Egyptian Banded Agate Kohl Pot

Wedjat-eye amulet with reclining lioness to the top, pierced for suspension. 6.79 grams, 29 mm



From an early 20th century collection. Ex London, UK, gallery. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The wedjat-eye and lioness are potent, often intertwined symbols in ancient Egyptian mythology. The wedjat, representing Horus’s healed eye, signifies protection and healing, while the lioness—linked to the goddesses Sekhmet, Bastet, and Wadjet—embodies power and fierce defence as the “Eye of Ra”. Together in amulets, as in Egyptian art, they convey healing, protection, and strength. Sometimes the name of a specific goddess was inscribed on the back of the amulet, though here the recumbent lioness serves as the divine symbol.

Fragment of the rectangular base of a statue, preserving an integral pair of feet on the upper surface; lower end of dorsal column inscription at the rear with two hieroglyphs; below, a horizontal band of hieroglyphic text extending onto both short sides including part of an offering formula for the ḥm-nṯr ı͗wnw-smꜤ ḥr-sꜢ-Ꜣstı͗ (the priest [of the] Southern Heliopolis [i.e., Thebes], Hor-sa-aseti); old collectors' labels on the underside; supplied with a custom-made wooden display stand. 1.37 kg, 12.9 cm (4.08 kg total, 25 cm including stand)



Private New York, USA, collection, 1970. Ex Adrian Burns, Columus, Ohio, USA, from an old estate collection. Ex Art for Eternity gallery, New York, USA. Ex Art Primativo, Auction 16, 2001, no.430. Ex private New York, USA, collection. Private collection, London, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12832-240779. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Comprising a group of crumb-decorated polychrome oblate beads and a centrepiece pendant formed as a stylised bearded head. 179 grams total, 12-42 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The Phoenicians, renowned seafarers and traders, were also skilled glassworkers. They produced a wide variety of glass beads using core-forming and winding techniques, with vivid colours and elaborate designs that reflect both technical mastery and cross-cultural influence. Among the most iconic Phoenician beads are glass 'head' beads, crafted in the form of stylised human or mythological faces. Typically, they feature exaggerated facial details like bulging eyes, large noses, beards, and headdresses, often with expressive or comic features. They were possibly worn as amulets to ward off evil or attract protection, though they may also represent deities, ancestors, or foreigners. These beads often incorporate Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern stylistic elements, reflecting the Phoenicians’ extensive trade networks.