Mesopotamia. Finely carved and incised with two lions standing upright on two legs, centered by a recumbent ibex on one side, and to the other by the head of a bull-man above a circular cross-like emblem.

Provenance: From the collection of Paolo Bertuzzi. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was a fashion stylist from Bologna, Italy. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother's business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than 60 years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age, with expected wear and small nicks. The stone with natural flaws and fissures, some of which have developed into small hairline cracks.

Weight: 13.8 g
Dimensions: Length 3.4 cm

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 11 June 2011, lot 435
Price: USD 7,050 or approx. EUR 9,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An Akkadian rock crystal cylinder seal, circa 2334-2154 BC
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and manner of carving, the seal also depicting a bull-man. Note the size (2.7 cm).