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LOT 0455
Egyptian Faience Bead Mummy Face Mask
PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 332-30 B.C.
9 1/2 in. (67 grams, 24 cm high).
Restrung; a netted beadwork panel of annular and tubular glazed composition beads in blues, greens, black, cream and red-brown colours, depicting a mummy face mask with false beard, a scarab with extended wings below, the 'Four Sons of Horus’ beneath the scarab, joined together with areas of open netting of tubular beads.
ProvenanceAcquired 1990s.
Ex Mariaud des Serres, Paris, France.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
See Manley, B. and Dodson, A., Life Everlasting. National Museums Scotland Collection of Ancient Egyptian Coffins, Edinburgh, 2010, p.114, no. 43, for an example with similar elements.
FootnotesThe 'Four Sons of Horus' protected the internal organs of the deceased. Depicted from left to right: the falcon-headed Qebhesenuef protected the intestines; human-headed Imsety, the liver; baboon-headed Hapi, the lungs; jackal-headed Duamutef, the stomach.
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AUCTIONS:
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Egyptian Hardstone and Faience Necklace
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
Designer necklace featuring symmetrical layout of carnelian oval beads, with faience annular beads and some smaller carnelian beads, with a central shaped carnelian bead pendant and S-shaped hook; restrung. 35 grams, 70 cm
From the private collection of the late Mrs Belinda Ellison, long time member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, c.1940-2020. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. -
Egyptian Terracotta Ithyphallic Figurine of Harpocrates
Ptolemaic Period, 3rd-2nd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £111
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. -
Egyptian Faience Beads and Other Fragments
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Including seed and tubular beads, and other items. 38 grams total, 1-14 mm
From an old English collection. Acquired from Brigantia, York, 1990s. Ian Wilkinson collection, Nottinghamshire, UK, formed since 1985. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.