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LOT 0548
Egyptian Bronze Seated Harpocrates
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
6 3/8 in. (389 grams, 16.2 cm).
Substantial cast figurine modelled in the round of Harpocrates sitting with hands on his thighs, double crown and sidelock.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
LiteratureCf. Roeder, G., Ägyptische Bronzefiguren II, Berlin, 1956, pl. 18p, for a similar example with heavy side-lock.
FootnotesHarpocrates is the Greek rendering of the Egyptian Hor-pa-khered, which means ‘Horus the Child’. This name refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing an amulet of Harpocrates was believed to give the wearer the same protection that Isis offered to her beloved son. Larger bronze statuettes probably served as votive offerings to Harpocrates to secure his favour and protection.
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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LOT 0548
Egyptian Bronze Seated Harpocrates
Estimate £900 - 1,200€1,040 - 1,390 (for guidance only)$1,220 - 1,620 (for guidance only)
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Large Egyptian Lapis Lazuli Heart Scarab
New Kingdom, 1550-1070 B.C.Estimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
Naturalistically modelled head, thorax, and abdomen, with elytra outlined by incised lines; front, middle, and hind legs visible at the sides and merging into an oval base plinth. 31 grams, 39 mm
Ex early 20th century collection, London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13102-249410.
The scarab amulet was one of ancient Egypt’s most widespread symbols, signifying rebirth, transformation, and protection. Modelled on the dung beetle associated with the sun god Khepri—believed to roll the sun across the sky—it symbolised the cycle of life and renewal. Widely used from the early Middle Kingdom onwards, scarabs served as funerary amulets, personal charms, and seals, often inscribed with prayers or names. They reflect both spiritual beliefs and daily life in ancient Egypt. -
Egyptian Faience Amulet Group
New Kingdom-Ptolemaic Period, 1550-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Comprising a large standing Bes statuette on a rectangular base and a smaller Bes pierced for suspension; four scarabs with detailing to the upper face and incised signs and motifs on the underside; a tear-shaped bunch of grapes with a broken suspension loop; a lozenge-shaped pierced for suspension. 11 grams total, 9-38 mm
From the Walter Thomas Gaze Cooper (1895-1980) collection; thence by descent. -
Egyptian Bronze Seated Harpocrates
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £900 - 1,200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £475
Substantial cast figurine modelled in the round of Harpocrates sitting with hands on his thighs, double crown and sidelock. 389 grams, 16.2 cm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
Harpocrates is the Greek rendering of the Egyptian Hor-pa-khered, which means ‘Horus the Child’. This name refers to Horus as the divine infant of Isis and Osiris. Wearing an amulet of Harpocrates was believed to give the wearer the same protection that Isis offered to her beloved son. Larger bronze statuettes probably served as votive offerings to Harpocrates to secure his favour and protection.
