Code: 2838
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 which is contiguous with the wig, and a small 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 the head, waist and side, but complete. The foot, elbow, an upper arm and one side of the head chipped, exposing the core. Some surface wear to the beard and face.
Size: 75 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 Oxford private collection and acquired in the mid 20th Century, and from the collection of Julian Bird (1959-2014), acquired from Helios Gallery, Kingsdown, Wiltshire, in 2013.
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.
