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   Bill sent these pics of these pesesh kefs and translation.........

18th October 2006

I had raised suspicion  about these because:

• The first s in the cartouche for Senwosret is the wrong way around

• And the actual cutting is very poor.

This supposed to be for a king remember.

Bill says

I don't know the source of them, but the patina looks authentic.  There is also a darker irregularly around the wand.  Here's a closer picture.  The dropped  spelling of Senwosret matched some scarabs in the Petrie collection. 

The  one may say: Perfect god, Lord of the 2 lands, Senwosret, made for him, his dedication, for his father, Nebhepetre, true of voice (justified).

The smaller  one may say: Perfect god, Lord of the 2 lands, Senwosret, he made, his dedication, for him, Nebhepetre (Mentuhotep II), true of voice

They are black rock as seen where the patina has fractured off, it is quite hard.  There are shiny flecks (a few) in the concretion which ranges in color from dark white to mainly browns. Very little dirt remains as it was wire brushed and washed off.  What is left is water insoluble and will wick up water if drips are put on it.  The black rock appears to be pitted very slightly.

There are tool marking traces, but not what would be expected from a drill grinder more like chipped into shape.

I know and have pictures of about 5 of these that have been sold, mainly in the States, one dealer had about 6 of them I think although I don't know where most of them went. 

19th October.

Bill has created this page ; have a look

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Update: 2010.

These rare artifacts are available at only $1200 each from a  friendly Manhattan antiquities dealer. Several forms, several surface types. All with certificates of authenticity.

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Some forms as yet unrecorded in the archaeological literature.

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Or if you insist spending even more money on these previously unrecorded artefacts; here are some  for $2699 each!

    From Alex.

24th October 05

Alex has this.

About three inches long.

Has had opinions verging from Roman to Victorian.

I don't think it's Roman.

In fact I don't think it's ancient at all.

A slightly unusual subject matter for Roman and the patinaton does not look  right. Also, if ancient, the casting spurs would not have been left there.

The famous  ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles  made a statue of the young Apollo holding an arrow and watching a lizard as it creeps up a tree; this is known as the Sauroktonos or Lizard-slayer. I have seen two Roman intaglios  with this  portrayed and I've seen a lizard shaped Roman bronze handle.

Yours does not seem to be part of something else. The Roman did not at all often make an object such as that without some contextual reference or for some specific purpose. That is to say, not simply as an ornament in it's own right.

One would expect a bronze lizard which was Roman to be such as a handle or appliqué and indeed be part of a larger composition which referred to Apollo or perhaps Serapis or Hermes.

 From Geof 

25th Oct 06

Since the casting is sloppy and the Anole is a South East Asia lizzard, probably 20th century coastal city Thai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, etc.