Carved figure of a falcon perching on an ellipsoid base, with mortice in the top of the head for a separately-fashioned crown (missing); traces of painted decoration visible on the face; old collector's numbers to the underside 'E.18' and 'ΛOC'. 124 grams, 16.3 cm

Ex R. Liechti (1934-2010) Geneva, Switzerland, formed between 1950-1990s.

Cf. von Droste zu Hülsdorf, V. and Schlick-Nolte, B., Ägyptische Bildwerke II: Statuetten, Gefässe und Geräte, Melsungen, 1990, pp.236-237, no. 115, for an example with a similar form.

With finely modelled facial details, a plaited beard, holding a hoe and the cord of a seed bag at the left shoulder and a pick at the right, ten horizontal bands of hieroglyphic text to the lower body. 140 grams, 18 cm

Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995.
with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003.
Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

Cf. von Droste zu Hülsdorf, V. and Schlick-Nolte, B., Ägyptische Bildwerke II: Statuetten, Gefässe und Geräte, Melsungen, 1990, pp. 157-160, no. 77, for a shabti of similar styling.

Pale blue composition with moulded detail to the wig, beard, tools and seed bag; nine horizontal bands of hieroglyphic text to the lower half of the body; dorsal pillar. 230 grams, 18.2 cm

Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995.
with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003.
Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

Cf. Schlögl, H., and Brodbeck, A., Ägyptische Totenfiguren aus öffentlichen und privaten sammlungen der Schweiz, Göttingen, 1990, p. 259, no. 182, for the type.

Inscribed for Ir-nu; with carefully modelled face, large eyes and unnaturally large ears, wearing a neck-strap, a long tripartite wig with incised striations and a broad three-band collar; holding a pick in his left hand, a hoe in the right and a seed bag hanging over the left shoulder; the unusual position of the hands opposed on the chest; the text beginning in the vertical column running down the front of the figure, continuing in five horizontal bands with pale red-ochre pigment colouring to the top, middle and bottom bands; the same pigment used to colour the implements and also alternates with blue striations of the wig, the neck strap and details of the collar also in blue; the inscription from the Book of the Dead Chapter 6, reading: (Vertical column:) 'The illuminated one, the Osiris' (Horizontal rows:) 1) Ir-nu, true of voice, he says: O, this shabti 2) if one is counted, if one is reckoned to do the work 3) [to do all that is to be done in] the god’s land, to cultivate the riparian lands, transport by boat 4) [sand of] the west to the east, to act 5) at any time, to serve there (you) shall say true of voice(?). 1.4 kg total, 28.4 cm high including stand

Carieau family collection, Belgium, acquired in 1952.
Ex Maspero collection, Paris, 1963.
Acquired from a private European collection, in 1978.

Accompanied by a copy of a technical report by Edmund S. Meltzer Ph.D.
Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12080-217053.

Cf. Newberry, P., Funerary Statuettes and Model Sarcophagi, Catalogue général des Antiquités égyptiennes du musée du Caire, Nos.46530-48575, Cairo 1930-1957, pp.378-379 (CG 48497), pl. XXI; see Donald, B., Funerary Figurines in Oxford Encyclopaedia of Ancient Egypt, vol 1, New York, 2000, pp.568-569; see also Schneider, H.D., Shabtis. An Introduction to the History of Ancient Egyptian Funerary Statuettes with a Catalogue of the Collection of Shabtis in the National Museum of Antiquities at Leiden, 3 vols., Leiden 1977, V.2, p.73, (3.2.1.55), pl.100; V.3 p.26.

Exhibited: The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) 2016, Booth 430, Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre, Maastricht, Netherlands.

With finely modelled facial details, a plaited beard, holding a hoe and the cord of a seed bag at the left shoulder and a pick at the right, eleven horizontal bands of hieroglyphic text to the lower body. 140 grams, 18 cm

Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995.
with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003.
Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

Cf. von Droste zu Hülsdorf, V. and Schlick-Nolte, B., Ägyptische Bildwerke II: Statuetten, Gefässe und Geräte, Melsungen, 1990, pp. 157-160, no. 77, for a shabti of similar styling.

Modelled in deep blue faience with applied black detailing to the hair, eyes, seed bag, agricultural tools and three bands of hieroglyphs to the lower body reading giving the title and name of 'Nesy-Amun, Justified'; very rare. 75 grams, 11.1 cm

European collection, latterly in private UK collection, 1990.
Read by John Taylor at the British Museum on 27 February 2009.

Accompanied by a copy of a handwritten information card and a print out of the Christie's example.

Cf. Christie's New York, 11 December 2014, lot 64, for another example, which sold for US $7,500.00; Aubert, L., Les statuettes funéraires de la Deuxième Cachette à Deir el-Bahari, Paris, 1998, p. 71, no. 19 and pl. X, for discussion and examples of Nesy-Amun's shabtis.

Nesy-Amun was the Fourth Prophet of Amun in the 21st Dynasty. The mummy was recovered from the priest's hole, cache II, Deir el-Bahari.

Pale blue composition with detailed texture to the headcloth, pick and hoe held at the shoulders with cord supporting the seed bag over the shoulder; the lower body with two bands of crisp hieroglyphic text remaining. 96 grams, 90 mm

Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995.
with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003.
Property of a London based academic, 2003-present.

Although the individual's name is lost, his titles: 'member of the elite' and 'mayor/prince/governor', indicate his high status.

Applied black pigment to the wig, eyes, two hoes, seed bag at the reverse, and a vertical panel of hieroglyphic text on the lower body with the dedication: 'The Osiris, the Priest of Amun Mi, true of voice'. 132 grams, 11.8 cm

Probably from a priests’ cachette at Luxor.
Acquired in Egypt by Lieutenant James Alexander Goodman in the 1920s.
Thence by descent to his grandson.

Lieutenant Goodman served in the 4th Battalion Welsh Regiment during World War I and saw action in Palestine during the capture of Bethlehem, (for which he won an MC). After the war, he setup a business selling Fordson trucks and tractors in Alexandria, Egypt. A keen antiquarian, he collected ancient objects during his time in Alexandria and when he visited the pyramids at Giza. After his first marriage failed, he returned to the UK in the early 1930s. On his death in 1959, he passed his small collection of Egyptian objects on to his second wife, Ruby Goodman. On Ruby’s death in 1994, they were left to their second daughter, Rosemary Johnson, (née Goodman), and are currently in the possession of her son.

Rectangular bifacial stamp with hieroglyphs writing the prenomen of Amenhotep III (Neb-Maat-Re) to obverse, and to reverse 'King's Wife Tiye'. 1.84 grams, 16 mm

Ex Emile Bouillon Bey, c. 1880.
From the Gaston Maspero Archaeological Fund.
with Hotel des Ventes du Perigord, Bergerac, 24 June 2007.
Property of a French collector.

Cf. Petrie, W.M.F., Scarabs and Cylinders with Names, London, 1917, pl. XXXV, no. 154, for a variant of this design.

With impressed hieroglyphs on all four faces, two sides giving the throne name of Thutmose III (Men-kheper-Re), the others mentioning the god Amun. 1.1 grams, 12 mm

From the old collection of Emile Bouillon Bey, c. 1880.
Ex Gaston Maspero archaeological fund.
Property of a French collector.

Cf. Petrie, W.M.F., Scarabs and Cylinders with Names, London, 1917, pl. XXVII, no.57, for a similar block bead.

Thutmose III was a renowned warrior king widely revered even centuries after his reign.

Rectangular bead with reserved image of Bes to one face, hieroglyphs to the reverse giving the legend 'beautiful praise (of) Amun'. 1.31 grams, 13 mm

Ex Emile Bouillon Bey, c. 1880.
From the Gaston Maspero Archaeological Fund.
with Hotel des Ventes du Perigord, Bergerac, 24 June 2007.
Property of a French collector.

Cf. Petrie, W.M.F., Button and Design Scarabs, London, 1925, pl. XXX, no. 1122, for a similar Bes design on a block bead.

Bes became one of ancient Egypt's most popular apotropaic deities from the New Kingdom onwards. Despite his somewhat fearful appearance, Bes was the patron and protector of pregnant women and children. He was also believed to protect from snakes.

Rectangular block with hieroglyphs on both faces; one side gives the throne name of Ramesses IV (Heka-Maat-Re), the other side gives the name of the god Amun-Re. 1.45 grams, 14 mm

Ex Emile Bouillon Bey, c. 1880.
From the Gaston Maspero Archaeological Fund.
with Hotel des Ventes du Perigord, Bergerac, 24 June 2007.
Property of a French collector.

Cf. Petrie, W.M.F., Scarabs and Cylinders with Names, London, 1917, pl. XLV, no.6, for a scarab with the throne name, nos. 12-13, for similar Ramesside block bead types.