Lot 83a, Auction 4/12/2026: 8 Egyptian & Roman Pottery Molds w/ 11 Impressions

$390.00

In stock

Egypt, New Kingdom to Roman period, ca. 1550 BCE to 3rd century CE; Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A fascinating group of nineteen objects consisting of eight ancient pottery molds and eleven modern impressions demonstrating their designs. Five molds relate to Egyptian amulets produced from the New Kingdom through the Roman period, while three Roman molds were used for casting counterfeit coins, created when forgers pressed authentic coins into soft terracotta clay before firing the molds to harden them. These molds were often stacked so that individual discs carried an obverse on one side and a reverse on the other, allowing molten base metals such as lead, tin, zinc, or copper alloys to be poured in and cast multiple coins at once, though the resulting counterfeits typically display softer, less sharply defined designs than genuine coins. Size of largest: 1.6″ L x 1.5″ W (4.1 cm x 3.8 cm)

Condition: Molds are ancient; impressions are modern. Some losses to coin molds and nicks and abrasions to all. Otherwise, liberal remaining detail and scattered earthen deposits.

Provenance: Collection of Y. Kayvan, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from a Los Angeles, California, USA gallery acquisition dates range from the late 1990s to 2005

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.