Egyptian Basalt Kohl Pot

Amuletic pendant of the cat goddess Bastet, sitting on a rectangular base, suspension loop behind the shoulders. 1.82 grams, 16 mm



Acquired 1990s. Property of a Staffordshire lady collector. Ex Quercus of Quonians, Lichfield, UK, 2018. Property of a Sussex, UK, teacher. Private collection, London. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The cat was sacred to Bastet, a protective mother goddess and the daughter of the sun god Re. Amulets provided the wearer with the goddess's protection. Her name means ‘she of the bast [ointment jar],’ which may have contained a substance favoured by or exclusive to royalty. Originally, Bastet was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, but by the late New Kingdom, she was typically depicted with a cat's head. She is sometimes shown with kittens, emphasising her maternal role as a fierce protector of offspring.

In a striding pose with arms at the sides, sporting a black coloured tripartite wig surmounted by the god's distinctive headdress consisting of a lotus flower with two plumes on top; a suspension loop at the back; repaired. 71 grams total, 13 cm including stand



Property from an American deceased estate, acquired between 1970 and 1989. with Bonham's, London, 28 October 2009, no.81 [Part]. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Nefertum was closely associated with the creator god Ptah and the goddesses Sekhmet and Bastet. He represented the first sunlight and the sweet scent of the Egyptian blue lotus flower (nymphaea caerulea). According to beliefs, the sun rose from the bloom of a blue lotus, embodying notions of rebirth and rejuvenation. Additionally, as the lotus was seen as a symbol of fertility, it is possible that this amulet was also worn for that purpose.

Substantial cast figurine modelled in the round of Harpocrates sitting with hands on his thighs, double crown and sidelock. 389 grams, 16.2 cm



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.

Harpocrates is the Greek rendering of the Egyptian Hor-pa-khered, which means ‘Horus the Child’. This name refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing an amulet of Harpocrates was believed to give the wearer the same protection that Isis offered to her beloved son. Larger bronze statuettes probably served as votive offerings to Harpocrates to secure his favour and protection.