Loading, please wait...
LOT 0065
Egyptian Wooden Stele for Pa-di-Amun-(em)-ipat with Ra-Horakhty
LATE PERIOD-PTOLEMAIC PERIOD, 664-30 B.C.
17 3/4 in. (1.94 kg, 45 cm high).
Arch-topped and composed of two vertical boards, coated with gesso and skilfully painted on one side; the lunette decorated with a winged sun-disc and two pendant uraei; the central vignette depicting the deceased worshipping the falcon-headed god Ra-Horakhty with the Four Sons of Horus standing behind, each with their name written above; the lower register with six lines of hieroglyphic text providing an offering formula for the benefit of the deceased: Transliteration of the hieroglyphs: 1) ḥtp-dı-͗nsw rꜤ-ḥr-Ꜣḫtı͗nṯr Ꜥ nb pt sḥḏ [.....] wsır͗ ẖntt [ım͗ntt?] 2) nṯr Ꜥ nb Ꜣbḏw dı⸗͗f pr.t-ḫrw t ḥnḳt kꜢ Ꜣpd [....] ḫt nb(t) (n) fr(t) wꜢbt […] 3) ḫt nbt nḏm dı⸗͗f ḥtpw ḏfꜢw [...]f ḫꜢ m t dı⸗͗f ḫꜢ m 4) ḥnḳt dı⸗͗f ẖꜢ ır͗p [...] dı⸗͗f ḫꜢ m ı͗[...] dı⸗͗f ḫꜢ ı(͗Ꜣ)r(r)t dı⸗͗f 5) m snṯr ḥr ḫꜢwt [...] ḳrs nfr ḥr ım͗nt nfr 6) n [..] wsır͗ [......] pꜢ-dı-͗ım͗n(m) ıp͗ Ꜣ.t ms (n) ḫꜢ [....] Translation: 1) An offering that the king and Ra-Horakhty, Great God, Lord of Heaven, the illuminated [...] Osiris Foremost [of the West?] 2) Great God, Lord of Abydos (that) he may give a voice-offering (of) bread, beer, oxen, and fowl […] everything good and pure […] 3) everything sweet, he gives offerings of provisions […] a thousand of bread, he gives a thousand of 4) beer, he gives a thousand of wine […], he gives a thousand of vines, he gives a thousand of 5) incense on the altar […] a good burial in the beautiful West 6) for […] the Osiris[…] Pa-di-Amun-(em)-ipat born (to) Kha[…]; on the verso, an old handwritten collection label reading: 'From Harding & Sm[ith] Collection Sale Sotheby 2 Nov 1922 L.N. 234. A families [sic] stele, arched top, with the deceased worshipping a standing Horus attended by the four Children of Horus and six horizontal lines of inscription in colour. SP/10a'; mounted in a custom-made wooden frame.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of the late W. Harding Smith (1848-1922).
with Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 34 & 35 New Bond Street, 2 November 1922, no.234.
Old handwritten label to verso reading 'From Harding & Sm[ith] Collection collection Sale Sotheby 2 Nov 1922 L.N.234...'
Accompanied by an academic report by Egyptologist Paul Whelan.
Accompanied by a copy of the 1922 Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge catalogue pages.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13251-253195.
Cf. Munro, P., Die spätägyptischen Totenstelen, 2 vols., Ägyptologische Forschungen 52, Glückstadt, 1973, vol.2, pl.3, fig.12, for a stela with similar format; for an example with a three-line border see British Museum EA22919; or with a plain, single-coloured band with thin outer and inner delimiting lines see Cairo Museum A9444.
FootnotesThe syncretism of two strong gods, Re and Horus, is one of the most significant events in Egyptian mythology, and it appears to have had a substantial iconographic impact on Egyptian history. Re's power was augmented by this, which consisted of a falcon-headed man crowned with a sun disc; in the mornings, Re was combined with Horus to become Re-Horakhty.
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 0065
Egyptian Wooden Stele for Pa-di-Amun-(em)-ipat with Ra-Horakhty
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20,800
-
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. -
Egyptian Brown Quartzite Figure of the Baboon God Thoth
New Kingdom, circa 1550-1070 B.C.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,222
Carved in a typical pose, sitting on its haunches with its tail curving around the right side, its front paws resting on its knees and protruding beneath its thick furry pelt, with incised detailing, its feet either side of the phallus, the head with bulbous, striated hair on either side, chipped, snout restored; seated on a high shrine-shaped plinth with squared front and rounded back, featuring a cavetto cornice and roll detailing on the upper part. 1.15 kg, 15 cm
From a deceased American estate, 1970-1989. with Bonhams, London, 28 October 2009, no.35. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12368-226706.
The baboon was an animal manifestation of the god Thoth, the patron deity of Hermopolis Magna, who was revered for his association with knowledge, writing, and healing. -
Phoenician Glass Bead Collection
6th-3rd century B.C. or laterSold for (Inc. bp): £910
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.
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.