Egyptian Faience Beads and Other Fragments

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.

An exquisitely modelled figure of a seated ibis on a trapezoidal-shaped plinth, with its beak resting on the slender feather of Maat; light turquoise glaze for the body, plinth, and feather; blue glaze for the tail feathers, feet and neck; head absent. 3.54 grams, 31 mm



with Bonhams, Knightsbridge, 3 October 2000, no.413. Private collection, Europe. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The ibis was considered sacred to the god Thoth. It is likely that the popularity of amulets depicting an ibis resting its beak on the feather of Maat in the funerary sphere is connected to Thoth's role as the recorder of the final judgment of the deceased by the divine tribunal. This tribunal determined if the deceased had lived a virtuous life and could enter the Underworld. This was visually represented by the deceased's heart placed on scales with the feather of Maat; if the heart and feather balanced, eternity was assured.

Carved with simple body and eye detailing and polished; drilled through the eyes for suspension. 0.41 grams, 13 mm



From an early 20th century collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, c. 3200 B.C. These amulets grew in popularity and the materials used to make them expanded during the New Kingdom. They are crafted from a variety of materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were thought to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even been intended to symbolise the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and fly-like persistence of soldiers in battle.