Early African Benin Kingdom Bronze Leopard, Edo peoples, Benin, Nigeria, lowered<br>head, open mouth with bared teeth, regular spotted pattern, tail curved above<br>his back, on an integral plinth, approx 5.25"h, 7"w, 3"d, 3.5lbs **Provenance:<br>From the estate of Ali A. Abssi (1934-2020) and Florence Hall Abssi (1919-2014),<br>founders of the Ishtar Gate Gallery in the prestigious Houston Galleria. They<br>were world travelers and dealers of eclectic art, jewelry, antiquities, and<br>gems. Their friends, acquaintances, and customers included people from all<br>continents, including sheiks, prime ministers, royals, business leaders,<br>politicians, and oil magnates. Florence was also a published author.<br>b28