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LOT 0433
Egyptian Bone Hairpin with Thoth as a Baboon
NEW KINGDOM, 1569-1081 B.C.
3 1/2 in. (5.4 grams, 89 mm).
Tapering round-section hairpin, with a finial fashioned as a seated baboon with its tail resting along the body.
ProvenanceEx Thomas collection, UK, 1980s-1990s.
This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Cf. Vandier d’Abbadie, J., Les objets de toilette égyptiens au Musée du Louvre, Paris, 1972, pp. 148-149, nos. 633-4, for monkey-topped examples.
FootnotesDecorative hairpins often feature animals such as monkeys and cats, and inanimate objects such as olives.
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 Scarab and Amulet Group
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Comprising: a scarab with anatomical detailing to the carapace, underside with a crocodile and two quadrupeds; a rectangular Eye of Horus amulet with domed upper face. 3.04 grams total, 14-16 mm
Norfolk family collection, 1940s-1960s; thence by descent. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Egyptian Diorite Stone Scarab
Saite Period, 664-525 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £156
Carved in the round with detailed carapace and legs; not pierced. 8.22 grams, 21 mm
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
The scarab amulet was arguably the most ubiquitous symbol in ancient Egypt, representing rebirth, transformation, and protection. Modelled after the scarab beetle, which was associated with the sun god Khepri, believed to roll the sun across the sky, the amulet illustrated the cycle of life and regeneration. Scarabs were commonly placed with the deceased as funerary amulets to ensure safe passage into the afterlife. They also served as seals and personal charms, often inscribed with prayers, names, or protective formulas. Widely used from the early Middle Kingdom (c. 2050 BCE) onwards, scarab amulets reflect spiritual beliefs and everyday practices in ancient Egyptian life. -
Historic Collection of 678 Slides of Archaeological Sites in Egypt
1960s-1980s A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Housed in five linen-covered boxes, covering Tutankhamun furniture, Tombs of the Nobles, Lahun Hawara, Philae, and Nubia, etc. 4.1 kg total, 26.5 x 16.5 x 6.5 cm each box
Property of archaeologist Stephanie Gee, N.W. London, UK, 1960s-1980s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Stephanie Gee was a prominent archaeologist who took part in several expeditions in Egypt. She was a trusted assistant to the British-Australian archaeologist Veronica Seton-Williams, who excavated in Egypt, Britain, and the Near East. Stephanie also took part in the Tell El-Farâ'în expeditions of 1965-1968, and assisted Seton-Williams with preparing the 1966 expedition report. Their collaboration continued and Stephanie helped with the manuscript of Seton-Williams’ book ‘The Road to El-Aguzein’, a narrative account of her life that was first published in 1988.