An Egyptian Faience Ushabti for Horiraa

Late Period, 26th Dynasty, 664-525 B.C.

Height 7 inches (17.8 cm).

Property from the Collection of Dr. Hernan D. Ruf, Pompano Beach, Florida

Provenance:

Deaccessioned from the Egyptian Museum of Berlin, Germany [by repute].

Ilse Scwaiger Collection (1905-2005), Berlin, Germany, prior to 1940.

Lempertz, Brussels, Tribal Arts, 30 March 2006, Lot 2.

Private Collection (U.H.), Germany.

Published:

J.F. Aubert, Statuettes égyptiennes, Paris, 1974, p. 220

G. Janes, Shabtis: A Private View, Paris, 2002, pp. 193-194.

Note:

This ushabti was made for Overseer of the Antechamber, Horiraa. An important court official during the 26th Dynasty, Reign of Pharaoh Necho II, he was tutor to the pharaoh's successor Psamtik II. Also referred to as Neferibrenefer (Psamtik II is beautiful), his intact tomb was discovered in 1830 just south of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. The tomb contained hundreds of ushabtis which have been characterized by their grey-green color and fine modelling. Although many of these ushabtis can be found in major American and European Museums today, few are as fine as the one seen here.

Intact as preserved. Inspected under UV light and 10x loupe; nothing was revealed. Overall surface wear with one section of the hieroglyphic inscription nearly lost. Elements of the face and other portion of inscription are well preserved. Minuscule hole to the proper right hand; very small chip to the nose, other scattered and small chips. Minor surface staining, particularly to the top of the head and back of the ushabti near base. Overall in fine, stable condition. Affixed to a modern wooden base. Height with base 7 3/4 inches.

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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.

Antiquities and Ancient Art: A Study

An Egyptian Faience Ushabti for Horiraa

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