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LOT 0037
Egyptian Blue Faience Scarab
LATE PERIOD, 7TH-6TH CENTURY B.C.
4 in. (4 in.) (22.3 grams, 10 cm wide (44 grams total, 10 cm wide including stand)).
Comprising a crescentic plaque with central scarab modelled in the half-round, and lateral wings with hatched texturing; scarab with ribbing and other detailing; pierced in four places for attachment; accompanied by a custom-made stand.
ProvenanceAcquired in the 1950-1990s.
Mr C., Geneva, Switzerland.
Private collection, Europe.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12592-232170.
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.
Cf. Berlev, O. and Hodjash, S., Catalogue of Monuments of Ancient Egypt: From the Museums of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Bielorussia, Caucasus, Middle Asia and the Baltic States, Orbis Biblicus et Orientalis 17, Fribourg/Göttingen, 1998, pl. 173, no. XIV.60, for a similar (though less fine) one-piece example.
FootnotesWinged scarabs were thought to ensure the rebirth and regeneration of the deceased, making them popular funerary amulets. This is a particularly fine example of a rarer one-piece amulet, as they are usually made from three separate elements.
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 Blue Amulet of Amun
Late Period, 26th Dynasty, circa 664-525 B.C.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
The god modelled seated on a throne with a dorsal pillar, hands resting on his knees, wearing a short kilt and a two-plume feather crown; mounted on a wooden stand. 15.75 grams total, 71 mm including stand
with Charles Ede Ltd, London, UK. Private collection, London, UK, acquired from the above on 12 July 1994. Accompanied by a copy of the Charles Ede invoice. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12632-235078. 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.
The amulet of the god Amun served both religious and protective purposes in ancient Egypt. Amun, a major deity associated with creation, kingship, and hidden power. Wearing an amulet bearing Amun’s image or name was believed to invoke his divine protection, grant strength, and confer favour or legitimacy. Such amulets were also placed among burial goods to ensure the deceased was protected and guided in the afterlife. -
Egyptian Glass Panel with Eyes
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £150
Irregular glass panel fragment with mosaic eye motifs inlaid; repaired. 1.57 grams, 18 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. -
Egyptian Steatite Portrait of a Ptolemaic Prince
2nd-1st century B.C.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,500
With a round face featuring large eyes, a narrow nose that broadens at the end, and full lips downturned at the corners, the forehead has a distinctive deep furrow above the brow; a narrow, twisted diadem encircling his wavy hair; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 84 grams total, 10 cm including stand
Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12631-236408. 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.
The Greek hairstyle is a characteristic feature of Ptolemaic royal portraiture, as is the twisted diadem - a Greek interpretation of the Egyptian headband (the sšd) - which appears on several portrait heads of Ptolemaic boy-kings and princes. The distinctive furrow is intriguing, as it contrasts with the typically blemish-free physiognomy of most Ptolemaic royal sculpture. However, a similar furrow can be seen on the portrait head of a provincial governor from Dendera, dated to the 2nd century B.C. (Bothmer, B.V., Egyptian Sculpture of the Late Period 700 B.C. to A.D. 100, New York, 1960, pp. 144-143, pl. 112, nos. 301-302), which may indicate an artistic trend employed in high-status sculpture at that time. It has been suggested that small royal portrait heads, such as this example, may have served as votives. The lack of an Egyptian-style back pillar on this and similar pieces supports the possibility that they were inserted into statues made of different materials (Ashton, S.-A., Ptolemaic Royal Sculpture from Egypt, BAR International Series 923, Oxford, 2001, p.12).
