Egyptian Faience Amulet of an Ibis

Naked ithyphallic youthful Harpocrates seated, with shaved head and side-lock, his enormous phallus wrapped around on his neck. 160 grams, 84 mm



The 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.

Ithyphallic figures in limestone, terracotta, gypsum and faience are relatively common in the 6th to 3rd-century B.C. deposits of Lower Egypt. Despite considerable variations, the group consistently depicts a seated ithyphallic plump baby with shaved head (or skull cap) and side-lock. They were identified by Gutch as Khonsu-Horus figures and subsequently by Bailey as Harpocrates, the Greek name for young Horus. Christian 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.

Representing a hunchback in a crouched position, leaning against his emphasised phallus and resting a triangular harp on it. 64 grams, 63 mm



The 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.

From the 4th century B.C. onwards, small-scale sculptures developed into a rich repertoire of grotesque types. These so-called grotesques were an enhancement of the Hellenistic interest in the human body and its weakness and imperfections by depicting disfigured individuals. According to some scholars, terracotta (and bronze) figurines of this kind were life-like representations of beggars and others who gathered at big feasts in temples or at the houses of the wealthy. In the latter case, they indicated the importance and wealth of the host as the more beggars an event attracted, the greater the fortune of the event organiser. By implication, the bronze and terracotta portraits of these marginal people could have become symbols and charms of good luck that would have been placed in private houses. Christian 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.

Band of imitation rope-twist decoration encircling the top of the jar, the mouth slightly flaring with a slightly damaged rolled lip. 950 grams, 22 cm



with Bonhams, London, 1 May 2008, no.432 [Part]. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00035996. Accompanied by a copy of relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

These vessels often exhibit different surface treatments; the rim and area above the rope twist show marks where the vessel was rotated to produce the rim, and below, the rest of the jar has a scrape-smoothed surface.