Loading, please wait...
LOT 0067
Egyptian Wooden Shabti
NEW KINGDOM, 19TH DYNASTY, CIRCA 1292-1185 B.C.
8 1/2 in. (140 grams, 21.5 cm).
Carved in the round in a typical mummiform shape with hands crossed on the chest, wearing a tripartite wig with long, splayed lappets; collector's number to base 'E.803'.
ProvenancePrivate collection, acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s; thence by descent.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.13228-249321.
Cf. Schlögl, H., and Brodbeck, A., Ägyptische Totenfiguren aus öffentlichen und privaten sammlungen der Schweiz, Göttingen, 1990, p. 116, no. 53, for a similar example.
FootnotesA shabti (or ushabti) is a small funerary figurine from ancient Egyptian tombs, dating from around 2000 BCE to 30 BCE. Its main purpose was to assist the deceased in the afterlife by performing tasks like farming. Shabtis were often inscribed with a magical formula from the Book of the Dead to ensure they would come to life when needed.
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:
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 0067
Egyptian Wooden Shabti
Estimate £6,000 - 8,000€6,960 - 9,280 (for guidance only)$8,100 - 10,800 (for guidance only)
-
Egyptian Faience Shabti with Hieroglyphics
Late Period, 664-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £585
Mummiform shabti wearing a tripartite wig, with arms crossed and holding a pick and hoe, seed bag suspended over the shoulder; horizontal band to the waist and vertical column to the legs, each with an impressed hieroglyphic inscription. 80 grams, 13.5 cm
Private collection, USA and Switzerland, acquired in the early 1980s; thence by descent. -
Early Phoenician Alabaster Vase
1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,000
With bulbous body, broad flared neck, flange rim, dimple to underside of base. 769 grams, 13.1 cm
Private collection, USA and Switzerland, acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s; by descent to the current owner. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13222-249180. -
Large Egyptian Wooden Figure of a Man
Old Kingdom, 5th-6th Dynasty, 2450-2182 B.C.Estimate: £40,000 - 60,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £19,444
Of slender form, shown striding and wearing a kilt with a central tab, and a rounded wig covering the ears, composed of echeloned rectangular curls; the face with a broad mouth with finely outlined lips, rounded at the corners; the front of the kilt and portion of the advancing left leg preserved; the arms and the lower right leg missing, having been carved separately; with traces of polychrome. 1.46 kg total, 55.7 cm high including stand
Joseph Altounian (1889-1954) and Henriette Lorbet, Altounian-Lorbet Gallery, Mâcon, France. Believed acquired at Sotheby’s, London: The MacGregor Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, 26 June–3 July 1922. Acquired by the previous owner from Henriette Lorbet, January 4th, 1967. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.13232-250113.
The statue stands as another admirable example of wooden sculpture from the early dynasties. Its highly realistic face depicts a young man, mirrored by the slender body, with a sober and elegant design. The statue was undoubtedly originally coated in stucco and colour. The striking figure, slightly asymmetrical, along with the serious mouth and haughty expression, gives this portrait a remarkably lively appearance.
