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LOT 0422
Very Large Egyptian Expedition Lithograph of the Hypogees Papyrus Manuscript from Thebes
EARLY 19TH CENTURY A.D.
41 1/4 x 27 1/4 in. (235 grams, 105 x 69.5 cm).
Proof etching on laid paper of plate 64 from Vol.II of 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 Thèbes. Hypogées. Manuscrit sur papyrus. 4eme partie.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a North American priest.
Acquired between 1981-1996.
Property of a North American collector.
Cf. reprint of the whole work in Various, 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, Köln, 1989, pp.238-239.
FootnotesProduced 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 papyrus manuscript was recovered from an underground tomb chamber (hypogeum). This includes a scene (bottom right) depicting the weighing of the deceased's heart before Osiris's divine tribunal. The heart is balanced against the feather of Maat, and the ibis-headed Thoth records the verdict. If the heart fails to balance, it is devoured by a fearsome creature called Ammut, and the deceased would cease to exist.
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LOT 0422
Very Large Egyptian Expedition Lithograph of the Hypogees Papyrus Manuscript from Thebes
Estimate £80 - 100€93 - 116 (for guidance only)$108 - 135 (for guidance only)
Opening Bid
£40 (EUR 46; USD 54) +BP*
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Egyptian Steatite Scarab with Hare
Late Period-Ptolemaic Period, 664-30 B.C.Estimate: £60 - 80 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Anatomical detailing on the carapace and pierced longitudinally; underside with a reclining hare and two hieroglyphs. 3.07 grams, 19 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
The Egyptian hare, Cape Hare, was associated with the goddess Wenut, whose name means the 'swift one'. -
Phoenician White Steatite Cowroid Amulet
Second Intermediate Period, circa 1600 B.C.Estimate: £40 - 60 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £5
Oval body with domed upper face and piecrust rim, underside with a cartouche containing the signs neb-ka-raand flanked by stylised cobra and falcon signs. 1.67 grams, 19 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Egyptian Haematite Mace Head
4th-3rd millennium B.C.Estimate: £400 - 600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £200
Globular body with short socket and thickened rim; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 457 grams total, mace: 60 mm high
Ex Norman Fargo collection. with Olympia Auctions, 26 June 2024, no.119. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Norman Fargo was born in Los Angeles, California in 1945, the son of Hungarian immigrant Frank and his wife, Rose. His lifelong passion for collecting began at the age of six with a simple interest in rocks. By the 1960s, Norman had become a dedicated student of antique arms and armour, developing a deep appreciation for both craftsmanship and historical context. He began collecting at a time when many items now considered rare were still relatively accessible. A friendship with renowned collector Howard Curtis—whose important collection was partially sold at Christie’s, London in 1984—opened doors to early and exceptional material. Norman also acquired outstanding pieces from respected figures such as Frank Bivens and others known today through museum and auction catalogue provenance. Alongside his core collection of arms and armour (c.1450-1700), Norman developed an eye for period furniture and accessories. He also built a growing collection of Pre-Columbian art with an emphasis on Southern Mexican cultures, particularly Veracruz, as well as fine examples of Japanese Satsuma ware and cloisonné.
