Pale faience figurine representing a bull-headed mummy adorned with a tripartite wig and human arms crossed over the chest with hands holding a pick and a hoe; only the lower legs and feet missing; the opening part of a central panel of hieroglyphic inscription reads: Wsir ͗ ḥp, 'the Osiris Apis'; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 152 grams total, 15 cm including stand

Probably found at the Serapeum at Saqqara in the 19th century.
From the private collection of the late Mr M.S.C., Norfolk, UK, formed 1950s-1960s.

Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan.

Cf. Mariette, A., Le Serapeum de Memphis, Paris, 1882, pl. 19, for others of the type.

While most shabtis served as substitutes or servants of the deceased and were placed in the tomb, some, like this example, were votive objects deposited in places of great sanctity. Virtually all known Apis shabtis come from excavations in the Serapeum catacombs led by Auguste Mariette from 1850 to 1853. They all belong to activity dating to the 19th and 20th Dynasties (circa 1295-1069 BC) and were unearthed in various chambers where they had been placed as votive offerings to honour the deified Apis bulls.

The upper part of a large mummiform shabti wearing a striated tripartite wig and long plaited divine beard, holding a pick in the left hand, the right hand holding a hoe and the cord of a seed bag hanging over his left shoulder; the face expertly modelled with carefully rendered cosmetic lines around the eyes, slightly smiling lips giving it a serene expression; plain back pillar terminating at the base of the wig; five horizontal rows of hieroglyphic inscription giving the dedication sḥḏ wsı͗r ḥr (-pn-n-) Ꜣst, ‘The illuminated one, the Osiris Hor (pen-en) Aset’ followed by a version of Chapter 6 from the Book of the Dead; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 509 grams total, 20 cm including stand

Ex Y.F. collection.
Acquired in the US, 2011.
with Medusa Ancient Art, Quebec.
Private collection, Europe.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12374-226922.

Cf. National Museums Liverpool, accession number M13871, for a similar shabti with different dedication; Janes, G., The Shabti Collections 6: A Selection from the World Museum, Liverpool, Lymm, 2016, pp.494-495, no. 258, for a similar example.

Carved in the round figure of Bes sitting on an ellipsoid base; the god in crouching pose wearing a lionskin girdle, his forearms on his thighs and hands holding the pierced lug handles of a storage jar; the jar and Bes's head topped by a low square modius with a round opening to the top. 188 grams, 66 mm

Early 20th century South East England, UK, collection.
Formerly in North American collection, 1990s.
From the collection of a London, UK, gentleman.

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.12376-225408.

Cf. Andrews, C., Amulets of Ancient Egypt, London, 1994, item 96(e) for a less elaborate vessel in the shape of Bes; Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst, Munich (inv. no. ÄS 4868), for a similarly themed Bes-form cosmetic vessel from the New Kingdom.

This vessel's style continues that of New Kingdom and Third Intermediate Period kohl (eye paint) or unguent Bes-shaped containers, suggesting that it served as a household object rather than an item of funerary equipment.

Two-part wooden (sycamore?) falcon-headed mummiform coffin carved from a single piece of wood, with a tripartite wig and human ears, painted detailing to the eyes, and broad decorative collar; the whole covered with black paint with traces of yellow decoration and inscriptions; inside a mummified falcon wrapped in linen strips. 2.3 kg, 49.5 cm

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

Accompanied by a copy of an old collection inventory note.
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.12074-218220.

Cf. Raven, M.J., ‘Corn Mummies’, Oudheidkundige Mededelingen uit het Rijksmuseum van Oudheden te Leiden 63 (1982), pl. 4A, for a comparable black-painted falcon-headed coffin with yellow decoration.

This falcon-headed coffin once contained a so-called 'corn mummy' - a mummiform effigy impregnated with grain, which germinated. Such 'corn mummies' were associated with Osirian regeneration, fertility, and rebirth concepts. The falcon-headed coffin was associated with the powerful funerary deity Sokar-Osiris or Ptah-Sokar-Osiris. It seems that the original contents of this coffin were either lost or discarded and replaced with a mummified bird (falcon?). Interestingly, the most significant number of falcon-headed coffins come from Tuna el-Gebel, the site of an extensive animal mummy necropolis.

Modelled in the round, standing nude with left leg extended, wearing a tripartite wig with beads to the lower edges, the arms modelled separately and attached, left arm bent round to the chest, right arm straight to the side; mounting peg to the right leg, feet absent. 210 grams, 40 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.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12377-226045.

Cf. Leibovitch, J., 'The Statuette of an Egyptian Harper and String-instruments in Egyptian Statuary', Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 46 (1960), pp.53-59, pl. XIV, 2, for an almost identical figure in the British Museum (EA 48658).

With globular body, tall tubular neck and flared mouth; circumferential bands of hatching, concentric rings and chevrons; loop handle with thumb-pad spur to the reverse of the neck; plank idol to the shoulder with anthropomorphic detailing to both faces; supplied with a display stand; repaired. 1.68 kg, 37 cm high

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Cf. Morris, D., The Art of Ancient Cyprus, Oxford, 1985, pls.44-45, for the type.

Red polished ware was the dominant ware of the Early Bronze Age. The clay was covered with red slip which was then burnished to produce a high point. The Philia red polished ware was characterised by incised multi-zigzag and open herring-bone bands, and also batches of multi-lines on base.

The ovoid body and trumpet-shaped neck decorated with bands of hatched lozenges, shoulder with encircling broken bands above and below with inverted chevrons beneath; lateral flange handles. 1.7 kg, 30.5 cm

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Globular in profile with thick everted rim to the broad mouth, two ledge handles below the rim and two pairs of bosses. 6.15 kg, 31 cm wide

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

With narrow trumpet-shaped foot, broad shoulder and ribbed lateral handles; painted circumferential bands to the inner neck, rim and body, hatched panels and labrys symbols to the shoulder. 7.3 kg, 45.5 cm high

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12313-218932.

Cf. Gjerstad, E., The Swedish Cyprus Expedition. Volume IV, Part 2. The Cypro-Geometric, Cypro-Archaic and Cypro-Classical periods, Stockholm, 1948; Brown, A.C., Catling, H.W., Ancient Cyprus, Oxford, 1975, p.44, no.7 and 45 no.5, for the type; Artzy, M., 2001, ‘A study of the Cypriote Bichrome ware: Past, present and future’, in Åström, P., (ed.), The chronology of Base-ring ware and Bichrome Wheel-made ware. Proceedings of a Colloquium held in the Royal Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, Stockholm, May 18-19 2000, (Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademiem, Konferenser 54), Stockholm, 2001, pp.157–74; Karageorghis, V., Cipro, Crocevia del Mediterraneo Orientale, 1500-500 d.C., Milano, 2002, pp.179ff.

With trefoil folded rim to the mouth, painted bands to the strap handle, grid to the equator and running scrolls to the shoulder linking hatched rectangles; restored. 1.67 kg, 30 cm high

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Broad shallow bowl with rounded underside, lateral tab to the rim and pierced ledge handle opposite. 2 kg, 37 cm wide

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

The bulbous body and columnar neck decorated with bands of impressed-cord detailing, shoulder with encircling segments and broken bands; lateral loop handles with thumb-pad spurs. 1.21 kg, 25.5 cm

From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.