42 - A REMARKABLY FINE AND INSCRIBED GOLD AMULET OF A SHABTI, LATE PERIOD, 664–332 BC

A REMARKABLY FINE AND INSCRIBED GOLD AMULET OF A SHABTI, LATE PERIOD, 664–332 BC Egypt. Exquisitely cast in solid gold in characteristic shabti form, the mummiform figure with the arms crossed over the chest and holding hook and whip, two agricultural implements. The serene face is finely modeled beneath a nemes-headdress, with a false beard extending from the chin. The lower body is prominently inscribed with a vertical column of hieroglyphs, while a suspension loop at the base indicates its function as a precious amulet. Inscriptions: The front of the figure is inscribed with a short vertical column of hieroglyphs, beginning with a solar-disc sign. The individual signs are rendered in a highly abbreviated and schematic manner, as is characteristic of inscriptions on miniature precious-metal funerary figures, where the extremely limited surface required considerable compression of the hieroglyphic forms. While several signs can be individually recognized, the sequence does not permit a secure continuous reading from the surviving inscription alone. Its placement and vertical arrangement nevertheless clearly identify it as an intentional hieroglyphic inscription rather than merely ornamental decoration. Provenance: Erwin Oppenländer collection, since 1968, an thence by descent in the family. An old label with the collection number ‘6361’ to the back. Erwin Oppenländer (1901-1988) was a distinguished German collector of ancient art whose extensive collection encompassed Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Near Eastern antiquities, specializing on ancient glass, stone vessels, jewelry, and cylinder seals. His collection was formed over several decades, dating from the 1930s onwards, and included a group of ancient Near Eastern cylinder seals acquired by the Freie Universität Berlin in 1967. Important works from his collection were exhibited in 1974 in ‘Gläser der Antike: Sammlung Erwin Oppenländer’ at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg and at the Römisch-Germanisches Museum in Cologne in 1975, and subsequently entered major institutional collections, including the J. Paul Getty Museum. Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, casting irregularities, small dents, few nicks, minor fissures, and tiny losses. German Export License: Ausfuhrgenehmigung Nr. 15672, dated 6 August 2027, has been granted. A copy accompanies this lot. Weight: 7.6 g Dimensions: Length 4.1 cm The shabti was an ancient Egyptian funerary figurine. They were placed in tombs among the grave goods and were intended to act as servants or minions for the deceased, should they be called upon to do manual labor in the afterlife. The practice of using shabtis can be traced to the First Intermediate Period, when wax or terracotta figurines serving as substitutes for the deceased were buried alongside the body. Most shabtis were small, and many produced in multiples – they sometimes covered the floor around a sarcophagus. Shabtis were produced in large quantities throughout Egyptian eras. Alongside scarabs, they rank among the most common ancient Egyptian artifacts and frequently appear in museum exhibits. Gold amulets in the form of shabtis are extremely rare. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 8 June 2007, lot 34 Price: USD 60,000 or approx. EUR 84,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An Egyptian gold and enamel Ba bird amulet, late period to Ptolemaic period, 664-30 B.C. Expert remark: Compare the similar features. Note the form and cloisonné details as well as the size (5.6 cm).