Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0021
Egyptian Faience Figure of Nefertum
PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 332-30 B.C.
5 1/8 in. (71 grams total, 13 cm including stand).
Turquoise faience standing figure of Nefertum in a striding pose with arms at the sides, sporting a black coloured tripartite wig surmounted by the god's distinctive headdress consisting of a lotus flower with two plumes on top; a suspension loop at the back; repaired.
Provenance
Property from an American deceased estate, acquired between 1970 and 1989.
with Bonham's, London, 28 October 2009, no.81 [Part].
Literature
Cf. Andrews, C., and van Dijk, J., Objects for Eternity: Egyptian Antiquities from the W. Arnold Meijer Collection, Mainz am Rhein, 2006, p.229, no.3.41, for a similar faience figurine.
Footnotes
Nefertum was closely associated with the creator god Ptah and the goddesses Sekhmet and Bastet. He represented the first sunlight and the sweet scent of the Egyptian blue lotus flower (nymphaea caerulea). According to beliefs, the sun rose from the bloom of a blue lotus, embodying notions of rebirth and rejuvenation. Additionally, as the lotus was seen as a symbol of fertility, it is possible that this amulet was also worn for that purpose.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine 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.
LOT 0021
Egyptian Faience Figure of Nefertum
Estimate £700 - 900€810 - 1,040 (for guidance only)$950 - 1,220 (for guidance only)
RELATED LOTS
-
.jpg)
Egyptian Painted Wooden Mummy Mask
4th-3rd century B.C.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,600
Displaying semi-naturalistic detailing in relief, beneath a band of headdress ornament composed of rows of architectural dot-and-dash and zig-zag patterns over a segmental panel, possible hieroglyphs to the top tier; attachment pegs to the sides of the face and through the head; extensive remains of painted black pigmentation and composition fill to the eyes. 677 grams, 36 cm
From a French estate, acquired between 1960 and 1980. with SAS Cornette de Saint Cyr Auction, Paris, Vente 882, Mobilier et Objets d'art, 2 December 2014, lot 69. Accompanied by a copy of a French cultural passport no.167062. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Alberto Maria Pollastrini. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11807-206837. -
Stone Age Egyptian Flint Axehead
Lower Palaeolithic Period, circa 450,000-280,000 B.P.Sold for (Inc. bp): £46
Biconvex in section with irregular curved edge. 389 grams, 12.3 cm
Found Egypt, North Africa. From the British art market in the 1970s-1980s. Acquired via inheritance, 1988. From the collection of a South West London, UK, specialist Stone Age collector. -
Egyptian Faience Beaded Sons of Horus Panel
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Openwork restrung panel depicting Imsety, Hapy, Duamutef, and Qebehsenuef, the Four Sons of Horus with a winged scarab above; restrung. 21.4 grams, 12 cm
Ex Mariaud de Serres, Paris, France, 1990s. From a London, UK, collection.
Winged scarabs were often used as funerary amulets and believed to symbolise the deceased's rebirth and regeneration. The Four Sons of Horus were deities responsible for protecting the deceased's internal organs. Here, on the left, is the erect-eared jackal-headed Duamutef, who protects the stomach. Next is the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef, who protects the intestines. Then comes the human-headed Imsety, protector of the liver, and finally, the baboon-headed Hapy on the right, protector of the lungs.
