Antiquities & Ancient Art

Sale 1188

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May 25 | 11:00 AM EDT

Live

| Chicago

Lot 77

An Egyptian Alabaster Duck-Shaped Cosmetic Dish

Lot 77

An Egyptian Alabaster Duck-Shaped Cosmetic Dish

Status:

Closed

Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000

Estimate$2,000 – $3,000

Status

Closed

An Egyptian Alabaster Duck-Shaped Cosmetic Dish

New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, 1550-1307 B.C.

Height 5 inches (12.7 cm).

Property from a West Hollywood Collection

Provenance:

Mrs. Scharrelmann, Germany, acquired in the 1980s.

Plakas Auction, London, Property of a European Lady Collection, 22 April 2022, Lot 135.

Ornate open-face dishes in animal form were likely ritualistic in nature, to be used in a temple or tomb setting. Although this object is classified as a cosmetic dish it could have alternatively functioned as a spoon. In ancient Egypt, it was believed that after the Opening of the Mouth ritual, mummies were able to eat again and were offered food. Some Egyptologists have suggested that dishes such as this example were not cosmetic, but actually utensils used to feed the dead.

For comparative examples, see J.V. d’Abbadie, Catalogue des objets de toilette égyptiens-Musée du Louvre Département des Antiquités Egyptiennes, Éditions des Musées nationaux, Paris, 1972, and Princeton University Art Museum, New Jersey (Inv. no. y1949-18).

Inspected under UV light, 10x loupe, and acetone tested. Encrustations throughout the front, back, head, and tail; encrustations lift with acetone. Possibility of enhanced patina where parts fluoresce under UV light. Surface wear, as is typical with age. Accompanied by a modern black metal stand, not permanently affixed. Height with stand 6 inches (15.24 cm). Overall in fine and stable condition.

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Please contact the Auction Specialist for details.

Jacob Coley

Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Antiquities and Ancient Art

[email protected]312 280 1212

Mr. Coley joined the Antiquities department in 2021 after working as Managing Director in the Ancient Art department at Colnaghi, the world’s oldest commercial art gallery, where he helped to establish the Ancient Art department and launched Colnaghi New York in 2017. Prior to Colnaghi, Mr. Coley was in the Greek and Roman Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Coley holds a B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.A. in Art Market from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and he earned an art-appraisal certificate from New York University.

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Antiquities & Ancient Art

An Egyptian Alabaster Duck-Shaped Cosmetic Dish

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