Egyptian Bronze Braided Sidelock of Harpocrates

Modelled in the round wearing the atef crown with a uraeus to the brow, arms crossed on the chest holding the nekhakha (flail) and heka (crook); loop to rear of the neck; feet absent and damage to left shoulder revealing original lead core. 74 grams, 92 mm



Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

Osiris was a deity who represents death and fertility and is commonly regarded as the quintessential god of rebirth. Though he was once a mortal ruler, as a deceased entity, his domain was the Underworld. Small figurines like this example were dedicated to the god to ensure his good favour.

Plano-convex in section with detailed obverse, the underside with the figure of Bes flanked by adoring baboons and sun disks. 10.7 grams, 31 mm



Ex London, UK collection, 1990s.

Bes became one of ancient Egypt's most popular apotropaic deities from the New Kingdom onwards. Despite his somewhat fearful appearance, Bes was the patron and protector of pregnant women and children and believed to protect the wearer from snakes. The depiction of baboons flanking Bes with their arms raised before the sun disk was a common feature on temple wall reliefs. In ancient Egyptian religious literature, baboons heralded the dawn and, thus, the rebirth of the sun.

Restrung netted beadwork panel of annular and tubular glazed composition beads in blues, greens, black, cream and red-brown colours, depicting a mummy face mask with false beard, a scarab with extended wings below, the 'Four Sons of Horus’ beneath the scarab, joined together with areas of open netting of tubular beads; restrung with some later beads. 123 grams, 30 cm



Ex Mariaud de Serres, Paris, France, 1980-1990s. From a London, UK, collection.

The Four Sons of Horus were deities responsible for protecting the internal organs of the deceased. The human-headed Imsety protected the liver, the baboon-headed Hapy protected the lungs, the jackal-headed Duamutef protected the stomach, and the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef protected the intestines.