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LOT 0547
Egyptian Blue Glazed Faience Shabti
PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, CIRCA 305-30 B.C.
4 7/8 in. (72 grams, 12.5 cm).
Characteristic mummiform figure wearing a tripartite wig and a false beard, with a seed-bag suspended over the shoulder, a plain dorsal column, and with arms crossed and hands holding agricultural tools.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a late Tavistock, Devon, UK, gentleman, formed from the 1990s.
Accompanied by an old handwritten date note on British Museum, Department of Egyptian Antiquities headed paper, where the second part relates to this item.
Cf. Lacovara, P., and Markowitz, Y.J., Jewels of the Nile: Ancient Egyptian Treasures from the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester MA, 2020, p. 183 (no. 1925.563), for a shabti of virtually identical form.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Egyptian Faience Nephthys Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Standing figure of the goddess, wearing a striated lappet wig topped by her characteristic headdress, with her arms at her sides; supported by a dorsal pillar pierced once for suspension. 1.68 grams, 34 mm
Ex early 20th century collection, London, UK.
This amulet represents Nephthys (Egyptian: Nebet-Hut), a protective goddess closely associated with mourning, magic, and the afterlife. Often depicted as a woman with her name in hieroglyphs atop her head, Nephthys is Isis’s sister and, together with Isis, plays a central role in the funerary rites of Osiris. Amulets of Nephthys were often worn or placed among the deceased’s wrappings to invoke her protective role during the journey to the afterlife. As a divine mourner, Nephthys was believed to guard the dead and assist in their rebirth, making her amulet a symbol of divine protection, sacred lamentation, and renewal. -
Egyptian Silver Fly Amulet
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £260
With detailing to wings and eyes, loop for suspension above the head. 2.15 grams, 24 mm
From the collection of a London, UK, gentleman, 1990s.
Considering that Egyptian artists often depicted fly whisks in the hands of pharaohs and high officials, one might assume that flies were merely a nuisance. However, the Egyptians held flies in high regard for their speed, quick reactions, and persistence. Small fly amulets first appeared in burials during the Naqada II Period, around 3200 B.C. These amulets gained popularity and were crafted from various materials such as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, carnelian, amethyst, faience, and bone. These amulets were believed to protect against insect bites and to ward off troublesome flying creatures through apotropaic magic. Some believe they may have even symbolised the fly’s fecundity. Additionally, pharaohs would bestow gold fly-shaped pendants as military awards to honour the bravery and persistence of soldiers in battle. -
Romano-Egyptian Mosaic Glass Fragments
Circa 1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Including geometric and other patterns. 18 grams total, 5-30 mm
Ex Gallery Mikazuki prior to 1984. Propery of a London, UK, gentleman.
