USA: Ancient Jewellery and Egyptian Art expected to gross 10 milion dollars at auction

The Ancient World has found a place at Christie's in New York this month with rare antiquities from Egypt, Rome and Greece to go under the hammer at auction next week. Spread out over three sales, Christie's expects the collection to go for in total an estimated 10 million dollars (USD) An Egyptian black granite standard-bearing statue of Queen Nefertari is the centrepiece of Egyptian Art from the Harer Family Trust Collection. Set to sell for an estimated 2 million dollars (USD) it dates back to 1290-1224 B.C and the Reign of Nefertari's husband Rammesses the Second. Dr Harer bought the piece at Christie's in 1979 for a record 220 thousand dollars (USD). Antiquities expert at Christie's Max Bernheimer has high hopes for the statue on account of the standard the Queen holds. In ancient times such standards were equated more commonly with high priests. "There's a lot going for this piece. It's first of all it is very beautiful, it's sculpted from hard stone granite, it's, one of the only sculptures of it's kind showing a queen in the form of a standard bearer, she's holding this device which would have been used in processions, sacred to the god." Another highlight from the general antiquities is an egyptian limestone group statue of Ka-nefer and his family. Dating to 2465 - 2323 B.C, the statue has an estimated price tag for between 1 and 1.5 million dollars (USD). Ka-nefer is depicted with his wife and son on a smaller scale by his feet. Also from the general antiquities is a Roman bronze portrait of the Emperor Antoninus Pius. Set to sell for between 1 and 1.5 million dollars (USD) it is another of the collection's highlights. Not to be outdone by the Romans, a Greek figure of Alexander the Great is estimated at between 300 and 500 thousand dollars (USD). Max Bernheimer at Christie's expects a considerable amount of interest in this piece. "It's a, probably a, a portrait that was done during his lifetime and that makes it quite unique, most of the portraits other than coins, were done, later, either several centuries after or even during the Roman period, because his popularity was great for thousands of years, still today." The collection of Ancient Jewellery is estimated at selling for a total of between 700 and 900 thousand dollars (USD). It includes delights such as a Greek gold and garnet snake armband for between 25 and 35 thousand dollars (USD). Max Bernheimer predicts they will be a popular seller and offer an interesting contrast to contemporary jewellery, he said. "And they are very decorative, they are very wearable and this is why they appeal to modern tastes. They're, they're, you know, they are ancient, they have a great story, but yet, you can wear them on your finger or around your neck, I mean, it's something special." Ancient Jewellery will be auctioned at Christie's on December 8. The Harer Collection and other Antiquities will be sold in separate sales on December 9.

ITN Source | December 9, 2005

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