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_900x900.jpg "Egyptian Steatite Bust in a Gold Pendant")
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LOT 0012
Egyptian Steatite Bust in a Gold Pendant
PTOLEMAIC-ROMAN PERIOD, 2ND CENTURY B.C.-2ND CENTURY A.D.
1 1/2 in. (8.75 grams, 38 mm).
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.
ProvenancePrivate collection, Southern France, 1970s.
Acquired on the English art market.
Cf. Walker, S., Higgs, P. (eds.), Cleopatra of Egypt from History to Myth, London, 2001, pp. 76-77, no. 56, for the stela depiction of Queen Arsinoe III wearing a similar garment; pp.160-161, no.160, for a statue of Cleopatra VII wearing a tripartite wig with similarly tight curls.
FootnotesThis fragment likely originates from an elaborately decorated bowl belonging to a specific group thought to have been made in Alexandria (cf. Page-Gasser, M., Wiese, A.B., Ägypten: Augenblicke der Ewigkeit, Mainz, 1997, for a complete example). The purpose of these bowls is unclear, but they may have been used as votive offerings in sanctuaries.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0012
Egyptian Steatite Bust in a Gold Pendant
Estimate £700 - 900€810 - 1,040 (for guidance only)$950 - 1,220 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£350 (EUR 406; USD 473) +BP*
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Egyptian Steatite Scarab
Middle Kingdom-Second Intermediate Period, circa 1900-1560 B.C.Estimate: £60 - 80 (+bp*)
Bids: 5 | Current Bid: £30
Plano-convex in section with segmented carapace and mouth parts; to the underside, the 'Sema-Tawy' central motif and two flanking ankh glyphs. 5.2 grams, 22 mm
From the collection of David Donlan (1947-2025), a dedicated and lifelong collector with a passion for the ancient world and the natural sciences, forming his collection from the 1960s onwards, using many reputable dealers across the United Kingdom, including the well-regarded Coincraft and The Parthenon Gallery.
The 'sema- tawy' is a powerful symbol representing the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. It traditionally consists of a windpipe entwined with lotus and papyrus plants. The ankh signs are the Egyptian hieroglyphs for 'life'. -
Egyptian Granite Seated Figure of an Official
Middle Kingdom, 2nd millennium B.C.Estimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,389
Comprising the torso and legs clad in an ankle-length robe and seated on a rectangular-section seat with stepped base and short, curved backrest and rear dorsal pillar; the left hand carved with the palm resting along the thigh; the right hand similarly placed but with the hand gripping a folded piece of cloth of which the ends are draped over the lower thigh above the knee; traces of an old label to reverse. 4.1 kg, 18.7 cm
Private collection, Europe. with Bonhams & Brooks, 8th November 2001, no.265. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams & Brooks 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.12584-232097.
The official would have been shown wearing a longer cloak-like garment rather than a waist-height kilt, as the line of the folded edge is visible above where a waistband would typically be. -
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Egyptian Steatite Heart Scarab
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £120 - 170 (‡+bp*)
Bids: 1 | Current Bid: £60
With ribbed carapace and suspension loop to underside. 2.89 grams, 22 mm
Acquired on the European art market in the early 2000s. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.
