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November 14th 09

Someone asked about reading the inscription on this handsome shabti on offer on eBay.

 








Fakes of this type come in a variety of colours and surface treatments.

You can see more about them here>>>>

2015.

 

Another from the same seller.

So badly made that it is very difficult to se the inscription but I think it is the  same.

 




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December 22nd 2009

Would you believe it?

Someone probably will.


 



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The seller writes this:

 

FROM THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART SURPLUS SALE!!!!!!!!!!!

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SHABTI WITH UNPRECEDENTED PROVENANCE, FROM THE ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES COLLECTIONS: THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART IN NEW YORK.  THIS ITEM WAS PURCHASED IN AN ART AUCTION IN 1959 THAT ALSO INCLUDED MANY MUSEUM SURPLUS ITEMS FROM THE MET.  THESE AUCTIONS WERE QUITE COMMON AT THE TIME AND THE MET, IN PARTICULAR, SPONSORED SOME IN THE LATE 1950S AND IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF THE 1960S.  MOST ITEMS AT THESE SURPLUS AUCTIONS WERE SMALL SUCH AS AMULETS, GLASS INLAY FRAGS, BEADS(INCLUDING MANY SCARABS) AND SHABTI FIGURES.  THE AUCTIONS WERE HELD IN LOCAL AUCTION HOUSES, NOT AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART!  THESE PIECE AND THE SEVERAL OTHER PIECES I PURCHASED IN 2000 HAVE HAD 3 OWNERS SINCE THAT AUCTION IN 1959, WHICH HAS HELPED TO KEEP THE VINTAGE AUCTION DISPLAY CARD, PROVENANCE, AND ARTIFACT INTACT AND IN IT'S ORIGINAL EXCAVATED CONDITION. 

CONDITION: INTACT, WITH SOME FAIENCE LOSS TO FOOT, ONE HAND, AND ONE EYE.  ALL THINGS CONSIDERED THIS DAMAGE IS  M  I  N  O  R!!  THESE PIECE IS CLEAN, IT'S NOT DIRTY AS THE PHOTOGRAPH LIES.  THAT DIRT IS ACTUALLY APART OF THE GLASS GLAZE.  IT WAS COMMON FOR THESE FIGURES TO BE FIRED IN A KILN WITH A SAND FLOOR AND THE SHABTIS SUCH AS THIS PIECE WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PILE, THUS THE GRIT WAS FUSED WITH THE KILN FLOOR.  THE AUCTION DISPLAY CARD IS IN GOOD CONDITION BUT HAS ROUNDED CORNERS AND IS SLIGHTLY DIRTY ON ONE SIDE.

MATERIAL:   D      E      E      P      BLUE GREEN FAIENCE!  UNBELIEVABLY DENSE, BRILLIANT DARK TURQUOISE!!!  THIS FAIENCE PASTE HAD A EXTREMELY HIGH COPPER CONTENT THAT ATTRIBUTES TO THIS SHABTI'S UNUSUALLY DARK COMPLETION.  THIS PIECE WAS NOT OVERFIRED AS IS EVIDENT ON MANY SHABTI FIGURES SINCE THEY WERE FIRED IN MASS QUANITIES.  THIS SHABTI SIMPLY HAD A RICHER PASTE THAN USUAL!

SIZE:  5.76 INCHES X 1.49 INCHES X .79 INCHES(THICK)

PROVENANCE:  *COUGH* THE   M    E    T    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 




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It is of course a rather poor fake.



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