Gold Ring with an Ancient Egyptian Scarab, First Half of the 20th Century.

Egypt, the mysterious land of the pyramids, continues to inspire and fascinate to this day. Every era, every century, rediscovered the Nile and the realm of the pharaohs for itself. Even in ancient times, Rome adorned itself with obelisks and statues from Alexandria. Napoleon’s campaign in 1798 once again brought works of art to France and Europe in a wealth of detail never seen before. New research deciphered the hieroglyphs, and the first scientific excavations began to unlock the secrets of the pharaohs’ tombs. By the mid-19th century, enthusiasm for Egypt reached a new peak. The reason for this interest was the construction of the Suez Canal. Even before it was officially opened in 1869, the new waterway quickly became a major political issue. The British Empire and the French Empire were at odds with one another. At stake were influence and power in Africa and Arabia. Egypt was on everyone’s lips and was praised as a source of prosperity, a place of exotic culture, and alluring mysteries. The last significant surge in influence then occurred during the Art Deco era, when, in 1922, the spectacular treasures from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun captivated an astonished global audience. Jewelry from every price range dating from those years reflects this fascination with ancient Egypt, ranging from simple glass necklaces featuring scarabs and depictions of mummies to diamond-cut hieroglyphs from the House of Cartier. The ring presented here is a product of this long tradition. Set on a twisted gold band, it features a beetle carved from gray stone. In ancient Egypt, the scarab was worn as a symbol of resurrection and life, serving as a good-luck charm. Indeed, the specimen used here features a hole through which it could once have been worn on a cord. In this ring, the scarab is even mounted so that it can rotate, allowing both sides to be easily viewed. The underside of our specimen features, in the center, a vessel with two feathers—presumably representing a so-called Hes vase—flanked by two Maat feathers and uraeus snakes. We believe that the scarab is an original, ancient carving from ancient Egypt. The ring was sourced from the Hamburg art market and is in very good condition.

Estimation:€1,290

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