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LOT 0448
Large Egyptian Steatite Scarab with Sphinx
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
1 1/4 in. (13.4 grams, 32 mm).
With detailed carapace, head, and legs; the underside depicting the king as an advancing sphinx trampling a male enemy in a short kilt, with a rearing cobra behind, a pair of ostrich feathers atop a sun disc in front, and the symbol for foreign lands placed in the curl of the sphinx’s tail.
ProvenanceFrom 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.
Cf. Matouk, F.S., Corpus du scarabée égyptien. Vol. 2: Analyse thématique, Beirut, 1976, 355, no. 1532, for a similar thematic scarab design.
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 Bronze Khonsu Statuette with Silver Eyes
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,000
Modelled in the round figure of Khonsu standing, holding the crook, flail, and long was-sceptre, with false beard and sidelock, wearing a crown consisting of a lunar crescent and disc with uraeus, and a broad collar; the eyes with sheet-silver inlays; mounted on a custom-made stand. 378 grams total, 19 cm including stand
Ex Geneva collection, Switzerland, acquired before 1980. Ex Galerie Günter Puhze GmbH, Germany, 2008. Ex Keane collection, Kent, UK. Accompanied by an original invoice from Galerie Günter Puhze GmbH. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12628-235137. 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.
Khonsu is an ancient Egyptian god of the moon, often depicted as a young man with a sidelock, a uraeus, and headgear featuring a lunar crescent and disc. He is associated with Thoth, another moon god. Together with his father Amun and mother Mut, Khonsu forms the Theban Triad. -
Egyptian Faience Scarab with Hieroglyphs
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £211
Blue-glazed faience scarab beetle with detailed features; the underside is decorated with a recumbent jackal above a seated figure in an attitude of praise before two hieroglyphs, along with a slim neb sign below. 4.18 grams, 23 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. -
Phoenician Glass Bead Collection
6th-3rd century B.C. or laterEstimate: £1,200 - 1,700 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £650
Comprising a group of crumb-decorated polychrome oblate beads and a centrepiece pendant formed as a stylised bearded head. 179 grams total, 12-42 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 Phoenicians, renowned seafarers and traders, were also skilled glassworkers. They produced a wide variety of glass beads using core-forming and winding techniques, with vivid colours and elaborate designs that reflect both technical mastery and cross-cultural influence. Among the most iconic Phoenician beads are glass 'head' beads, crafted in the form of stylised human or mythological faces. Typically, they feature exaggerated facial details like bulging eyes, large noses, beards, and headdresses, often with expressive or comic features. They were possibly worn as amulets to ward off evil or attract protection, though they may also represent deities, ancestors, or foreigners. These beads often incorporate Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern stylistic elements, reflecting the Phoenicians’ extensive trade networks.
