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FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE 20TH CENTURY
Lot 30:
A gorgeous vase of a slender form that is hand-carved from alabaster – a cylindrical form with an everted rim and slightly flared body. Most likely crafted in the Egyptian region and then traded throughout the Middle East.
The Egyptians were master carvers and used the abundant stone deposits in the Nile Valley and the Eastern Sahara throughout their history to fashion sculptures, vessels, and monumental buildings. Alabaster was a precious material, widely traded in the region from the 4th millennium BCE onward, and if carved carefully, the semi-opaque stone often glowed when backlit. The perfect symmetry of this example demonstrates their skill, and such alabaster vessels were usually personal items and were frequently buried with their owners.
Middle East – 1000-600 BC.
Provenance: Private Collection, NYC.
H: 7 7/8 in., (20 cm.)
Condition: Near Perfect condition. Dirty on the outside and interior. A single chip on the rim. See photos for reference.
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