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LOT 0040
Egyptian Wooden Funerary Shabti Figurine
2ND-1ST MILLENNIUM B.C.
5 3/4 in. (39 grams, 14.5 cm).
Carved in the round with D-shaped base, carefully modelled hair and ears with beard absent, the right hand visible, not holding any work tools, the body has the appearance of a mummy entirely draped in a shroud with rather elongated proportions, the broad and rounded face with a slightly ‘smiling’ expression, framed by a tripartite hairstyle without stripes, which continues down the back and two lappets on the chest.
ProvenanceEx R. Liechti (1934-2010) Geneva, Switzerland, formed between 1950-1990s.
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.
Cf. wooden shabti in the British Museum under accession no. EA56930 / 1923,0512.5.
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 0040
Egyptian Wooden Funerary Shabti Figurine
Estimate £1,500 - 2,000€1,740 - 2,320 (for guidance only)$2,030 - 2,700 (for guidance only)
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Egyptian Bronze Statue of a Kneeling Priest
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Estimate: £250 - 350 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £139
Kneeling on a rectangular platform with a wide apron covering his thighs, clean-shaven head and hands raised in adoration; tang on the underside for attachment; mounted on a display stand. 41 grams total, statue: 30 mm high
From an early 20th century Home Counties, UK, collection.
Priest figurines like this were commonly placed before a larger figurine of a deity, both attached to a base, e.g., Schulz, R., Seidel, M., Egyptian Art. The Walters Art Museum, London, 2009, for a kneeling priest before a standing figure of Anubis. -
Egyptian Faience Bead Necklace with Petal Beads
New Kingdom, Amarna Period, 1550-1070 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £572
Restrung using turquoise tubular beads interspersed with annular beads of various colours and graduated polychrome petal-shaped beads, some with a loop at each end. 9.19 grams, 52 cm long
From an early 20th century UK collection. Accompanied by a previous typed cataloguing card. -
Egyptian Bronze Ibis Attachment
Late Period, 664-332 B.C. or laterEstimate: £200 - 300 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £100
Modelled in the round squatting on an ellipsoid base, lug to the underside, repaired. 114 grams, 60 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
The ibis, particularly the sacred species known as the Egyptian ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), held a prominent place in ancient Egyptian religion and culture as a manifestation of the god Thoth. Revered as the deity of wisdom, writing, and knowledge, Thoth was often depicted in human form with the head of an ibis. During the Late Period onwards, the practice of mummifying ibises became widespread, leading to the creation of vast necropolises dedicated to these sacred birds. In places like Saqqara and Hermopolis, thousands of ibis mummies have been discovered in specially constructed catacombs. The mummification of these birds was not merely a ritual act; it was seen as a sacred offering to Thoth, meant to honour the god and seek his favour. Egyptians believed that by preserving the ibis through mummification, they could ensure its safe passage to the afterlife, establishing a direct connection between the earthly realm and the divine. These mummies were often accompanied by votive offerings, like this bronze figurine, further emphasising the relationship between the ibises and Thoth.
