Egyptian Amethyst Bead Necklace with Scaraboid

With a thick and lustrous turquoise glaze, sporting a tripartite wig highlighted in darker blue glaze, and a long beard; holding a pick, hoe and a cord for a seed bag hanging over the left shoulder; raised dorsal pillar and an integral plinth; repaired. 44 grams, 11.5 cm high



Ex collection of Jacques René Fiechter, Switzerland (1920-1950). with Auction Martin, Egyptian Collection André Bircher, 1949. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan.

The lack of inscription hinders positive identification, but the shabti’s proportions, elegant modelling, and lustrous glaze closely match others considered to have come from an area of the extensive necropolis at Abydos, labelled “Cemetery G” by its excavator Flinders Petrie, where hundreds of blue lustrous-glazed shabtis of varying qualities were recovered. This figure is closest in style to those belonging to Petosiris, son of Djed-hor. Both were buried with similar blue lustrous-glazed shabtis that were mostly plain although a few were inscribed with an inscription.

Comprising three restrung composition necklaces, each composed of multiple strands of polychrome beads of mainly annular and tubular types. 75 grams total, 68-76 cm long



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

Red and yellow faience were among the new colours appeared in the XVIIIth Dynasty, but they were in use until the Late Period. It was ideally formed from a core of sand and quartz and a vitreous alkaline glaze. It was the preferred medium of Egyptian jewellers even before the Fist Dynasty, because of its malleability and its ability to imitate other more expensive materials thanks to the colour of the glaze.

The male figure of a kneeling supplicant with back pillar inscribed with hieroglyphic text: 'Neith gives life [to] ...'. 54 grams total, 76 mm including stand



Private collection S., Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, acquired in the first half of the 20th century. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate number S00140657, dated 23 October 2018.

This figure was likely attached to a separately cast base and positioned kneeling before a larger figure of the goddess Neith. Such objects were donated to temples to secure the god or goddess's protection for the donor, represented by the kneeling figure.