Phoenician Bronze Scarab Seal Pendant

Proof etching on laid paper of plate 88 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. entitled 1. Vue du port neuf en mer du cote du nord. 2. Vue du port vieux prise en rade du cote du sud-ouest. 259 grams, 104.5 x 69 cm



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. The book is subtitled Recueil des observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l’expédition de l’Armée française, publié par les ordres de Sa Majesté l’Empereur Napoléon le Grand (Gathering of observations and discoveries which were made in Egypt during the expedition of the French army, published on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon the Great). It was the world's first encyclopedia devoted exclusively to the remains of ancient Egypt. The plates of this book are the first to present the archaeological sites of Thebes (Luxor).

The lower legs and feet are preserved, bearing a portion of the central frontal column of inscription in black, with the sign of royalty followed by a cartouche containing a sun disc with a seated divinity beneath, wearing a feather headdress; below the cartouche are the two signs meaning 'true of voice'. 35 grams, 50 mm



From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s.

An intriguing fragment. The brilliant blue colour suggests shabtis for Seti I, although the cartouche lacks the men sign that would correctly spell his name. It seems possible that this was an artisan's mistake - after all, Seti I was buried with at least 700 shabtis.

Comprising a small orbiculus, with a lion, green on brown linen; fragment of a clavus, in red, yellow, green wool, s-torsion, with figures and scalloped borders; a large orbiculus, in red wool on purple linen, dentilled edges; a fragment of a tapestry with vegetal ornaments in red, yellow and green wool; a long tunic segmentum with crosses and stars inside lozenges, in yellow and dark purple. 17.94 grams total, 7.6-35.5 cm



Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.

The fragments are decorative parts of tunics. These are fabrics of great decorative finesse, with some elements displaying an unusual and extremely well-preserved colour palette. The large segmentum with crosses most likely belonged to an ecclesiastical garment.