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https://www.barrons.com/articles/sothebys-to-spotlight-egyptian-themed-jewels-as-fascination-with-pharaonic-times-resurges-01663706998
A curated selection of Egyptian-themed jewels will spotlight Sotheby’s jewelry auctions in New York this winter in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb, the auction house announced Tuesday.
Rare pieces by Italian jewelry house Castellani and the American brand Tiffany & Co. from the selection will be unveiled in Dubai next Monday through Wednesday. Leading the pack is an Egyptian-revival gold, steatite, faience, and micromosaic necklace by Castellani, with an estimated value between US$450,000 and US$650,000. A matching brooch is expected to sell for between US$$50,000 and US$150,000.
From Louis Comfort Tiffany’s designs for Tiffany & Co. is an Egyptian revival gold and colored stone necklace, which is expected to net between US$60,000 and US$80,000.
This year marks the 100th anniversary since the discovery of the burial place of King Tutankhamun in 1922, which “has inspired us to survey how Ancient Egyptian culture has flourished throughout centuries, especially as it pertains to jewelry design from the 19th century to the present day,” Carol Elkins, senior vice president of Sotheby’s jewelry department in New York, said in a statement.
The sale’s three highlights represent “some of the greatest achievements in jewelry-making during the 19th century and turn of the 20th century,” she added.
Created in the 1860s, the Castellani necklace and brooch were inspired by artwork found in ancient Egyptian temples, combining geometric shapes with carved scarabs, a symbol of life and resurrection, according to Sotheby’s.
The two pieces had been in the personal collection of Alfredo Castellani until they were first sold in Rome in 1930. Recently, both jewels were featured in an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 2017-18, according to Sotheby’s.
Louis Comfort Tiffany had long drawn inspiration from Egypt, designing jewelry collections in the Egyptian style beginning in 1908. And in 1913, he hosted an Egyptian-themed costume party in the Tiffany Studios’ showroom to promote his designs.
The necklace to be offered at Sotheby’s, from 1913, features strands of beads linked to an amulet, intended to be worn as protection from evil spirits.
There has been a surge in interest in Ancient Egyptian culture this year or what is referred to by some as “Egyptomania.” Major museums such as the de Young Museum in San Francisco and the Sainsbury Center in the U.K. have staged special exhibitions on aspects of Ancient Egyptian history, according to Sotheby’s.
The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, which cost approximately US$795 million, is due to open this November. The museum will house the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in the world, including the full collection that was retrieved in 1922 in the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
Sotheby’s will unveil other Egyptian-themed jewels, including brooches, bracelets, and necklaces in the coming weeks and put up a public exhibition at its New York galleries from Nov. 30 to Dec. 6.
A curated selection of Egyptian-themed jewels will spotlight Sotheby’s jewelry auctions in New York this winter in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb, the auction house announced Tuesday.
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