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LOT 0446
Egyptian Faience Hieroglyphic Shabti
LATE PERIOD-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 525-30 B.C.
3 1/2 in. (23.6 grams, 89 mm).
Slender in profile with tripartite wig and incised tools in the crossed hands, net to the left shoulder; dorsal pillar with impressed hieroglyphic legend. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx Alexander Crawford Collection.
From the collection of David Donlan (1947-2025), a dedicated and lifelong collector with a passion for the ancient world and the natural sciences, forming his collection from 1960s onwards, using many reputable dealers across the United Kingdom, including the well-regarded Coincraft and The Parthenon Gallery.
Cf. Schlögl, H., and Brodbeck, A., Ägyptische Totenfiguren aus öffentlichen und privaten sammlungen der Schweiz, Göttingen, 1990, p.117, no.55, for a similar example.
FootnotesAlexander Crawford Lamb (1843-1897) was a Scottish hotelier, art collector, antiquarian and collector of paintings, literary works, china, furniture, antiquities and other ephemera and memorabilia. His most notable literary achievement was the publication of a massive volume entitled Dundee: Its Quaint and Historic Buildings, 1895.
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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Romano-Egyptian Limestone Funerary Niche
Coptic, 5th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,340
Carved architectural block fragment comprising: a shallow niche with arched top and parallel sides, with concentric mouldings to create a reveal and ledge below to accept offerings; horizontal tiered base; attachment sockets for two figurines (absent) flanking the niche; to left, a column modelled in the half-round with two parallel vertical stems, shallow roundel to the base and stylised foliage at the top; pediment above with scooped profile; above each figurine recess an incised initial, 'A' and 'M'; facing surface keyed for plaster finish. 57.55 kg, 49 cm
From the estate and private collection of Matthew Upham (1962-2025), an antiques trader from Budleigh Salterton, Devon, UK. Acquired at an estate sale at auction. Property of a Cambridgeshire, UK, gentleman. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no. 13297-255939.
In the Christian Roman Empire, the stelae in the form of aedicula, which could be funerary monuments with crosses or the images of the deceased, or devotional niches with images of saints, appear to be independent sculptures. These stelae consisted of a rectangular body surmounted by a circular arch or trapezoidal structure. At the centre of the niche, the deceased was often depicted full-length, in a praying position (orans). Devotional stelae were also placed inside a church or shrine, with images of the Virgin and Child, or saints. -
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Egyptian Predynastic Stone Frog
4th millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,300
Pyramidal in form with shallow-carved hip and facial detailing. 537 grams, 81 mm
with Artemis Gallery, Munich, Germany, 2001. Private collection, Europe. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12580-232124.
The frog had a great role in ancient Egyptian mythology and was connected with the mythology of creation. A number of gods and goddesses were connected with the frog such as Heqet, Ptah, and Heh. The connection with the god Ptah as a god of creation was probably due to the idea that Ptah was the only god who created the world in ancient Egypt through his heart and his tongue. Every work of the god came about through what his heart devised and his tongue commanded. Frogs were often associated with Hekat, deity of birth and fecundity. Amulets of frogs were frequent votive gifts at such Predynastic and Archaic sites at Abydos, Naqada, and Saqqara. -
Egyptian Ptolemaic Alabaster Amulet with Locust
1st century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Translucent disc with an engraved locust with anatomical detailing, pierced through the upper edge. 4.45 grams, 30 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
