Menu
EUR
CAD
AUD
GBP
MXN
HKD
CNY
MYR
SEK
SGD
CHF
THBRare Miniature Egyptian Obsidian Pesesh-Kef Amulet
Lot 16a
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
Categories
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$3,500 - $5,000
Absentee vs Live bid
Two ways to bid:
- Leave a max absentee bid and the platform will bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid during the live auction.
- Bid live during the auction and your bids will be submitted real-time to the auctioneer.
Bid Increments
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $25 |
| $300 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 | $20,000 |
About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Mar 24, 2022
Set Reminder
2022-03-24 10:00:00
2022-03-24 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities Ethnographic Fine Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-ethnographic-fine-art-9057
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Museum-worthy examples of classical antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Viking, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine / Visual Arts, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (416)
- Lot Description
Ancient Egypt, First Intermediate Period, 8th to 9th Dynasty, ca. 2181 to 2140 BCE. Perhaps one of the most unique and unusual Egyptian artifacts, a hand-carved black obsidian amulet known as a pesesh-kef (PsS-kf in Egyptian) used during a funerary ritual called the "Opening of the Mouth." The petite tool exhibits mottled beige speckles within the dark matrix, a slender shaft with a bifurcated base that curls into a pair of upturned points, and an integral suspension loop on the verso. The top of the enigmatic tool features a highly stylized visage characteristic of First Intermediate examples - with full lips, a triangular nose, and beady eyes - but with an unusual pleated wig reminiscent of the signature pharaonic nemes headdress. Miniature pesesh-kef amulets like this example are rare due to contemporaries being of a larger, handheld size for ritual use and are typically without a human face. Size: 1.55" L x 0.71" W (3.9 cm x 1.8 cm)
Cf. a carnelian example with a gold head at The British Museum, museum number EA30848; for additional information on the pesesh-kef, please see: Roth, Ann Macy. "The PsS-kf and the 'Opening of the Mouth' Ceremony: A Ritual of Birth and Rebirth." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 78 (1992), pp. 113-147.
For additional information about the "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony, please see the Global Egyptian Museum article entitled "Opening of the Mouth ritual."
Provenance: private Boynton Beach, Florida, USA collection; ex-Sands of Time Ancient Art, Washington, DC, USA; ex-Alex Malloy collection, Charles Town, West Virginia, USA, before 2010
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#170761Petite nicks and abrasions along blade body, with very light encrustations within some string-cut grooves, otherwise intact and choice. Wonderful preservation to carved facial details and pleats of wig. Very light remains of original stringing within suspension hole on verso.Condition
- Shipping Info
-
All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.
-
- Buyer's Premium
