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LOT 0477
Egyptian Bronze Eye Inlay
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
2 3/8 in. (33 grams, 62 mm).
Comprising a bronze frame with a delicately modelled tear duct, inset with a white hardstone scalera and a large black glass pupil.
ProvenanceEx AB collection, 1920s-1930s.
Accompanied by an old collection ticket.
Cf. Lacovara, P., Teasley Trope, B., and D’Auria, S.H., The Collector’s Eye: Masterpieces of Egyptian Art from The Thalassic Collection, Ltd., Atlanta, 2001, p.120, no.70, for similar inlaid eyes with faience frames.
FootnotesMummy masks were used as a protection over the deceased and were first introduced during the First Intermediate Period. The eyes were thought to fend off evil by reflecting it back to the one bestowing it.
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 Glazed Hieroglyphic Shabti Fragment
Saite Period, 26th Dynasty, 664-525 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,820
Pale blue composition with detailed texture to the headcloth, pick and hoe held at the shoulders with cord supporting the seed bag over the shoulder; the lower body with two bands of crisp hieroglyphic text remaining. 96 grams, 90 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.
Although the individual's name is lost, his titles: 'member of the elite' and 'mayor/prince/governor', indicate his high status. -
Egyptian Carnelian Eye of Horus Amulet
Circa 1000 B.C.Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £500
With exceptional eye detailing carved in low-relief to one face. 1.64 grams, 19 mm
Ex R. Liechti (1934-2010) Geneva, Switzerland, formed between 1950-1990s. Accompanied by a copy of an old collection inventory note.
The wedjat-eye amulet is a representation of the healed eye of the god Horus, featuring both human and falcon elements. The name wedjat in ancient Egyptian means ‘the one that is sound.’ According to Egyptian mythology, Horus' eye was wounded or taken by the god Seth and restored by Thoth. The wedjat-eye amulet was thought to protect its wearer and bestow the power of recovery and regeneration onto them. It was very popular and used by both the living and the dead. -
Egyptian Wooden Doll with Circular Decorations
Coptic, 7th-11th centuries A.D. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £117
Flat anthropomorphic panel with incised ring-and-dot ornament to obverse, single central ring-and-dot to the reverse. 16 grams, 12.4 cm
Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1A 2JB, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.
In the late Roman Egypt or early Islamic period (7th–11th century A.D.) a new type of figurine appeared in the archaeological record: small, crudely crafted human figures made of bone. Some researchers considered them as toys meant to prepare girls for motherhood; others saw them as fertility figurines. They are mostly referred to as early Christian or “Coptic dolls”. In Egypt and Palestine they seem to appear suddenly in the 7th century, coinciding with the Arab conquests, but they might have existed earlier. With the new Muslim empire bridging former Roman and Sassanian lands, these dolls found their way to Egypt and Palestine where they were reproduced in huge numbers, becoming popular in all levels of society of the 8th and 9th century. By the end of the 11th century they disappeared as quickly as they appeared, probably because of restrictions placed on their production by Islamic laws.
