ANTIQUE TASSIE GLASS INTAGLIO EGYPTIAN HEAD PORTRAIT WAX SEAL GRAND TOUR
A striking antique TASSIE-STYLE GLASS INTAGLIO / WAX SEAL, featuring a finely modelled:
EGYPTIAN / EGYPTIANISING HEAD PORTRAIT
in profile.
The design has strong:
GRAND TOUR
NEOCLASSICAL
EGYPTIAN REVIVAL
appeal and belongs to the wider tradition of engraved gems and glass-paste portrait seals collected throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.
A fascinating piece for collectors of antique intaglios, Egyptomania, Grand Tour objects and historic wax seals.
Details
Type: Intaglio / Wax Seal / Portrait Gem
Material: Glass / Glass Paste, attributed
Subject: Egyptian / Egyptianising Head Portrait
Style: Tassie / Grand Tour / Egyptian Revival / Neoclassical
Use: Wax Seal / Signet / Desk Collectable
Period: Georgian / Victorian Style
Please refer to the photographs for the exact dimensions, colour, translucency, engraving and condition.
Egyptian Portrait Design
The intaglio features a:
PROFILE HEAD / BUST
with strongly stylised facial features and a distinctly Egyptian or antiquarian appearance.
Depending upon the exact headdress and detailing, such imagery can evoke:
PHARAOHS
EGYPTIAN DEITIES
PRIESTS
CLASSICAL INTERPRETATIONS OF EGYPTIAN FIGURES
However, without a firm iconographic match, no specific ruler, pharaoh or deity is identified.
Tassie-Style Glass
The piece has the appearance of a:
TASSIE-STYLE GLASS / PASTE INTAGLIO
James Tassie and related makers became famous for reproducing antique engraved gems and portraits in coloured glass paste.
These miniature objects appealed strongly to:
SCHOLARS
ANTIQUARIANS
GRAND TOUR TRAVELLERS
PRIVATE COLLECTORS
and helped spread an enthusiasm for classical gem imagery across Europe.
The term Tassie-style is used here to describe the tradition and appearance rather than to guarantee manufacture by James or William Tassie.
Egyptian Revival / Egyptomania
European fascination with ancient Egypt became particularly strong during the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Egyptian imagery appeared widely in:
JEWELLERY
SEALS
ARCHITECTURE
FURNITURE
MEDALS
DECORATIVE ARTS
This renewed fascination is often described as:
EGYPTIAN REVIVAL / EGYPTOMANIA
and makes Egyptian-themed intaglios particularly appealing to collectors today.
Wax Seal Tradition
An:
INTAGLIO
is a design cut or moulded below the surface.
When impressed into warm sealing wax, the design appears in raised relief and reversed orientation.
Portrait seals were historically used for:
LETTERS
DOCUMENTS
PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE
SIGNET JEWELLERY
DESK ACCESSORIES
and later became valued as collectible miniature artworks.
Grand Tour Appeal
Travellers on the Grand Tour often collected miniature reproductions of ancient art.
These could include:
CLASSICAL BUSTS
MYTHOLOGICAL SUBJECTS
EGYPTIAN FIGURES
ROMAN EMPERORS
ENGRAVED GEM COPIES
The compact format of intaglios made them ideal souvenirs and cabinet curiosities.
Collector Appeal
This piece should appeal to collectors of:
Tassie Glass
Egyptian Revival
Egyptomania
Grand Tour Objects
Antique Intaglios
Wax Seals
Neoclassical Portraits
Engraved Glass
Georgian Collectables
Victorian Deskware
Ancient Egypt-Inspired Art
Highlights
TASSIE-STYLE GLASS INTAGLIO
EGYPTIAN / EGYPTIANISING PORTRAIT
WAX SEAL / SIGNET
GRAND TOUR
EGYPTIAN REVIVAL
Classical portrait format
Antique glass / paste gem
Historic desk collectable
Strong Egyptomania appeal
Unusual decorative subject
A fascinating antique Tassie-style Egyptian portrait intaglio, with strong Grand Tour and Egyptian Revival character.
Condition & Attribution
The piece is in honest antique / vintage condition with wear consistent with age and handling.
Please inspect the photographs carefully for any:
EDGE NIBBLES
SMALL CHIPS
SURFACE SCRATCHES
FINE HAIRLINES
RUBBING TO THE PORTRAIT
GENERAL AGE-RELATED WEAR
where visible.
The material is described as glass / glass paste based upon appearance and has not been professionally tested.
The subject is described broadly as Egyptian / Egyptianising and no specific pharaoh, deity or historical figure is claimed without supporting evidence.
Likewise, no claim is made that the piece is an actual ancient Egyptian or archaeological object.
The term Tassie is used stylistically unless supported by provenance, catalogue reference or workshop attribution.
Please refer to the photographs for the actual dimensions, colour, portrait detail, edges, translucency and overall condition before bidding.
🖼️ Item Condition:
This item is in honest antique / vintage condition. I’ve included detailed photographs to show the condition, size, and weight, so please review them carefully before placing your bid.
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