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Details
LOT 255939
Romano-Egyptian Limestone Funerary Niche
COPTIC PERIOD, 5TH-6TH CENTURY A.D.
19 1/4 in. (57.55 kg, 49 cm).
Carved architectural block fragment comprising: a shallow niche with arched top and parallel sides, with concentric mouldings to create a reveal and ledge below to accept offerings; horizontal tiered base; attachment sockets for two figurines (absent) flanking the niche; to left, a column modelled in the half-round with two parallel vertical stems, shallow roundel to the base and stylised foliage at the top; pediment above with scooped profile; above each figurine an incised initial, 'A' and 'M'; facing surface keyed for plaster finish.
Provenance
From the estate and private collection of Matthew Upham (1962-2025), an antiques trader from Budleigh Salterton, Devon, UK.
Acquired at an estate sale at auction.
Property of a Cambridgeshire, UK, gentleman.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr.Raffaele D'Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no. 13297-255939.
Literature
Cf. Crum, M.W.E., Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire, nos.8001-8741; Coptic Monuments, Le Caire, 1902, pls.II (8414); VII (8434), XLIX-LII, LIII, LIV (complete with the image of ‘orans’) for similar monuments; Atalla, N.S., Coptic Art, Sculptures, Architecture, L'Art Copte, II, Cairo, 1989, figs. pp.35,45 for similar carvings;Wamser, L., Die Welt von Byzanz - Europas Östliches Erbe, München, 2004, items 870-872, for similar niches.
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LOT 255939
Romano-Egyptian Limestone Funerary Niche
Estimate £2,000 - 3,000€2,320 - 3,480 (for guidance only)$2,700 - 4,050 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£1,000 (EUR 1,160; USD 1,350) +BP*
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Norman Fargo was born in Los Angeles, California in 1945, the son of Hungarian immigrant Frank and his wife, Rose. His lifelong passion for collecting began at the age of six with a simple interest in rocks. By the 1960s, Norman had become a dedicated student of antique arms and armour, developing a deep appreciation for both craftsmanship and historical context. He began collecting at a time when many items now considered rare were still relatively accessible. A friendship with renowned collector Howard Curtis—whose important collection was partially sold at Christie’s, London in 1984—opened doors to early and exceptional material. Norman also acquired outstanding pieces from respected figures such as Frank Bivens and others known today through museum and auction catalogue provenance. Alongside his core collection of arms and armour (c.1450-1700), Norman developed an eye for period furniture and accessories. He also built a growing collection of Pre-Columbian art with an emphasis on Southern Mexican cultures, particularly Veracruz, as well as fine examples of Japanese Satsuma ware and cloisonné.
