Results of Hindman's Antiquities & Ethnographic Art Auction
On November 18th, Hindman Auctions achieved $1,121,063 in its Antiquities and Ethnographic Art auction, which included ancient Egyptian sculpture. Figural stone sculptures and portrait heads also attracted strong bidding activity. The auction offered rare objects from the fifth millennium B.C. to the 20th century A.D.
Emerging as the top lot of the auction was an Egyptian granodiorite falcon, which shattered its presale estimate of $7,000-9,000 to sell for $93,750. The falcon is seen as a powerful and fierce bird in ancient culture. Bidders recognized value in the fine craftmanship and overall remarkable condition.
An Egyptian alabaster canopic jar soared well above the estimate of $30,000 - $50,0000 to achieve $87,500. The jar, from the reign of Tuthmosis III, remains impressively intact with much of its original pigment. The inscription is for a scribe named Apis, reading in five lines: "Oh Selket, (you) have wrapped (your) two arms around. What is in (you) so that (you) may protect Quebehsenuef who is in you, and the one revered before Quebehsenuef, the Osiris, the Scribe, Apis, True of Voice." An Egyptian limestone sarcophagus lid from the Late Period (26th-30th Dynasty, 664-343 B.C) sold for $68,750, and an Egyptian limestone round-topped stele fetched $37,500, more than four times the presale estimate.
Egyptian cat sculptures performed well, with an exceptional bronze cat made during the 26th Dynasty, 664-525 B.C. achieving $78,125. The life-sized bronze figure, which measured 19.1 cm, perfectly captures the splendor of the species. By the Late Period, the goddess Bastet was often depicted in complete feline form. Objects such as this were deposited as votive offerings to her at the temple Bubastis or Memphis.
Figural stone sculptures and portrait heads also did well. Examples included a Roman marble Alexander the Great, circa the 1st -2nd Century A.D, which sold for $59,375, exceeding the presale estimate of $35,000-45,000. Also, a Roman marble head of Eros brought $15,000, triple the presale estimate, and a portrait head of a woman from the 2nd to 3rd Century A.D. sold for $11,250, also surpassing the presale estimate.
A rediscovered black marble Roman Torso of the Goddess Venus (lot 229) realized $53,125 compared to a presale estimate of $40,000-50,000. An iconic image from antiquity, the sculpture’s unique dark hue is what makes it so distinctive.
Other ethnographic highlights included a Zapotec terracotta jaguar, which sold well above the presale estimate of $3,000-6,000, realizing $18,750. A Greek bronze Chalcidian helmet brought $20,000 against a presale estimate of $12,000 - $18,000, and three Syrian stone spectacle idols fetched $15,000. For more information, call (312)447-3271.
