Polished and with integral pierced suspension loop. 0.78 grams, 15 mm

From an early 20th century collection.

Cf. The Metropolitan Museum, New York, accession number 40.9.26, for similar; cf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, pl.65 (n).

Amulets in the form of poppies were used to heal, alleviate pain, and ward off death. This type of amulet was also associated with Osiris, the Egyptian deity of agriculture, death, and the afterlife.

With palmette motif and filigree hoop. 0.15 grams, 8 mm

Acquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.

See Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, for discussion.

Flora-form amulets are thought to symbolise new life, like the growing plants they copied. Many gold palmette elements were found in the New Kingdom tomb of Aper-el at Saqqara, featuring pierced holes rather than a hoop for attachment (Cf. Zivie, A., Découverte à Saqqarah: Le vizir oublié, Paris, 1990, p.149 no.94 for examples).

Multi-stranded designer necklace composed of beads of mainly annular and tubular types. 23 grams total, 66 cm long

Acquired before 1979.
From the private collection of Mr F. A., South Kensington, London, UK; thence by descent 2014.

Cf. similar specimens in faience at the Worcester Art Museum, inventory no.1925.539.

For thousands of years, artisans in Egypt created vibrant ceramics to echo the beauty of rare jewels. These ornaments were created with almost every material, colour, and texture imaginable and they come from across Egypt and beyond: vibrant blue lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, glossy black obsidian from Turkey, and aqua-green turquoise from the Sinai. They were worn in life and, after death, they served as precious ornamentation for mummies

Restrung netted beadwork panel of annular and tubular glazed composition beads in blues, greens, black, cream and red-brown colours, depicting a mummy face-mask with false beard, a scarab with extended wings below, the 'Four Sons of Horus’ beneath the scarab, joined together with areas of open netting of tubular beads; restrung with some later beads. 72 grams, 26 cm

Ex Mariaud de Serres, Paris, France, 1990s.
From a London, UK, collection.

Cf. Manley, B., and Dodson, A., Life Everlasting. National Museum of Scotland Collection of Ancient Egyptian Coffins, Edinburgh, 2010, p.114, no.43, for a bead-work shroud incorporating the mask, winged scarab, and Four Sons of Horus.

The Four Sons of Horus were deities responsible for protecting the internal organs of the deceased. Here, on the left, we can see the jackal-headed Duamutef, who protected the stomach, followed by the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef, protector of the intestines, then the human-headed Imsety, who protected the liver and, finally, the baboon-headed Hapy, protected the lungs, on the right.

Plano-convex in profile with segmented upper face and incised ankh to the underside. 1.05 grams, 13 mm

From the private collection of the late Mrs Belinda Ellison, long time member of the Egyptian Exploration Society, c.1940-2020.

Cf. Matouk, F.S., Corpus du scarabée égyptien. Vol. 2: Analyse thématique, Beirut, 1976, p.412 no. 2439, for similar.

Round in profile with flattened underside, squared rim (possibly incomplete); with old collector's manuscript note: 'Old Kingdom between 3000-1200 B.C.'. 52 grams, 39 mm

Ex Yorkshire, UK, collection, 1960s-1980s.

Accompanied by an old handwritten identification slip.

Cf. Guidotti, M.C., Vasi dall’epoca protodinastica al Nuovo Regno, Museo Egizio di Firenze, Rome, 1991, pp.174-5 nos. 237-241, for alabaster and limestone vessels of similar body profile.

Modelled seated on a tongue-shaped base, with facial detailing and suspension loop to the back. 0.33 grams, 8 mm

From an early 20th century collection.

Cf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, item 29(c).

The cat was sacred to Bastet, a protective mother goddess and the daughter of the sun god Re. Amulets provided the wearer with the goddess's protection.

Restrung group of glazed composition beads, mainly tubular and annular types. 3.58 grams, 50 cm long

From a private Paris collection, France, 1960s.
From the personal collection of Derek Rogers, Suffolk, UK.

Comprising monochrome glossy photographs with printed caption to the reverse: 'Tutankhamun's Funerary Couch. The divine cow in the final stages of wrapping, being embraced by Mr. T.G.H. James, Assistant Keeper of the British Museum'; 'The six stages in the packing of the gilded wooden statue of Tutankhamun; one of a pair that stood sentinel at the entrance to the inner chamber'; 'Colin Ashby of Walford Wingate Forwarders Ltd in the course of packing the major item in the Tutankhamun collection at the Cairo Museum. The funerary mask from Tutankhamun's mummy is made of beaten gold and is the finest ever found.' (Colour photo); 'The funerary mask from Tutankhamun's mummy made of beaten gold and the finest ever found. (Please credit the Cairo Museum)'; 'Part of the carefully-packed contents of Tutankhamun's tomb at London Airport on arrival from Cairo. Lt.Col. E.C. Easter MBE, Chairman of Walford Wingate Forwarders Ltd. the company responsible for the entire packing and surface transportation operation, supervises the off-loading of part of the world's most fabulous treasure.' (2 photographs); 'Never has B.O.A.C.'s slogan been more assuring. the innocent looking cargo being unloaded at London Airport is part of a priceless consignment from Cairo for the forthcoming exhibition of the contents of Tutankhamun's tomb to be held at the British Museum. Flown in by the R.A.F. and B.O.A.C. under British Government indemnity, the world's greatest treasure trove was packed and handled by Walford Wingate Forwarders Ltd.'; 'Tutankhamun's Funerary Couch. Preliminary inspection of Tutankhamun's funerary couch by Messrs Ashby and Burnett of Walford Wingate Forwarders Ltd.'; 'Tutankhamun's Funerary Couch. One of the divine cows separated from the couch in the early stages of wrapping'. 102 grams total, 25.2 x 17.7 - 25.3 x 20.4 cm

Property of a Cambridgeshire, UK, gentleman.

Comprising mainly blue and green tubular beads with some annular beads and fragmentary amulets, including the head of a hare and a portion of a hedjet crown. 19 grams total, 2-19 mm

From an early 20th century Home Counties, UK, collection.

Group of discoid inlay plaques or gaming counters, crinoids with cinquefoil motif. 35 grams total, 14-18 mm

From a central London ADA dealership, 1980-1990.

Flowers were symbolic of rebirth due to the daily reopening of their petals after nightfall. As a result, they were widely used in domestic settings, religious and funerary contexts, and as adornments. Similar rosette discs, like those recovered from the Ramesside Period palace at Qantir, were used as decorative elements in royal palaces.

Openwork wedjat eye pendant with suspension loop above and slender frame. 0.78 grams, 21 mm

Acquired 1970s onwards.
Private collection of Michael O'Hara, Cambridgeshire, UK.

Cf. Kalloniatis, F., The Egyptian Collection at Norwich Castle Museum, Oxford, 2019, pl.17 no.117, for a similar openwork example.

The wedjat eye amulet symbolised the eye of the falcon god Horus. According to ancient Egyptian mythology, Horus’ eye was gouged out by his treacherous uncle Seth and then healed by Thoth. While these amulets could be worn for protection in daily life, they also played a significant role in the funerary sphere. Wedjat eye amulets were believed to offer protection to the deceased’s mummy and could serve as substitutes for daily food offerings.