Ancient Art, Antiquities, Books, Natural History & Coins

Biconical body with tubular neck and thickened rim, short spout with four piercings above, and handle to the side. 94 grams, 74.6 mm wide



From the private collection of Mr Brian Edwards, New Malden, Surrey, UK, formed from the late 1970s-early 1980s; thence by descent. Accompanied by the original collector's data sheet with reference no.A116.

Group consisting of scarabs, scaraboid and other types, some with hieroglyphs on the underside, including the cartouche of Amenhotep II (Akheperure) with the legend "Beloved of Amun". 15.71 grams total, 13-19 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

A matched pair formed of annular and cylindrical faience beads; modern hook and bar with gold-coloured beads. 1.27 grams total, 50-51 mm



Acquired Town Hall Antiques, Market Place, Woburn, Bedfordshire, UK, on 2nd March 2001. Property of a West Northamptonshire, UK, gentleman. Accompanied by a copy of the original Town Hall Antiques invoice.

Modelled in the round on a sledge attached by ventral and pectoral fins, a forked tail, a dorsal ridge, and a tapering nose, featuring recessed circular eyes filled with enamel, a horned sun disc headdress fronted by a uraeus, and a suspension loop behind; a few hieroglyphs of a dedication remain visible on the underside of the sledge, which may be interpreted as ‘….the great give life (to)…’ (…t wr rdi͗ Ꜥnḫ t….); presumably, 'the great' followed the name of a deity, now lost. 585 grams, 17 cm



Acquired from Gallery Reiner, Paris, France, 1981. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.150583 dated 29 November 2013. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12375-226676.

The Medjed, a type of elephant-snout fish (Mormyrus kannume), was revered in ancient Egyptian religion, particularly in Per-Medjed, better known by its Greek name, Oxyrhynchus Polis. This version of the name, meaning "city of the sharp-nosed," reflects the fish's distinctive appearance as depicted in Egyptian art. These fish were believed to have consumed the penis of Osiris, the god who was dismembered and scattered by his brother Seth. As sacred creatures, figurines of the Medjed were often adorned with a horned sun-disc headdress worn by the goddesses Hathor and Isis, suggesting a close association with both. Some figurines, like this example, featured suspension loops, allowing them to be worn as pendant amulets.

Showing the jackal deity Wepwawet standing with ears pricked on a sledge, the slender body modelled with long legs and a tail, suspension loop on the back; two rearing cobras before the jackal; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 54 grams, 91 mm (162 grams total, 11.7 cm including stand )



Ex Dr R. and Mrs L.B., Zumikon, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12627-236406.

This object may have been the decorative element of a ceremonial standard, examples of which have survived (cf. Petrie, W.M.F., Tanis: Part II / Nebesheh (Am) and Defenneh (Tahpanhes), London, 1886, pl. VII, no. 3). Wepwawet, meaning "Opener of the Ways," was an ancient Egyptian god associated primarily with warfare, protection, and funerary practices. Depicted as a jackal or a man with a jackal's head—often mistaken for Anubis—Wepwawet was believed to guide souls through the afterlife and open paths both in battle and in the spiritual realm. He originated in Asyut (ancient Lycopolis) in Upper Egypt and was one of the oldest deities in the Egyptian pantheon, with worship dating back to at least the First Dynasty (c. 3100–2900 BCE). Over time, Wepwawet became closely linked to Anubis, and the two were sometimes conflated, though Wepwawet retained his distinct identity as a god who preceded and cleared the way. In military contexts, Wepwawet was invoked to "open the way" for pharaohs and armies, ensuring victory and safe passage. In funerary texts, he was described as clearing the path to the afterlife, acting as a scout or guide for the deceased.

Mummiform figure with crossed arms, wearing a false beard and tripartite wig. 22.29 grams, 96 mm



Acquired from Ancient Art, London, UK. From the collection of a Nottingham, UK, collector, established from the early 2000s. Accompanied by the original Ancient Art certificate of authenticity.

With a round face, large eyes, a narrow nose that broadens at the end, and full lips downturned at the corners; the forehead with a distinctive deep furrow above the brow; a narrow, twisted diadem encircling his wavy hair; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 84 grams total, 10 cm including stand



Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12631-236408.

The Greek hairstyle is a characteristic feature of Ptolemaic royal portraiture, as is the twisted diadem - a Greek interpretation of the Egyptian headband (the sšd) - which appears on several portrait heads of Ptolemaic boy-kings and princes. The distinctive furrow is intriguing, as it contrasts with the typically blemish-free physiognomy of most Ptolemaic royal sculpture. However, a similar furrow can be seen on the portrait head of a provincial governor from Dendera, dated to the 2nd century B.C. (Bothmer, B.V., Egyptian Sculpture of the Late Period 700 B.C. to A.D. 100, New York, 1960, pp. 144-143, pl. 112, nos. 301-302), which may indicate an artistic trend employed in high-status sculpture at that time. It has been suggested that small royal portrait heads, such as this example, may have served as votives. The lack of an Egyptian-style back pillar on this and similar pieces supports the possibility that they were inserted into statues made of different materials (Ashton, S.-A., Ptolemaic Royal Sculpture from Egypt, BAR International Series 923, Oxford, 2001, p.12).

Restrung group of mosaic glass tubular beads, spherical and other spacer beads, pendant amulet of Sekhmet seated on throne. 26 grams, 35 cm, amulet: 41 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.

Anatomical detailing on the body and symbols on the underside. 0.9 grams, 15 mm



From a late Warwickshire numismatic collector, his collection formed from the early 1980s.

Four-strand designer necklace composed of polychrome beads of mainly disc and cylindrical types. 27.4 grams, 69.5 cm



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

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.

Piriform vessel with flared foot and wide rim, discoid lid with raised central panel to verso. 355 grams, 65 mm



Ex Galerie Nefer, Zurich, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.

Modelled in the round, sitting on a trapezoidal base, ears pricked, ribbed loop behind shoulders. 2.32 grams, 25.54 mm



Ex London gentleman's collection, by descent 1980s.