Egyptian Ring with Scarab

Three pendants each with poppy-head and loop at the apex. 3.22 grams total, 16-18 mm



Ex London, UK, art market, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Amulets in the form of poppies were used to heal and alleviate pain and to ward off death. These types of amulets were also linked to Osiris, the Egyptian deity of agriculture, death, and the afterlife.

Mummiform figure wearing a tripartite wig and false beard, with arms crossed and hands holding a pick, hoe, and the cord of a seed bag slung over the left shoulder; dorsal pillar with two columns of hieroglyphic text reading: 'O this ushabti, if the Osiris Padipepet, born of Bastet-ir-dis, [is called], 'Behold me' you shall say'; display stand with legend 'Padipepet / XXVI Dyn[asty]'. 210 grams, 17 cm



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. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

A shabti (also known as ushabti or shawabti) is a small funerary figurine found in ancient Egyptian tombs, dating from around 2000 BCE to 30 BCE. Its primary purpose was to serve as a helper for the deceased in the afterlife, performing manual tasks like farming or irrigation. Shabtis were often inscribed with a magical formula from the Book of the Dead to ensure they would come to life when summoned. The relatively short inscription on this example includes the opening and closing parts of the spell.

Comprising a group of crumb-decorated polychrome oblate beads and a centrepiece pendant formed as a stylised bearded head. 179 grams total, 12-42 mm



From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The Phoenicians, renowned seafarers and traders, were also skilled glassworkers. They produced a wide variety of glass beads using core-forming and winding techniques, with vivid colours and elaborate designs that reflect both technical mastery and cross-cultural influence. Among the most iconic Phoenician beads are glass 'head' beads, crafted in the form of stylised human or mythological faces. Typically, they feature exaggerated facial details like bulging eyes, large noses, beards, and headdresses, often with expressive or comic features. They were possibly worn as amulets to ward off evil or attract protection, though they may also represent deities, ancestors, or foreigners. These beads often incorporate Egyptian, Greek, and Near Eastern stylistic elements, reflecting the Phoenicians’ extensive trade networks.