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LOT 0011
Egyptian Blue-Glazed Faience Chalice
EARLY THIRD INTERMEDIATE PERIOD, CIRCA 1050 B.C.
5 in. (104 grams, 12.5 cm high).
A blue-glazed faience chalice representing the blue lotus flower with a tall, flaring cup rounded at the base, short stem with a flared foot; held in a lockable wooden presentation box with key; restored.
ProvenanceAcquired from Dr Jan Beekmans, circa 1982.
UK private collection.
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 search certificate no.11599-198342.
Cf. The British Museum, museum number EA4801 'Blue glazed composition (faience) drinking-cup, in the form of a stemmed lotus flower', for similar; cf. The Metropolitan Museum, accession number 26.7.972, for similar; Walters Art Gallery, inventory no.48.416, for similar.
FootnotesIt is thought that blue lotus chalices served cultic or votive roles in temples or in offering rituals to the dead, and the white lotus versions were used as drinking vessels. Called Seshen by the ancient Egyptians, the blue lotus symbolised solar concepts surrounding rebirth- possibly because its flowers open their petals in the morning and close them again at night. Given this connection, it is not surprising to find that the lotus features prominently in ancient Egyptian funerary art, in banqueting scenes honouring the dead and in bouquets adorning the coffin and its bier. It is thought that the petals were used to make perfume and that the ancient Egyptians exploited the lotus's narcotic properties and added its extracted essence to wine to enhance the pleasurable effects of the drink, as can be seen in banqueting scenes.
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AUCTIONS:
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Egyptian Faience Figure of Bes
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £234
A green glazed composition figure of Bes standing on a base; plumed headdress and loop absent. 4.79 grams, 34 mm
Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998. -
Egyptian Blue Faience Djed Pillar Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £494
A glazed composition amuletic pendant of the djed pillar with fine detailing; loop to the reverse. 2.75 grams, 34 mm
Ex Roger Liechti collection, Geneva, Switzerland. -
Egyptian Faience Ptah Amulet
Ptolemaic Period, 4th-3rd century B.C.Estimate: £1,200 - 1,700 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £600
A blue-glazed faience amulet of the creator god Ptah in the form of the dwarf god Pataikos, modelled nude with stylised anatomical detailing, holding two knives to his stomach, squatting on an oval base; a scarab on the top of his cap; ribbed suspension loop to reverse; mounted on a custom-made display base. 29.6 grams total, 66 mm high including stand
Ex private French collection. with Thierry Maigret, Hotel Drouot, Paris, 12 July 2005, 76.
The Egyptian deity Pataikos is a special manifestation of the creator god Ptah, and the dwarf-like appearance symbolises his magical power. As a protective deity, amulets of Pataikos were worn for their apotropaic qualities; Pataikos was often depicted subjugating poisonous animals such as snakes and scorpions, and Pataikos amulets were probably worn to protect the wearer from such animals. Ptah was the god of Egypt's capital city Memphis and master craftsman of the gods, known for his benevolent and approachable character. Ptah is attested from the beginning of ancient Egypt’s dynastic history and was a creator god, a god of craftsmen, and the patron deity of the Memphite region. The principal temple of the god was located in the city of Memphis. The fragmentary back pillar on this statuette indicates that it was most probably a temple offering, originally inscribed with an invocation to Ptah together with the donor’s name. Such votive figurines with back pillars naming the god and the dedicator occur in various materials, including faience and stone.
