Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0004
Egyptian Limestone Miniature Obelisk with Hieroglyphs
LATE PERIOD, 664-332 B.C.
8 1/4 in. (444 grams total, 21 cm high).
With tapering sides and pointed top, incised vertical column of hieroglyphic text to one face: ẖry-ḥbt ḳbḥ ḥtp mr-mšꜥ imn, ''lector-priest' (give) purified offering (to the) general of the army (of) Amun'; mounted on a custom-made stand.
Provenance
Acquired in Egypt in the early 20th century.
Private collection of Mr T.H., Norfolk, UK.
Literature
Cf. similar in the collection of the British Museum under accession no.EA495.
Footnotes
In ancient Egypt, it was common for small obelisks like this one to be placed on either side of the entrance to private tombs. Typically inscribed on one side only, these obelisks held great solar religious significance and were closely associated with the cult of the sun-god Re. They symbolised the ancient Egyptians' belief in the rebirth of the deceased, with the moment of revivification being characterised by the individual's face being illuminated by the rays of the rising sun. It was said that, at that moment, the deceased was able to "open their sight to see the sun-god," as one religious text explains.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine 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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0004
Egyptian Limestone Miniature Obelisk with Hieroglyphs
Sold for (Inc. bp): £5,460
RELATED LOTS
-
Egyptian Wooden Djed Pillar Amulet
Saite Period, 7th-5th century B.C.Estimate: £1,500 - 2,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £750
Finely-made amuletic djed pillar; old collector's accession number 'E.436' to underside; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 106 grams, 17 cm high
with ink inscribed 'E.436' to base. Acquired in 1970. Ex private European collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11602-199041.
The djed pillar symbolises stability and is usually understood to be the spine of the god Ptah although its origins are more probably in cult practices involving sheaves of reeds which were revered due to the general absence of trees from the Egyptian landscape. The djed later came to be symbolise Seker, the falcon god of Memphis and Ptah, the Memphite god of craftsmen, who carried a sceptre formed as a combination of the djed and the ankh. The cult of Ptah waned and gave way to that of Osiris so that by the New Kingdom (16th century B.C.), the djed had become associated with Osiris, part of whose cult included a ceremony for raising the djed representing Osiris's triumph over Seth. -
Large Egyptian Expedition Lithograph Print
1817 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Charles-Louis Balzac & Berthault - Alexandrie. Vue de l'esplanade ou grande place du Port Neuf, et de l'enceinte des arabes, première partie - Proof etching on laid paper of plate 97 from Description de l'Égypte: ou, Recueil des Observations et des Recherches qui ont été Faites en Égypte Pendant l'Expédition de l'Armée Française with later backing sheet. 220 grams, 110.5 x 66.5 cm (sheet)
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. -
Egyptian Bronze Figure of Isis and Horus
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
Amuletic pendant of seated Isis, wearing a cow's horn headdress with a solar disc, suckling the infant Horus with sidelock of youth, resting on her lap; mounted on a custom-made throne-shaped stand. 30.8 grams total, 65 mm high including stand
Acquired on the London art market prior to 2000. Private collection of Anthony Scammel (1937-2019). Ex Artemission, London SW5, UK. Private collection of Mr T.H., Norfolk, UK. Accompanied by a previous dealer's certificate of authenticity and invoice.
