TANG DYNASTY POTTERY BACTRIAN CAMEL WITH SOGDIAN RIDER - TL TESTED. Ca. AD 618 - 907. A pottery figure of a Bactrian camel with a Sogdian rider, standing on an integral, flat base. The camel is depicted mid-stride, with long legs firmly planted and its head raised, mouth open to reveal sculpted teeth and a protruding tongue. A thick, textured mane runs down the elongated neck and across the humps, while the curved tail extends outward before looping back towards the body. The rider wears a tall, pointed hat and a fitted tunic with long sleeves. One arm is raised, while the other is positioned forward. Legs are spread apart to accommodate the broad back of the camel. Facial features include a furrowed brow, a prominent nose, and a moustache, with lips highlighted in red. A similar example sold for USD 25,000 at Christie's, Online Auction 14389, The Art of China: Online Autumn Sale, 27 September 2017, Lot 38; and for £21,250 at Bonhams, Antiquities, 12 May 2016, Lot 2. Size: 740mm x 520mm; Weight: 21kg Provenance: UK private collection; formerly acquired in the early 1990s in Hong Kong. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. This piece has been precisely dated using a thermoluminescence analysis carried out by Ralf Kotalla. The report will accompany the lot.