Egyptian Silver Bastet as Seated Cat Amulet

Carved in the round with carapace detailing to the upper face, ribbed loop to the underside. 6.59 grams, 23 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.

This expertly carved high-relief scene depicts three male figures with short hairstyles, each wearing a short kilt tied at the waist; the left and central figures carry a small furnace by curved handles, preparing to smelt copper; the central figure also holds a metal poker in his free hand; the figure on the left supports a large container at chest level with one hand; finely rendered hieroglyphic inscriptions in front of each figure record a dialogue among the three metalworkers; the leftmost figure, facing the others, declares “Ptah could not have done better”; the central figure responds with three lines of text “Ptah loves him to pour (into) the brazier of the flame”; the inscription before the rightmost figure reads “copper of the baskets”; together, the second and third texts may be interpreted as “Ptah would love him to pour copper from the baskets into the furnace”; the composition likely formed part of a larger scene illustrating metalworking activities; supplied with a custom-made stand. 21.35 kg total, 53.5 cm wide including stand



with Toufic Arakji, Hamburg, by circa 1980. Private collection, acquired from the above, circa 1980-1994. with Sotheby’s, New York, Antiquities and Islamic Art, 8 June 1994, no.23. Private collection, 1994-2010, acquired at the above sale. with David Aaron, London, UK, 2010-2011. with Daniel Katz Gallery, London, UK. UK private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Sylvie Caroff. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00142449. 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.

The mention of Ptah – patron god of craftsmen – links this piece to Memphis, suggesting it came from the tomb of a high-ranking official or priest.

A fragmentary rectangular-section figure of a kneeling goddess with outstretched wings; accurate detailing to the goddess, wearing a tripartite wig with a seshed headband tied at the back, a menat broad collar and a tightly wrapped sheath held up by two straps leaving the breasts exposed, the dress decorated with a lozenge pattern possibly representing beadwork. 15.3 grams, 54 mm



Swiss private collection, 1970s. Galerie Nefer, Zurich, early 1990s. with Christie's New York, 9 December 2008, no.39. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12843-241338. 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.

Although it is not possible to spot holes in the upper and lower edges, this figure was probably a pectoral or chest ornament with an apotropaic function that would have been attached to the wrapping of the mummy.