and are illegible. Old inventory label beneath base.
• CIVIL WAR PERSONAL LETTER AND SEVEN
  CIVIL WAR PERSONAL LETTER AND SEVEN MILITARY DOCUMENTS To include: ALS, "Picket Reserve", June 7th, 1863, to "Hattie," mostly home news, but the officer writes about a Confederate officer withdrawing a picket post and a drummer losing his soldier father in a military hospital (consignor IDs this letter to 121st PA Infantry); sheet of three Federal quartermaster transportation forms, Atlanta, GA; ordnance and ammunition report, 4 pp.; two 3rd Army Corps circulars from Major General French, 1863 and 1864; a Connecticut enlistment form for George C. Abbey, 1862; a discharge certificate naming one Samuel G. Baker, but otherwise blank; a discharge certificate for John L. Kite, a hospital steward.