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LOT 0024
Egyptian Ceramic Statuette of the God Bes Wearing a Feather Crown
ROMAN PERIOD, 2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
9 1/2 in. (362 grams, 24 cm).
Standing on a pillar and wearing a feather crown and a panther skin cloak, his hands resting on his knees, large protruding ears and grimacing expression.
ProvenanceThe Erotica Collection Christian von Faber-Castell, Küsnacgt ZH, Switzerland, since the late 1970s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Cf. Weber, W., Die ägyptisch-griechischen terrakotten, Berlin, 1914, pl.25, no. 251, for similar.
FootnotesChristian von Faber-Castell (born 1950) is a renowned German entrepreneur and art collector, best known as a member of the prominent Faber-Castell family, famed for their iconic writing instruments. A passionate advocate for art and culture, Christian von Faber-Castell curated an extensive and diverse private collection of erotica spanning centuries and cultures. His collection reflects a deep appreciation for the interplay of beauty, sensuality, and artistic expression, bringing together rare and unique works that explore themes of intimacy and human connection. Pieces from this collection have been featured in notable exhibitions and are celebrated for their artistic and historical significance. This offering represents a rare opportunity to acquire works from one of the most fascinating and eclectic private collections of its kind.
Bes became one of ancient Egypt's most popular apotropaic deities from the New Kingdom onwards. Despite his somewhat fearful appearance, Bes was the patron and protector of pregnant women and children and was also believed to protect from snakes.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0024
Egyptian Ceramic Statuette of the God Bes Wearing a Feather Crown
Sold for (Inc. bp): £910
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Egyptian Steatite Scarab with Bes
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £120 - 170 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £67
Plano-convex in section with detailed obverse, the underside with the figure of Bes flanked by adoring baboons and sun discs. 10.7 grams, 31 mm
Ex London, UK collection, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
Bes became one of ancient Egypt's most popular apotropaic deities from the New Kingdom onwards. Despite his somewhat fearful appearance, Bes was the patron and protector of pregnant women and children and believed to protect the wearer from snakes. The depiction of baboons flanking Bes with their arms raised before the sun disk was a common feature on temple wall reliefs. In ancient Egyptian religious literature, baboons heralded the dawn and, thus, the rebirth of the sun. -
Egyptian Clay Shabti and Babylonian Head Group
Mid 1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Comprising: fragment of a shabti with tripartite wig and arms crossed at the chest, mounted on a custom-made stand; male head from a figurine. 268 grams total, 4.3-16.5 cm including stand
From an old English deceased estate. Property of a London, UK, collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. -
Phoenician Blue Glass Bead Group
6th-3rd century B.C. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £624
Including drum-shaped types with marvered eye-motifs. 65 grams total, 10-25 mm
UK gallery, early 2000s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
The category belongs to the cylindrical turquoise eye beads with dark blue and white decorations. Pre-Roman glass beads of this type, generally dated to the Iron Age (end of the ninth century B.C. to 218 B.C.), have been found in significant amounts in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, especially in Phoenician and Punic burial contexts.
