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_900x900.jpg "Egyptian Gold Nefer Bead")
_200x200.jpg "Egyptian Gold Nefer Bead")
.jpg "Egyptian Gold Nefer Bead")
LOT 0467
Egyptian Gold Nefer Bead
LATE NEW KINGDOM, 1279-1070 B.C.
1/2 in. (0.20 grams, 12 mm).
Shaped as the nefer symbol (meaning "good", "beautiful"), with a loop at each end for use as a spacer in a multi-strand necklace.
ProvenanceEx French collection, early 20th century.
LiteratureCf, Andrews, C., Ancient Egyptian Jewellery, London, 1990, p. 26, fig. 17, for an 18th Dynasty necklace including a row of gold nefer spacer beads.
CONDITIONTimeLine 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:
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Phoenician Glass Bead Collection
6th-3rd century B.C. or laterEstimate: £900 - 1,200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £475
Comprising a group of crumb-decorated polychrome oblate beads and a centrepiece pendant formed as a stylised bearded head. 179 grams total, 12-42 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
The Phoenicians, renowned seafarers and traders, were also skilled glassworkers. They produced a wide variety of glass beads using core-forming and winding techniques, with vivid colours and elaborate designs that reflect both technical mastery and cross-cultural influence. Among the most iconic Phoenician beads are glass 'head' beads, crafted in the form of stylised human or mythological faces. Typically, they feature exaggerated facial details like bulging eyes, large noses, beards, and headdresses, often with expressive or comic features. They were possibly worn as amulets to ward off evil or attract protection, though they may also represent deities, ancestors, or foreigners. These beads often incorporate Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern stylistic elements, reflecting the Phoenicians’ extensive trade networks. -
Egyptian Hardstone Headrest Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £111
Carved miniature headrest with rectangular base. 1.14 grams, 12 mm
Ex Constable collection, 1990s. Ex Ancient & Oriental, UK. Ex P. Morris collection. Accompanied by an old photograph and a previous catalogue cutting.
The headrest, or weres amulet, was placed under the mummy's head to protect it from damage, and so ensure their rebirth. Most are made of haematite, though other materials, such as faience, were sometimes used. The headrest’s role is specified in Chapter 166 of the Book of the Dead. By the Late Period, they were attached to or inserted into the mummy wrappings. -
Egyptian Steatite Bust in a Gold Pendant
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Estimate: £800 - 1,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £400
Fragment of a carved panel or vessel depicting a female bust - possibly a queen or Isis - modelled in half-round relief, wearing a loosely draped tunic, a tiered wesekh collar, and a heavy curled, tripartite wig; reverse with lotus flower ropework and other ornamentation; mounted in a later gold suspension frame. 8.75 grams, 38 mm
Private collection, Southern France, 1970s. Acquired on the English art market.
