Ben Weider's 3,300-Year-Old Egyptian Stele and Greywacke Goddess Head to TEFAF New York
A stele dating back 3,300 years, belonging to Pharaoh Thutmose IV, will be showcased at TEFAF New York from May 15–19. Previously in the possession of Canadian fitness icon Ben Weider, this 2.5-foot limestone piece depicts the pharaoh adorned with the double crown and holding the Was scepter. Weider acquired the stele in 1964 from the United Arab Republic of Bodybuilding Federation and it was sold for 56,000 CAD following his passing in 2008. Currently, David Aaron is offering it for £450,000. Additionally, a 2,500-year-old greywacke bust of an Egyptian goddess, which Aaron authenticated after some initial skepticism, is available for £1.5 million and may be connected to the Temple of Neith at Sais, linked to a 1923 Paris sale.
Key facts
- The stele dates to the 15th century B.C.E. and depicts Pharaoh Thutmose IV.
- Ben Weider received it as a gift in 1964 from the United Arab Republic of Bodybuilding Federation.
- It sold for 56,000 CAD at Iegor Auctions in Montreal after Weider's death in 2008.
- David Aaron offers the stele for £450,000 at TEFAF New York (May 15–19).
- A 2,500-year-old greywacke bust of an Egyptian goddess accompanies the stele.
- The bust was authenticated after removal of wax and pigment, with stone from Wadi Hammamat.
- Its nose is an 18th-century restoration, and provenance traces to a 1923 sale at Hotel Drouot in Paris.
- David Aaron prices the bust at £1.5 million.
Entities
Artists
- Ben Weider
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Thutmose IV
- Amenhotep II
- Amasis II
- Salomon Aaron
Institutions
- International Federation of BodyBuilders
- International Olympic Committee
- United Arab Republic of Bodybuilding Federation
- Iegor Auctions
- TEFAF New York
- David Aaron
- Hotel Drouot
Locations
- Montreal
- Canada
- New York
- United States
- Giza
- Egypt
- Wadi Hammamat
- Eastern Desert
- South West England
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- France
- Sais