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LOT 0035
Egyptian Carnelian Heart Scarab
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
5/8 in. (2.55 grams, 17 mm).
With fine anatomical detailing on the body and striated wingcase, legs folded beneath the body and flanked by a ribbed suspension loop.
ProvenanceFrom a mid 20th century collection.
LiteratureCf. Ben-Tor, D., The Scarab: A Reflection of Ancient Egypt, Tel Aviv, 1993, p. 77, nos. 11 and 12, for two similar carnelian scarabs.
FootnotesThe 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 embodied 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. Naturalistic scarabs made of semi-precious stones, such as this example, are a characteristic feature of Late Period burials.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0035
Egyptian Carnelian Heart Scarab
Estimate £800 - 1,000€930 - 1,160 (for guidance only)$1,080 - 1,350 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£400 (EUR 464; USD 540) +BP*
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Egyptian Mummy Textile and Cartonnage Fragments in Display Stand
Circa 1500 B.C.-300 A.D.Estimate: £50 - 70 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Comprising fragments of open-structured, loose-weave brown fabric, a painted cartonnage piece, and another fabric piece with attached fragments of plaster; mounted in a protective acrylic display. 82 grams total, 16 cm including stand
with a privately curated collection, 1980s-early 2000s. From the private collection and estate of Christine Simons (1943-2025), West Midlands, UK. -
Egyptian Steatite Scarab with Religious Motifs
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £200 - 300 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £100
Plano-convex in section, with a segmented upper face; the underside features an incuse design of a winged scarab, two perching Horus falcons, and a winged uraeus above, with a frieze of four cobras interspersed with three nefer signs below; supplied with an impression. 3.53 grams, 19 mm
Acquired from Derek Content, 24 June 1975. Private collection of Kal Noselson, New York, acquired between 1976 and the late 1990s; thence by descent. Accompanied by an original handwritten invoice from Derek Content, dated 24 June 1975. -
Egyptian Coptic Tunic Textile Fragments of Orbiculi with Vegetation, Figures and Geometric Ornament
Circa 6th-7th century A.D.Estimate: £80 - 100 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Comprising a tablion and an orbiculus featuring floral and geometric decoration in black and red wool (Z-twist); an orbiculus with floral and geometric decoration in yellow, brown, red, and black wool; and a heart-shaped bud in green, red, and yellow wool featuring a human figure at the centre. 11.1 grams total, 8.1-12.5 cm
Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.
The fragments are decorative parts of tunics. These are fabrics of great decorative finesse, with some elements displaying an unusual and extremely well-preserved colour palette.
