LONDON.- A rare piece of ancient Egyptian history is set to go under the hammer at Apollo Art Auctions on January 25th, 2025. The auction, titled "Fine Ancient Art, Antiquities & Jewellery," features a wide range of artifacts from across various civilizations, but a highlight is expected to be
the upper part of a lid from a wooden coffin.
Estimated Price: £10,000 - £30,000 (approximately $12,000 - $36,000 USD)
Dating back to the Third Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt (approximately 945 - 700 BC), the fragment is believed to have originated in Lower Egypt. The ornately decorated piece features:
• A vulture headdress - a symbol of the goddess Wadjet, associated with protection and the afterlife.
• A striped archaic wig - a style commonly depicted on funerary art.
• A central black scarab symbol - representing rebirth and transformation.
• A pink-hued face with pronounced black-outlined eyes and eyebrows.
• Closed hands adorned with colored designs, possibly representing gloves.
The auction house cites a similar piece in the publication "Coffins as evidence for a North-South divide in 22nd-25th Dynasties" by J. H. Taylor.
Additional Details:
• Size: 720mm x 500mm (approximately 28.3" x 19.7")
• Weight: 4.7kg (approximately 10.4 lbs)
• Provenance:
Private London collection (current owner)
Acquired on the Dutch art market
Ex. Mr. Hans Kamps collection (1953-2023)
Previously owned by Glenn Howard Ancient Art, a Swiss collection, and a VA Collection (details not specified)
The piece comes with a confirmation letter verifying it's not listed on the Art Loss Register (a database of stolen art). Additionally, an authentication statement accompanies the fragment, authored by Simone Musso, a consultant curator for Egyptian antiquities at the Stibbert Museum in Florence, Italy.
Live and Online Bidding
The auction will take place on January 25th, 2025, at 1:00 PM GMT (6:00 AM GMT-6). Bidding can be done in person at Apollo Art Auctions' central London showroom or online via their platform.
Preview
Those interested in viewing the coffin fragment can do so by appointment only at the London showroom from January 20th to 24th, 2025, between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
