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LOT 0475
Egyptian Faience Shu Amulet
LATE PERIOD–PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.
3/4 in. (1.49 grams, 18 mm).
Schematically modelled a kneeling figure of the god with arms raised above his head, holding a stylised solar disc, pierced through the dorsal pillar; supplied with a stand. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom 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.
LiteratureCf. Tinius, I., Altägypten in Braunschweig. Die Sammlungen des Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museums und des Städtischen Museums, Wiesbaden, 2011, pp. 147-148, no. 270, for an amulet with a similarly flattened sun disc.
FootnotesShu amulets could serve both the dead and the living: they were placed between the mummy bandages on the lower part of the deceased’s torso, allowing the dead to pass smoothly on their journey towards rebirth; they could also serve as a magical amulet at birth, symbolising a protector of new life.
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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LOT 0475
Egyptian Faience Shu Amulet
Estimate £30 - 40€35 - 46 (for guidance only)$41 - 54 (for guidance only)
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Egyptian Bronze Osiris Figure
Late-Ptolemaic Period, circa 664-30 B.C.Estimate: £60 - 80 (+bp*)
Bids: 5 | Current Bid: £55
Standing pose wearing the atef crown with flanking ostrich plumes and frontal uraeus; holding the crook (heka) and flail (nekhakha) regalia in his crossed hands; peg to underside of feet; repaired. 16.17 grams, 68 mm
From the private collection of a Canadian gentleman living in Essex, UK, formed since the 1920s-circa 1990. Property of an Essex lady until the late 1990s; thence by descent. From the private collection of an Essex gentleman since the late 1990s. -
Egyptian Glazed Faience New Year Flask with Baboons
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £2,000 - 3,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,000
Lentoid body with segmented collars and blue detailing around the shoulders, neck with papyrus stalk detailing and a domed rim; addorsed stylised baboons flanking the neck. 263 grams, 16 cm
Acquired on the UK art market, 1990s. Private collection, New York, USA. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13350-255452.
The concept of renewal is expressed through the form, decoration, and inscriptions of this type of flask. Their rounded bodies evoke the sun disc, symbolising daily rebirth, while the squatting baboons flanking the mouth allude to those that greeted the rising sun each morning. The blue collar decoration, including floral motifs, as seen here, symbolises the renewal of the agricultural cycle through the annual Nile inundation. The papyrus-capital spout reinforces this theme of regeneration. Although traditionally dated exclusively to the 26th Dynasty, examples recovered from Late Period and early Ptolemaic contexts indicate that their popularity actually endured for several centuries. -
Very Large Egyptian Expedition Lithograph of the Temple of Philae
Early 19th century A.D.Estimate: £80 - 100 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £40
Proof etching on laid paper of plate 6 from Description de l'egypte entitled Île de Philae. Coupe et élévation de la galerie de l'est. Élévations des deux colonnades et de l'édifice du sud. Élévation du premier pylône. 252 grams, 104 x 68.5 cm
From the collection of a North American priest. Acquired between 1981-1996. Property of a North American collector.
Produced between February 1802 and 1830 on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte; published between 1809 and 1828. Just 1,000 copies were distributed to various institutions, printed on laid paper with an 'Égypte ancienne et moderne' watermark. The book is subtitled Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’Armée française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l’Empereur Napoléon le Grand (Gathering of observations and discoveries which were made in Egypt during the expedition of the French army, published on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon the Great). It was the world's first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the remains of ancient Egypt. The plates of this book are the first to present the archaeological sites of Thebes (Luxor). The Philae temple complex was one of the major monuments dismantled from its original location and relocated to a new site during the Aswan High Dam project. Most of the complex dates to the Ptolemaic Period, although some earlier and later elements remain.
