Egyptian Alabaster Cosmetic Jar

Of mummiform type, wearing a tripartite wig and long plaited divine beard, with arms crossed and the left hand holding a pick, the right hand holding a hoe and the cord of a seed bag hanging over his left shoulder, with carefully rendered cosmetic lines around the eyes, narrow eyebrows, and slightly smiling lips giving it a serene expression characteristic of the finest ushabtis of the period; standing on an integral plinth from which a plain back pillar terminating at the base of the wig extends; eight horizontal rows of hieroglyphic inscription, the Sixth Chapter of the Book of the Dead; water worn. 235 grams, 18.6 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.

A group of thirteen scarabs with anatomical detailing to the carapace, comprising: 1) two kneeling hawk-headed figures with arms raised praise flank a central Hathoric fetish; 2) two facing falcons adorned with Red Crowns flanked by hieroglyphs, including netjer,hes-jars, and maat feathers; 3) standing human figure holding a staff atop a neb hieroglyph facing a highly stylised crocodile; 4) falcon atop a neb hieroglyph facing a striking cobra with another above; 5) the Re-Horakhty falcon standing before a hes-jar, with cartouche behind containing hieroglyphs and a verticalneb hieroglyph on the left; 6) central motif of a bird atop a neb hieroglyph with a rectangular sign above, a was- sceptre behind, flanked by stylised cobras; 7) falcon wearing the Red Crown atop a shrine with a winged sun disc above, flanked by cobras and Red Crowns; 8) central design consisting of hes-jars, a sun disc, a nub symbol (for gold), nefer signs, a kheper scarab beetle, and lotus flowers, all flanked by a border of en and ro signs; 9) central column of hes-jars, a sun disc, a kha rising sun hieroglyph, and scarab beetle, flanked by lions’ foreparts, Red Crowns, neb and hes-jar signs; 10) standing figure atop a neb hieroglyph holding a flower/branch; 11) hieroglyphs writing ‘Amun beloved of the living Ramesses’; 12) stylised bird with men hieroglyph behind; 13) scarab beetle with sun disc above. 27.1 grams total, 11-20 mm



Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s.

The popularity of the scarab was so great that many of these scarab designs can be found outside Egypt at sites in the ancient Levant.

A squat flared vessel with a rim, one side with a cartouche containing the hieroglyphs nakhtnebef, giving the birth name of the 30th Dynasty King Nectanebo I. 20.8 grams, 48 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.