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LOT 0461
Egyptian Bronze Ibis Attachment
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C. OR LATER
2 3/8 in. (114 grams, 60 mm).
Modelled in the round squatting on an ellipsoid base, lug to the underside, repaired.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
LiteratureCf. Roeder, G., Ägyptische Bronzefiguren II, Berlin, 1956, pls.57f, 58a, for similar low-squatting examples.
FootnotesThe ibis, particularly the sacred species known as the Egyptian ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), held a prominent place in ancient Egyptian religion and culture as a manifestation of the god Thoth. Revered as the deity of wisdom, writing, and knowledge, Thoth was often depicted in human form with the head of an ibis.
During the Late Period onwards, the practice of mummifying ibises became widespread, leading to the creation of vast necropolises dedicated to these sacred birds. In places like Saqqara and Hermopolis, thousands of ibis mummies have been discovered in specially constructed catacombs. The mummification of these birds was not merely a ritual act; it was seen as a sacred offering to Thoth, meant to honour the god and seek his favour. Egyptians believed that by preserving the ibis through mummification, they could ensure its safe passage to the afterlife, establishing a direct connection between the earthly realm and the divine. These mummies were often accompanied by votive offerings, like this bronze figurine, further emphasising the relationship between the ibises and Thoth.
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Egyptian Bronze Osiris Statuette
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
Standing mummiform figure, wearing the conical Atef crown with flanking ostrich plumes and frontal uraeus, holding the crook (heka) and flail (nekhakha) regalia; minor chip to the crown. 16.5 grams, 69 mm
Ex Constable collection, 1990s. Ex P. Morris collection. -
Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Frog Lamp
Circa 2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £59
Ovoid-shaped and biconvex in section, decorated with a frog design; impressed palmette maker's mark to the base 86 grams, 77 mm
From the collection of a late Tavistock, Devon, UK, gentleman, formed from the 1990s. -
Egyptian Applique with Aphrodite
Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C.Estimate: £400 - 600 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £222
Fragment from a representation of the nude Aphrodite in high-relief, crouching with her left knee raised and her right knee touching the ground, holding her long hair with her hands and wearing a diadem on her head; an appliqué from a vessel with minor filling at the right thigh. 85 grams, 86 mm
Private collection, Somerset, England. with M.B., Los Angeles County, acquired 2014-2015 at a sale in the UK. with Ancient Resource, USA, Auction 70, 06 October 2018, no.7. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12827-240895.