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LOT 0427
Very Large Egyptian Expedition Lithograph of Thebes
EARLY 19TH CENTURY A.D.
40 7/8 x 27 3/8 in. (341 grams, 103.8 x 69.5 cm).
Proof etching on laid paper of plate 1 entitled Thèbes. Plan général de la portion de la Vallée du Nil qui comprend les ruines, Volume II, Plate 1.
ProvenanceFrom 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).
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
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Large Egyptian Faience Eye of Horus Amulet
Third Intermediate Period, circa 1069-664 B.C.Estimate: £250 - 350 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £120
Sizeable wedjat-eye amulet with applied black detailing to the pupil and brow. 16.5 grams, 50.4 mm
with Archaeologia, Switzerland, before 1983. Ex private North American collection. London private collection, 2016.
The wedjat-eye amulet symbolises the healed eye of the god Horus, representing both human and falcon elements. The name wedjat in ancient Egyptian means ‘the one that is sound.’ According to Egyptian mythology, Horus' eye was wounded or taken by the god Seth and later restored by Thoth. The wedjat-eye amulet was believed to protect its wearer and confer qualities of recovery and regeneration. It was highly popular and was used by both the living and the dead. -
Egyptian Faience and Glass Amulet Collection
New Kingdom-Late Period, circa 1550-332 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
Comprising eleven amulets, including two baubo amulets, a dancing Bes, a tilapia fish, a bunch of grapes, a crowned djed pillar, two lion amulets, and others. 9.11 grams total, 9.53-36.46 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Egyptian Steatite Portrait of a Ptolemaic Prince
2nd-1st century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £975
With a round face, large eyes, a narrow nose that broadens at the end, and full lips downturned at the corners; the forehead with a distinctive deep furrow above the brow; a narrow, twisted diadem encircling his wavy hair; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 84 grams total, 10 cm including stand
Private collection, Bern, Switzerland. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12631-236408.
The Greek hairstyle is a characteristic feature of Ptolemaic royal portraiture, as is the twisted diadem - a Greek interpretation of the Egyptian headband (the sšd) - which appears on several portrait heads of Ptolemaic boy-kings and princes. The distinctive furrow is intriguing, as it contrasts with the typically blemish-free physiognomy of most Ptolemaic royal sculpture. However, a similar furrow can be seen on the portrait head of a provincial governor from Dendera, dated to the 2nd century B.C. (Bothmer, B.V., Egyptian Sculpture of the Late Period 700 B.C. to A.D. 100, New York, 1960, pp. 144-143, pl. 112, nos. 301-302), which may indicate an artistic trend employed in high-status sculpture at that time. It has been suggested that small royal portrait heads, such as this example, may have served as votives. The lack of an Egyptian-style back pillar on this and similar pieces supports the possibility that they were inserted into statues made of different materials (Ashton, S.-A., Ptolemaic Royal Sculpture from Egypt, BAR International Series 923, Oxford, 2001, p.12).
