Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Frog Oil Lamp

Shabti wearing the kilted dress of daily life, painted white, a blue-black lappet wig, arms crossed, and hands holding hoes, applied in red pigment; the face yellow; a yellow panel of hieroglyphic text on and beneath the kilt reading: 'The illuminated one, the Osiris, Wen....'; feet missing; mounted on a display stand. 119 grams total, 12.5 cm including stand



Acquired from the Egypt Exploration Society, 30th June 1965, for 2 shillings and sixpence. From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s. Accompanied by an old handwritten information card by Peter Clayton, collection no.115.

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 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.

Mummiform figure wearing a lappet wig and long false beard, arms crossed over the chest; the left hand holds a pick, the right a hoe, and a cord from a small seed bag hangs over the shoulder; plain dorsal pillar; a T-form hieroglyphic text arrangement on the lower body, with the horizontal line reading: 'The illuminated one, the Osiris, the royal scribe Aahmes,' and the central column 'born to Hotep-Bastet, true of voice'; with a wooden display stand bearing the legend 'Ushabti of Aahmes, Royal Scribe, Persian period'. 44.7 grams, 10.7 cm (62.2 grams total, 12.2 cm including stand)



Acquired Herne Bay High Street, circa February 1957, for 2 shillings and sixpence. From the private collection of Peter Clayton, FCILIP, Dip, Arch, FSA, FRNS, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK; formed since the late 1950s. Accompanied by an old handwritten information card by Peter Clayton, collection no.4.