Egyptian Gold Heart Scarab with Wings

Squat ovoid in profile, modelled with the legs folded beneath the body, with hollow socket eyes, flared rim to mouth; copper lug on either side. 165 grams, 63 mm



Ex collection of Madame Kismet Pilati, acquired in Vienna and London in 1976. with Bonhams, London, 24th October 2012, no.284 (£30,000-£50,000). Property of a London lady, part of her family's Swiss collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12101-213115.

Comprising: a winged scarab with detailed carapace and wings; and the mummiform figures of the four Sons of Horus, Imsety, Hapy, Duamutef, and Qebehsenuef; mounted on custom-made display stands. 635 grams total, 16.5-20 cm wide including stand



From a 1920s French collection. Ex German gallery, 1970-1980s. Spanish collection, 1980s-1990s. London, UK, collection, 2000s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12126-214208.

The Four Sons of Horus were deities responsible for protecting the internal organs of the deceased. The human-headed Imsety protected the liver, the baboon-headed Hapy protected the lungs, the jackal-headed Duamutef protected the stomach, and the falcon-headed Qebehsenuef protected the intestines.

Willemin - Thèbes - Hypogées - Manuscrit sur papyrus en caractères hiéroglyphiques. Troisième partie - Proof etching on laid paper of plate 74 from La Description de l’Égypte: Antiquités, Volume II: Commission des sciences et arts d’Égypte with later backing sheet. 360 grams, 136 x 66 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 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 papyrus manuscript was recovered from the underground chambers (hypogea). The original papyrus is now held in the Bibliothèque Nationale (1-19), Paris (Papyrus Cadet).