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LOT 0447
Egyptian Silver Bastet as Seated Cat Amulet
LATE-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.
3/8 in. (0.34 grams, 8 mm).
Seated figure of a cat with pointed ears mounted on a rectangular base with a rounded end; suspension loop on the back. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom 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.
Cf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, item 29(c).
FootnotesThe cat was sacred to Bastet, a protective mother goddess and the daughter of the sun god Re. Amulets offered the wearer the goddess's protection.
Her name means ‘she of the bast [ointment jar],’ which may have contained a substance favoured by or exclusive to royalty. Originally, Bastet was depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness, but by the late New Kingdom, she was usually shown with a cat's head. She is sometimes portrayed with kittens, emphasising her maternal role as a fierce protector of offspring.
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AUCTIONS:
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Egyptian Heart Scarab Group
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £180 - 240 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £90
Comprising two scarabs with striated wing cases and ribbed underside. 7.5 grams total, 18-20 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The scarab amulet was a powerful symbol of rebirth, transformation, and protection in ancient Egypt. Modelled after the beetle linked to the sun god Khepri, it represented the cycle of life and regeneration. Used from the Middle Kingdom (c. 2050 BCE) onwards, scarabs served as funerary amulets, personal charms, and seals—often inscribed with prayers or names—reflecting both spiritual beliefs and daily life. -
Phoenician Alabastron with Handles
6th-5th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,053
Comprising a slender alabaster piriform body and two lateral lug handles, conical neck with broad everted rim. 650 grams, 19.7 cm high
Giusfredi collection, 1980s. Swiss private collection, acquired May 1999. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Travertine Kohl Jar and Lid
Middle Kingdom-early New Kingdom, 12th-early 18th Dynasty, circa 1985-1479 B.C.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £833
Piriform vessel with flared foot and wide rim, discoid lid with raised central panel to verso. 355 grams, 65 mm
Ex Galerie Nefer, Zurich, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
