Didier Attaix

Hi everybody, I just bought this double ear amulet. Such ‘hearing ears’ were an offering to the bovine goddess Hathor of love and joy. Numerous examples were dedicated to Hathor at Deir el-Bahari, her major Theban cultic center in the New Kingdom, see Pinch G. Votive offerings to Hathor, 1993. Oxford: Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum. As far as I know, there is a single double ear amulet in Le Louvre https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010033280. My double ear was made by efflorescence as shown on its back by the multiple unglazed traces of the support. Best, Didier

Concerning my previous message I contacted Marcel Ramée of the British Museum, see attachment. Best, Didier

No Donna, I don't as this is delicate. Furthermore Randall was kind enough to send me the copy of a label of an artefact previously sold by Nicholas Tano in Cairo in the 1920's, to compare with a similar label of an artefact in my collection. It turned out that my artefact was a fake with an actual label (not a copy) of Tano... Do you think I should email Randall? Best, Didier

Hi everybody, Hixenbaugh, a very serious seller of NYC, has currently for sale a fake: https://hixenbaughancientart.com/product/egyptian-faience-amulet-of-a-falcon-headed-goddess/ 1. There is no falcon-headed goddess, I did check. 2. I do not like at all the faience, despite the provenance story: this amulet was previously for sale by Eisenberg of Athena Galleries. 3. This amulet is unsold since 5 to 8 yrs and the price gradually decreases with time... Best Didier

Hi again Kaleun, Not only there is a coloured picture of the amulet in the COA, but this picture is stamped by the Galerie Jean and Huguette Ramié, which is also very unusual. Thus this COA is perfect, very first time I get something like this. To end-up, the amulet was not broken and repaired in this picture. Thus, the previous owner should have broke it. Best, Didier

Hi Kaleun, The COA was delivered by a professional seller, Galerie Jean and Huguette Ramié, in Cannes (Azur Coast). I knew this gallery because I bought in the past several artefacts from them. It mentions the name of the initial buyer with a coloured picture of the amulet. Best, Didier

Hi Donna and CPK Try this link : https://www.setdart.com/setdart/prensa/newlang=english.html Best, Didier

Thanks Albert. I sent my pictures above to Marcel Marée, Curator of the British Museum. Marcel confirmed that my interpretation was correct, this is a Sobek-Amun-Re amulet. Sobek because of the crocodile, Amun because of the ram's head and Re because Sobek is often represented with the double plumes of this major god. Best, Didier

Hi everybody, I received today a very rare amulet, which I believed to be a Sobek-Amun-Re. To my knowledge there is a single parallel in the Israel Museum #97.63.80 badly damaged. The first good surprise is that the amulet is larger than described: L 6.0, W 1.7, H 1.8 instead of L 5.0, W 1.5 and H 1.5 as advertised by Sedart.com. For such small artifact this is important. The second good surprise is that Sedart.com sent me the original COA of the previous owner. First time I am receiving reliable information concerning the previous history of an artifact. Thus, I fully recommend Sedart.com! Pictures of this amulet are attached. Best, Didier

This is an easy professional cleaning solution, which I learned in a French book p. 328 see below:

Hi Albert, Yes this was a 'coup de coeur', but I still enjoy it very much. The painting is 32 x 40 cm and the frame 55 x 62 cm. The painting is in the Preraphaelite style of British painters like Dante Gabriel Rossetti or Edward Burn-Jones. The painting is on a heavy cardboard and was pretty dirty when I got it. I very gently cleaned it with sections of onions to reveal the details of the hairs, earing, eyebrow, etc. This procedure is very safe and does not alter the oils, as you can easily see on the attached pictures, at least ten years after the cleaning. Best, Didier

Hi Albert, Unfortunately there is no explanation by the Manchester Museum of the combination of all representations of the Ukh fetish. Best, Didier

In my constant search for Egyptian amulets I recently discovered these four, fully unpublished. Best, Didier

Hi I missed this one, which seems also OK to me Best, Didier In the category of paintings I have a superb one dated to 1895. The painter, Nerinord, is barely known and not quoted. He was in the same promotion than Sisley at the Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris. I bought it years ago on eBay France for €200, which is barely the price of the splendid frame.