Greek Marble Head of Dionysus

Profile bust of an Egyptian male in nemes headcloth with uraeus to the brow, wesekh segmented collar; signed bottom right 'Howard Carter, 1905'; board to reverse with pencilled note 'Hatshepsu' and inked 'Watercolour painting signed H carter 1905 / remnants of an old Philips auction label on verso', with pencilled star motif. 898 grams total, 38.5 x 31 cm



with old Phillips label to the verso.

Hatshepsut was the longest-reigning female ruler in Egyptian history (1473-1458 B.C.), who undertook several military expeditions. Howard Carter's father, Samuel, was an illustrator for the Illustrated London News in the later 1800s. In 1891, Howard Carter accompanied Percy Newberry on an expedition focussing on First Intermediate Period tombs at the Middle Egyptian site of Beni Hasan, from which many of his original pieces survive. During his time at El-Amarna, the excavator Flinders-Petrie took Carter to visit the newly discovered royal tomb of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Carter made some sketches there which were published in The Daily Graphic on March 23, 1892, accompanying Petrie’s article on the tomb. These sketches were the first Egyptian drawings published by Howard Carter, and the first to convey the uniqueness of Amarna art to the European public.

With ellipsoid plaque, low-relief profile bust of a male with tousled hair and aquiline nose. 21.88 grams, 30.19 mm overall, 19.08 x 16.73 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O, USA 7, Europe 14.98, Japan 14)



Acquired by the owners family in the 1980s. Ex Rupert Wace, Ancient Art Ltd, London UK. with Christie's, New York, ‘Ancient Jewellery’, 11 December 2003, no.378. European private collection. 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.12084-218157.

Amulet of Isis seated on an elaborate throne decorated with a crosshatch pattern, holding the infant Horus to her breast, supporting his head with her left hand; wearing a long close-fitting sheath dress and striated tripartite wig, surmounted by a crown in the form of her hieroglyphic name-sign, the "throne"; Horus wearing the sidelock of youth and holding his finger to his mouth; horizontal piercing just above the throne at the back for suspension. 20.16 grams, 65 mm



Ex Foxwell collection. Acquired from a London gallery. Ex Mr A.S. collection, 1990s.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Isis was the sister-wife of Osiris and the mother of the sky god Horus. She is associated with aspects of fertility and motherhood and is often depicted in various artworks seated in a nursing pose with her son Horus on her lap.