Loading, please wait...
LOT 0457
Egyptian Carnelian Scarab
NEW KINGDOM-LATE PERIOD, 1550-332 B.C.
3/4 in. (3.07 grams, 19 mm).
A finely carved carnelian scarab (Scarabaeus sacer) modelled naturalistically in the round with anatomical detailing to the carapace, head, legs and underside of the body; slightly domed profile; drilled laterally to the underside of the body for suspension.
ProvenanceFrom an early 20th century Home Counties collection.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.114474-196152.
Cf. The Johns Hopkins Archaeological Museum, accession number 3791, for a similar scarab dated to the Late Period.
FootnotesThe Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of renewal and rebirth. The beetle was associated with the sun god because scarabs roll large balls of dung in which to lay their eggs, a behavior that the Egyptians thought resembled the progression of the sun through the sky from east to west. Scarab amulets were used for their magical rejuvenating properties by both the living and the dead. The regenerative powers of scarabs such as the one offered here could be used by either the living or the dead for healing and protection. The striking red/orange colour of the carnelian stone used to produce this amulet strengthens its solar associations.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Egyptian Amulet Collection
New Kingdom-Late Period, 1550-332 B.C.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
A mixed group of glazed composition amulets and beads comprising: white rectangular bead with Tilapia fish in high-relief and two cobras flanking a hem ideogram; turquoise frog on heater-shaped base with serpent to the underside; green scaraboid with wedjat to the carapace, Hathor sistrum with cow's horns to the underside; green ram-headed scaraboid with hieroglyphs to the underside; green cylinder with scarab motif; green wedjat with a cartouche of Thutmose III to the reverse; green rectangular bead with djed pillar flanked by ostrich feathers and incuse hieroglyphs to the reverse. 14.3 grams total, 14-27 mm
Two amulets with Bonhams, London, Knightsbridge, UK, 3 October 2000, lot 385 [Part]. Private Swiss collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11593-198956. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. -
Egyptian Red Glass Face Inlay
Ptolemaic Period, circa 332-32 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
A red glass insert of a profile face with remains of a pharaonic crown to the forehead. 16.7 grams, 31 mm wide
Ex Joseph Altounian (1889-1954), Paris and Macon, thence by decent. with Christie's, London, 3 July 2018, lot 29. English private collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11603-199738.
Joseph Altounian opened his shop in 1906 in Paris and then relocated to Mâcon in 1924 when he was joined by his wife Henriette Lorbet. They specialised in Egyptian and Greek art, medieval sculpture and decorative arts, selling to major museums both in Europe and in the United States. At his death in 1954 the business was taken over by his daughter, Jacqueline Altounian-Lorbet, and her husband Bernard Rousset, who then specialised in antique furniture. -
Egyptian Gold Fly Amulet
Late New Kingdom, 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
A sheet-gold fly amulet with heart-shaped wings, head formed as suspension loop. 0.72 grams, 18 mm
Acquired 1970-2010. Collection of a late Japanese gentleman.
