Royal Provenance Crowns Apollo Art Auctions' Dec. 15 Fine Ancient Art & Jewellery Auction Exclusively Featuring The Prince Collection

Egyptian treasures include rare granite head of pharaoh, large vessel with painted image of Nile scene; Amarna Period sandstone relief of pharaoh worshipping the god Aton; Greek & Roman jewellery

LONDON, Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On Sunday morning, December 15, 2024, Apollo Art Auctions will roll out the red carpet for a very special Fine Ancient Art & Jewellery Auction exclusively featuring The Prince Collection, one of the largest royal-provenance collections ever presented by the Central London firm. The 280-lot selection includes breathtaking antiquities of Egyptian, Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Asian origin, with a timeline that spans the 40th century BC to 16th century AD. The live gallery auction, with absentee and Internet live bidding available through Apollo Live or LiveAuctioneers, will begin at 10:30am GMT (5:30am US Eastern Time).

Prior to acquisition for The Prince Collection, many of the premier holdings were the property of esteemed collectors and institutions, including Jean-Paul Barbier Mueller (1930-2016), Robert Hatfield Ellsworth (1929-2014), Edith Bader Koller, W Arnold Meijer, Kurt Flimm, A Obrecht, Jacques H Carre, Jean-Marie Talleux (1930-1995), the Khawam brothers, and the Thalassic Collection.

Perhaps the top prize of the day will be the handsome Egyptian black granite sphynx head of a pharaoh of the XXVth Dynasty (747-653 BC), probably Taharqa (690-971 BC). The pharaoh's face has defined and elegant facial features, almond-shape eyes, full lips, a prominent nose, and a contemplative expression. His nemes headdress is adorned with a frontal uraeus cobra. This rare item was reviewed by Simone Musso, consultant curator for Egyptian antiquities at Stibbert Museum, Florence, Italy, and member of the Nuri Archaeological Expedition. Opening bid: £20,000/$25,485

Two notable Egyptian sandstone reliefs will be offered as consecutive lots. Lot #1 is a panel depicting the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten worshipping the ancient god Aton. This artifact is particularly significant because Akhenaten was the first to introduce monotheism in Ancient Egypt – a controversial move that led to the posthumous destruction of his monuments in an attempt to erase his religious reforms. A fortunate survivor, this relief will open for bidding at £10,000/$12,740. Lot #2, a relief depiction of two male figures, has appeared at Sotheby's twice in the past 26 years prior to joining The Prince Collection, and will open at £5,000/$6,370.

Other Egyptian highlights and their opening bids include: highly decorative alabaster jar from the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II, £8,000/$10,195; rare steatite head of the goddess Hathor, or a worshipper of Hathor, 664-332 BC, £5,000/$6,370; carved black stone ritual mortar with relief images of men, possibly priests, circa 2055-1790 BC, £8,000/$10,195; and hand-built blue faience shabti of Nesytanebetisheru, circa 1075-945 BC, £2,000/$2,550. The sale also features an exquisite array of Romano-Egyptian mosaic beads and inlays. 

Apollo Art Auctions' Sunday, December 15, 2024 Fine Ancient Art & Jewellery Auction exclusively featuring The Prince Collection will be a live gallery event with online bidding also available through Apollo's bidding platform or LiveAuctioneers. Start time: 10:30am GMT/5:30am US ET. Goods may be previewed at the gallery by appointment only, now through December 13, from 10am-5pm daily. Address: 63-64 Margaret Street, London W1W 8SW. Apollo accepts payments in GBP, USD and EUR; and ships worldwide. No import charges are assessed on most antiquities sent to the USA. All packing is handled in-house by white-gloved specialists skilled at preparing precious goods for shipment. Questions: For additional details on auction items, bidding, or in-house packing and worldwide shipping, call +44 7424 994167, email [email protected]. Online: www.apolloauctions.com 

Media Contact:
Dr. Ivan Bonchev
+44 7424 994167
[email protected]

SOURCE Apollo Art Auctions