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LOT 0012
Egyptian Hardstone Scarab
26TH-30TH DYNASTY, 664-343 B.C.
2 in. (70.2 grams, 49 mm).
Carved in the half-round with detailed mouth, legs and carapace.
Provenancewith Galerie Gunter Phuze, Kunst der Antike, Freiburg, 2000, no.352.
Ex George Broomis.
Private collection, London, UK.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12936-245209.
Cf. Ben-Tor, D., The Scarab: A Reflection of Ancient Egypt, Tel Aviv, 1993, pp.76-77, for similar examples.
FootnotesScarabs were among the most popular amulets of ancient Egypt. Modelled on the dung beetle, they symbolised rebirth, transformation, and the daily journey of the sun god across the sky. From the Middle Kingdom onwards, they were widely used as personal seals, jewellery, and offerings in tombs. The flat underside was often carved with names, prayers, or symbols, while the beetle form on top carried protective power. Scarabs were believed to safeguard the wearer in life and assist the dead in the afterlife, making them both practical objects and deeply spiritual charms.
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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Egyptian Wooden Funerary Shabti Figurine
New Kingdom, circa 1570-1070 B.C.Estimate: £1,000 - 1,400 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £540
Carved in the round as a mummiform figure, with a carefully modelled tripartite wig, a rounded face, large eyes, and a subtly simpering expression. 39 grams, 14.5 cm
Ex R. Liechti (1934-2010) Geneva, Switzerland, formed between 1950-1990s. with Liechti stock number 'E.825' to base. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12079-218221.
A shabti (also known as ushabti or shawabti) is a small funerary figurine found in ancient Egyptian tombs, from around 2000 BCE to 30 BCE. Its main purpose was to act as a servant for the deceased in the afterlife, carrying out manual tasks like farming or irrigation as directed by the gods. Shabtis were frequently inscribed with a magical formula from the Book of the Dead to ensure they would animate when summoned. -
Egyptian Coptic Textile Fragment Group
Circa 5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
Comprising: fragment of an orbiculus in brown and yellow coarse linen and wool, S torsion, embroidered with a running animal (lion?); fragment of a tablion with representations of fishes, white and green wool on linen. 10 grams total including package, 34-71 mm
Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.
Particularly interesting is the presence of fish, which are part of depictions of marine life, in keeping with the classical Graeco-Roman tradition. Stylistically, Hellenistic naturalism is evident in these compositions in the rounded shapes of fish and marine animals, which create an effect of movement. -
Egyptian Rock Crystal Piriform Vessel
Old Kingdom, 5th-6th Dynasty, circa 2500-2200 B.C.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,500
Model amphora with trumpet-shaped mouth and piriform body; shallow socket above. 55 grams, 59 mm
with Archaeologia, Switzerland, before 1983. Ex private North American collection. London private collection, 2016.
This model vessel was probably linked to the "Opening of the Mouth" ritual, which revived the deceased.
