Egyptian and Other Glass Collection

A terracotta oil lamp formed as the head of Baubo, with a smiling, plump face, wavy locks and taenia, two circular apertures at either side of her neck, expression formed with semi-naturalistic features and large extended earlobes accommodating circular apertures; circular hole to reverse and oval hole to top of head; trace remains of white gesso; vintage collection label to reverse. 245 grams, 10.4 cm



with ink inscribed label '1.2.27 CAS (22)'. From the deceased estate of N.A.C. Embiriscos, UK, 1950-1969. with Christie's London, 25 April 2001, lot 249. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages.

A figurine in blue-green faience depicting a human female displaying traits of achondroplasia, with a disproportionate body, protruding abdomen, prominent buttocks, and shortened limbs; the large and exaggeratedly flattened head sports a distinctive hairstyle consisting of three ‘bunches’ on the front and three long braids at the back; the shaven top of the head is indicated by stippling; the figure wearing a long, single-strand shell necklace, armlets, and a girdle, all indicated in black pigment, as are the facial details, hair colour, pubic triangle, fingernails, and toenails. 50 grams, 66 mm high



Acquired from Dr Jan Beekmans, circa 1985. UK private collection. 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 search certificate no.11594-198343.

This figurine belongs to a rare sub-type in a category of anthropomorphic figures produced during the late 12th-13th Dynasty. The category comprises around 200 figurines which include truncated-leg females, ‘grotesque’ human forms, and those displaying more distinct traits of achondroplasia, such as can be observed in this figurine. Very few examples of this particular sub-type are known, of which only one in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York provides a close parallel in terms of overall styling and form with this figurine. The purpose of this figurine is not fully understood, but other types of female representations in the large corpus of Middle Kingdom faience figurines are now considered to have embodied generative and regenerative power for their owners. This figurine shares the same distinctive three-braid hairstyle and the necklace, armlets, and girdle body adornments found on some. Body adornments of this kind also occur on wooden ‘paddle doll’ female figurines which are considered to have some connection with khener-dancers, who performed in royal, temple and funerary spheres. Since, in funeral contexts, ritual dances were often performed by dwarfs, a further connection can possibly be made between the role of khener-dancers and this figurine. The performance of such dancers in royal or funerary contexts was considered to bring the power of regeneration and potency to the recipient.

A mixed group comprising: a miniature glazed composition shabti; two gold domed discs, one with a granule cluster to the apex; a gold lozenge cell with granulation to the rim; a square gold cell with flanking loops and granulation; a gold triangular panel with granulated dividers, triangles to the upper edge; a gold domed disc with quartered design and rosettes, granulated; a gold leaf-shaped pendant and chain links; three gold cells with carnelian inlays. 5.35 grams total, 6-46 mm



Acquired 1990s. English private collection. Property of an Essex gentleman.