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LOT 0016
Egyptian Black Stone Kohl Vessel
MIDDLE KINGDOM, CIRCA 1991-1665 B.C.
2 in. (190 grams, 53 mm wide).
Squat in profile with integral discoid base, broad discoid rim to the mouth.
ProvenanceSwiss collection, acquired in 1998.
LiteratureCf. Guidotti, M.C., Vasi dall’epoca protodinastica al Nuovo Regno, Museo Egizio di Firenze, Rome, 1991, p.120, no. 114, for a similar example.
FootnotesSuch vessels contained kohl, an eyepaint either green or black. Kohl was used as a cosmetic in daily life, mentioned in funerary texts as necessary make-up in the presentation of the deceased before Osiris, and served as a medical treatment for eye ailments. The small size of kohl jars and their tiny capacity indicate the preciousness and costliness of the contents.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Egyptian Hardstone Scarab in Gold Bracelet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C. and laterSold for (Inc. bp): £572
Scarab, plano-convex in section with incised carapace and leg detailing, stylised djed pillar to the underside; mounted in a 20th-century gold bracelet. 12.30 grams, 22.5 cm
From the private collection of the late Mrs Belinda Ellison, long time member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, c.1940-2020. -
Large Egyptian Expedition Lithograph Print of Hieroglyphs
1820 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Leclerc - Thèbes - Hypogées - Manuscrit sur papyrus - Proof etching on laid paper of plate 69 from La Description de l’Égypte: Antiquités, Volume II: Commission des sciences et arts d’Égypte with later backing sheet. 350 grams, 132 x 65 cm
From the collection of a North American priest. Acquired between 1981-1996. Property of a North American collector.
Produced between February 1802 and 1830 on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte; published between 1809 and 1828. Just 1,000 copies were distributed to various institutions, printed on on laid paper with an 'Égypte ancienne et moderne' watermark. The book is subtitled Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’Armée française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l’Empereur Napoléon le Grand (Gathering of observations and discoveries which were made in Egypt during the expedition of the French army, published on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon the Great). It was the world's first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the remains of ancient Egypt. The plates of this book are the first to present the archaeological sites of Thebes (Luxor). The papyrus manuscript was recovered from the underground chambers (hypogea). The papyrus is now in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. -
Egyptian Faience Figure of Nefertum
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Estimate: £700 - 900 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £350
Turquoise faience standing figure of Nefertum 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].
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.
