Description:

Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom to Third Intermediate Period, 19th to 25th Dynasty, ca. 1292 to 656 BCE. A beautiful example of a hand-carved cedar wood mummy mask with attractive graining and faint remains of yellow, red, green, and brown pigment atop once-white gesso. The delicate composition exhibits protruding, almond-shaped eyes beneath incised brows, a veristic nose with delineated nostrils, puffy lips with indented corners, and a rounded chin, all beneath a tall headdress that sits low on the forehead. Remains of several dowels and dowel holes are visible across the mask and show how it attached to a larger coffin lid. Wonderful patina has developed in areas where the painted gesso has worn. Lucite display stand for photography purposes only. Size: 4.3" W x 8.4" H (10.9 cm x 21.3 cm)

A stylistically similar example from the Third Intermediate Period, of a smaller size, hammered for GBP 2,250 ($2,661.87) and another example from the New Kingdom, of a larger size but with nearly identical wood graining, hammered for GBP 27,500 ($32,533.96) at Christie's, London "Antiquities" auction (sale 15501, July 3, 2018, lots 5 & 22).

Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection; ex-Palmyra Heritage gallery, with written provenance to November, 1948, from a Cairo dealer Salahaddin Sirmali Bey, who sold it to Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir Bey

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#153214

  • Condition: Losses to areas of periphery and some original dowels as shown. Chipping to gesso layer and fading to original pigmentation, with softening to some finer details, several stable fissures, and nicks to headdress, face, and neckline. Light earthen deposits, faint remains of original pigment, and nice patina throughout.

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May 21, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000