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LOT 0049
Egyptian Bronze Figure of Khnum, the Creator God
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
8 5/8 in. (9 3/8 in.) (466 grams, 22 cm high (803 grams total, 23.8 cm high including stand)).
A substantial figure of the ram-headed god Khnum advancing, wearing a tripartite wig with low central modius drilled for a separately cast headdress and finely pleated kilt, with ram's horns and eyes recessed for inlay, raised left hand, the right arm along the side; mounted on a custom-made stand.
ProvenanceWith Stendahl Art Gallery, Los Angeles, by at least circa 1950s, accompanied by an inventory card #39, with a matching number on the original base, and a photograph.
Private collection, Hollywood, California, acquired from the above, circa 1950s.
Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S00256888.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no. 13240-251804.
Cf. Roeder, G., Ägyptische Bronzefiguren II, Berlin, 1956, pl. 72a, for a closely comparable example in Toronto (acc. no. 948.10.2).
FootnotesThe god Khnum (or Khnemu), the 'Moulder', was one of the earliest gods of Egypt, worshipped especially at Philae and Elephantine, both in Nubia. He was thought to have made mankind out of clay on a potter's wheel. It was Khnum who helped Isis to gather the severed fragments of the body of the god Osiris and reassemble them. He was considered the father of the gods, along with Amun-Ra and Ptah.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0049
Egyptian Bronze Figure of Khnum, the Creator God
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,700
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Egyptian Terracotta Handled Oil Lamp
Ptolemaic Period, circa 3rd-1st century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Biconical body with tubular neck and thickened rim, short spout with four piercings above, and handle to the side. 94 grams, 74.6 mm wide
From the private collection of Mr Brian Edwards, New Malden, Surrey, UK, formed from the late 1970s-early 1980s; thence by descent. Accompanied by the original collector's data sheet with reference no.A116. -
Phoenician Bronze Seal Pendant
Late 1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £250 - 350 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £125
Formed as a ribbed lop with short neck, ellipsoid plaque with incuse saltire and pellets. 16.35 grams, 27 mm wide
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Phoenician Glass Bead Collection
6th-3rd century B.C. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £910
Comprising a group of crumb-decorated polychrome oblate beads and a centrepiece pendant formed as a stylised bearded head. 179 grams total, 12-42 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
The Phoenicians, renowned seafarers and traders, were also skilled glassworkers. They produced a wide variety of glass beads using core-forming and winding techniques, with vivid colours and elaborate designs that reflect both technical mastery and cross-cultural influence. Among the most iconic Phoenician beads are glass 'head' beads, crafted in the form of stylised human or mythological faces. Typically, they feature exaggerated facial details like bulging eyes, large noses, beards, and headdresses, often with expressive or comic features. They were possibly worn as amulets to ward off evil or attract protection, though they may also represent deities, ancestors, or foreigners. These beads often incorporate Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern stylistic elements, reflecting the Phoenicians’ extensive trade networks.