Egyptian Faience Shabti

A polychrome painted cartonnage foot-case from a cartonnage mummy with two stylised bare feet to the upper face, each with a ankle panel with the god Anubis in jackal form with a flail over the shoulder, framed by geometric borders which continue around the perimeter of the foot cover; soles of polychrome chequered sandals to base. 295 grams, 25 cm wide

Fine condition.

Ex UK art market, 1970s. Property of a London gentleman. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan.

Foot-cases like this were part of group of cartonnage adornments for a mummy, which usually comprised a mask, broad collar, stomach cover, leg section, and foot-case. For a complete set found on a mummy from Abydos see Scott III, G.D., Ancient Egyptian Art at Yale, Yale, 1986, pp.160-161.

A bronze staff or sceptre terminal formed as a priest of Anubis with jackal's head and human body, standing and wearing a tightly-draped toga with right hand extended in a fist; square base and socket to the underside. 223 grams, 12.7 cm high



Private collection, since 1989. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11604-199678.

Anubis was the ancient Egyptian god of the dead - represented in jackal form or in the form of a jackal-headed man - and one of ancient Egypt's most iconic deities. Originally god of the underworld, he was eventually associated more specifically with the embalming process and funerary rites. His fur was generally depicted as black owing to the association of that colour with fertility and beliefs regarding rebirth in the afterlife.

A glazed composition figure of the goddess Sekhmet advancing with feline head and sun-disc headdress; dorsal pillar and rectangular base; repaired. 19.8 grams, 86 mm high



Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998.