EGYPTIAN STEATITE SCARAB WITH BULL IN GOLD RING

Middle Kingdom, ca. 2055 - 1790 BC. A steatite scarab with an incised carapace and a flat engraved underside depicting a schematic bull enclosed by an oval border. Pierced longitudinally, the scarab pivots on a gold wire between the looped terminals of a hallmarked 18K gold ring. Spiral wire bindings secure the terminals to a plain rounded hoop. Size: D:18.14mm / US: 8 / UK: P 1/2; Weight: 5.2g Provenance: UK private collection; London market; ex Oxford collection, 1990s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.