Mythological figure with bird-like elements. Provenance: From the Estate of John Willard Spellman, PH.D., F.R.A.S. Dr. Spellman retired as Head of the Department of Asian Studies, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He is considered one of the world's foremost scholars on Asian Studies and a cultural expert on the political history of India. In 2013, Dr. Spellman was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal for his human rights, civil liberties and volunteer work.