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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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Phoenician Bronze Figure
1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £624
Modelled in the round with tall conical cap, pinched face, flat discoid upper body and single-piece legs, ovoid foot; lightly punched eyes, navel and nipples, horseshoe punch-detailing to edges; mounted on a display stand. 56 grams total, 10.3 cm including stand
From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
This figurine bears a resemblance to other simply crafted figurines found in temple deposits at Byblos and other Phoenician sites. The tall conical cap seen on many of these figurines is reminiscent of the hedjet Egyptian crown, underscoring the robust cultural and commercial ties between the Levant and Egypt. -
Phoenicio-Egyptian Dark Green Stone Scarab
Circa 6th-4th century B.C.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £150
With textured carapace, bull-horned column to the reverse. 3.94 grams, 15 mm
From the property of the late Mr SM, London, UK, 1969-1999.
The very frequent discovery of scarabs in Eastern and Western Phoenician and Punic tombs is the most notable and evident document of the prestige that Egyptian magic had in the Phoenician world. The generalized adoption of the scarab, both in its symbolic language linked to the regenerative form of earthly or otherworldly life and in its function as a seal, identifies the extent of Egyptian influence on the Phoenician culture since its Syro-Palestinian origins. -
Egyptian Faience Amulet Collection
1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £700 - 900 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £350
Comprising: a row of Tawaret figures on a rectangular base; ibis on a tongue-shaped base; Pataikos flanked by two figures wearing a red crown with uraeus. 6.5 grams total, 16-30 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.
