Code: 2837
Description: A turquoise blue faience ushabti, mould-made mummiform figure with tripartite wig, long beard, facial features indicated and with opposing hands on chest but with no tools modelled or indicated. The ushabti has a rear dorsal pillar and pedestal base. The dorsal pillar is inscribed unusually in black ink, which although indistinct in places includes Anh wAs anx.f n [xnsw] and can be read as [may he be granted] life and dominion, Ankh-ef-en-Khonsu. Repaired from three pieces, with repaired breaks to knees, back and sides, but complete. The foot, elbow, side and one side of the head chipped, exposing the core.
Size: 74 mm/2.9 ins. high
Culture: Egyptian
Date: The style suggests an early Late Period figure, inheriting some features of the late Third Intermediate Period (opposing hands), probably late 25th Dynasty, c. 700 B.C.
Provenance: Ex John Rilling Collection, Orange County, California, USA, and from the collection of Julian Bird (1959-2014) and acquired from US dealer Ancient Resource, Los Angeles, California, in 2012.
Background: Julian Bird was a passionate collector of Egyptian antiquities, who built up a fine and extensive collection from the 1970s onwards. He sourced his items mainly from the UK market, from specialist dealers, fairs, markets and auctioneers. He was a model collector, carefully documenting his collection, and his notes on this particular item will be supplied to the buyer.
