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LOT 0475
Egyptian Multi-Stranded Mummy Bead Necklace
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
32 1/4 in. (22.9 grams, 82 cm).
A four-strand designer necklace composed of polychrome beads of mainly annular and tubular types. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired before 1979.
From the private collection of Mr F.A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014.
Cf. similar specimens in faience at the Worcester Art Museum, inventory no.1925.539.
FootnotesFor thousands of years, artisans in Egypt created vibrant ceramics to echo the beauty of rare jewels. These ornaments were created with almost every material, colour, and texture imaginable and they come from across Egypt and beyond: vibrant blue lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, glossy black obsidian from Turkey, and aqua-green turquoise from the Sinai. They were worn in life and, after death, they served as precious ornamentation for mummies.
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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Egyptian Mummy Bead Necklace with Carnelian Feature Bead
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £111
Restrung group of tubular and annular glazed composition beads with oblate centrepiece. 8.41 grams, 51 cm long
Previously with Astarte Gallery, London W1, UK, 1983. From the private collection of T.R. Elley, West Sussex, UK, 1980s. Accompanied by an invoice copy dated 18 October 1983. -
Egyptian Blue Faience Bastet Cat Amulet
New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £715
Modelled seated on a tongue-shaped base, with simple facial detailing and suspension loop to the back. 3.25 grams, 28 mm
Ex London gallery and Belinda Elliston, a member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, 1940s onwards.
In ancient Egypt, the cat was venerated as the sacred animal of the goddess Bastet, whose principal cult centre was Bubastis in the Nile Delta. Although cats were once part of folk practice, their veneration as part of formal cults spread across Egypt during the Late Period. Bastet was closely linked to lion-headed goddesses like Sekhmet, Tefnut, and Pakhet, and the cat itself became associated with solar imagery: the Book of the Dead portrays the sun god as a Great Cat vanquishing Apophis beneath the sacred Ished Tree. The cat could also embody the Eye of the Sun or, more often in Bastet’s case, the Eye of the Moon. Mummified cats were frequently dedicated as votive offerings, and some of their feline-shaped coffins were adorned with finely crafted bronze heads to enhance their divine likeness. -
Very Large Egyptian Expedition Lithograph of Bayban el Molouk at Thebes
Early 19th century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £50
Proof etching on laid paper of plate 79 Thèbes - Byban el Molouk entitled Plan des 2e, 4e, 2e et 1er tombeaux des rois a l'Est. Plan du 3e tombeau a l'Ouest. Plan du Tombeau isolé de l'Ouest. Plan, coupe et détails de l'entrée et du sarcophage du 2e tombeau a l'Ouest. Plan et coupe du 1er tombeau a l'Ouest. Plan et coupe du 6e tombeau a l'Ouest. 208 grams, 102.5 x 69 cm
From the collection of a North American priest. Acquired between 1981-1996. Property of a North American collector.
Produced between February 1802 and 1830 on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte; published between 1809 and 1828. Just 1,000 copies were distributed to various institutions, printed on laid paper with an 'Égypte ancienne et moderne' watermark. The book is subtitled Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’Armée française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l’Empereur Napoléon le Grand (Gathering of observations and discoveries which were made in Egypt during the expedition of the French army, published on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon the Great). It was the world's first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the remains of ancient Egypt. The plates of this book are the first to present the archaeological sites of Thebes (Luxor). This plate shows plans and sections of some of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
